Best Schools in East Orange, New Jersey
25 schools · 18 Elementary · 4 Middle · 3 High
Choosing a school in East Orange?
Use this page to compare every school in East Orange by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Mildred Barry Garvin Elementary
Elementary · East Orange School District. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Shelia Y. Oliver Academy
Elementary · East Orange School District. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy
Elementary · East Orange School District. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in East Orange for 2026 are Mildred Barry Garvin Elementary (7.9/10), Shelia Y. Oliver Academy (7.6/10), and J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy (7.5/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 21 rated schools. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored; schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Schools
25
22 public · 3 private
Avg Score
5.8
out of 10
Median Home
$315,400
home value · ACS
Districts
3
serving the city
Schools
25
22 public · 3 private
Avg Score
5.8
out of 10
Median Home
$315,400
home value · ACS
Districts
3
serving the city
Rates 7.9/10 despite 63% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.0 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among East Orange schools.
Top-Rated Schools in East Orange
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (21 of 25). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mildred Barry Garvin Elementary | 7.9 / 10 |
| 2 | Shelia Y. Oliver Academy | 7.6 / 10 |
| 3 | J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy | 7.5 / 10 |
| 4 | East Orange Stem Academy High School | 7.1 / 10 |
| 5 | Dionne Warwick Institute | 7.1 / 10 |
| 6 | Cicely L. Tyson Community Middle/high School | 7.0 / 10 |
| 7 | Whitney E. Houston Academy | 6.9 / 10 |
| 8 | Cicely L. Tyson Community Elementary School | 6.7 / 10 |
| 9 | Ecole Toussaint Louverture | 6.5 / 10 |
| 10 | Langston Hughes Elementary School | 6.2 / 10 |
See every school — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
Family Snapshot
At a glance- Avg school rating
- 5.8/10
- Median household income
- $60,296
- Median home value
- $315,400
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 23%
- Avg commute
- 35 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 27%
26% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How East Orange compares
New Jersey rank
#273 of 344
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
-0.6
below New Jersey avg (6.4)
Median household income
$60k
51% of New Jersey median
Schools in this city
23
About Schools in East Orange, New Jersey
East Orange's public school system spans 22 ranked schools, with a citywide average score of 5.0 out of 10. Just 1 school — 5% of the total — clears the 7-point mark. That concentration near the lower half of the scale means school selection carries more weight than geographic assignment alone. Parents who research specific schools and plan by grade band get meaningfully different outcomes than those who default to their nearest building.
The city's top performer is Dionne Warwick Institute of Economics & Entrepreneurship, an elementary school scoring 7.2 out of 10 — the only school in East Orange to reach that threshold. Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. Academy follows at 6.8. Althea Gibson Academy and Wahlstrom Early Childhood Academy both score 6.7. All four of the city's highest-ranked schools serve elementary grades. At the middle school level, Pride Academy Charter School leads at 6.3, the strongest option for that age band. The pattern matters: East Orange's best performance concentrates in the early years, and above-average options thin out considerably by middle school.
For families mapping a school path, the 2.2-point gap between the top school and the citywide average of 5.0 is the most useful frame on this page. Elementary parents have a genuine cluster of options in the 6.7–7.2 range, but those schools often require active applications rather than automatic neighborhood assignment. Identifying target schools before kindergarten registration opens is the practical first move.
Charter enrollment runs on a separate timeline. Pride Academy operates outside the traditional district assignment process, with its own deadlines and application requirements. Parents planning for middle school should start researching that process at least a year ahead of the grade transition. Across every grade level, proactive school selection — not proximity — is the highest-leverage decision a family makes in East Orange.
Elementary Schools
18 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 236 students · 3rd–5th | 7.9 |
| 2 | 438 students · Pre-K–8th | 7.6 |
| 3 | 238 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.5 |
| 4 | 412 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.1 |
| 5 | 131 students · Pre-K–Kindergarten | 6.9 |
| 6 | 327 students · Pre-K–8th | 6.9 |
| 7 | 159 students · Pre-K–Kindergarten | 6.8 |
| 8 | 488 students · Pre-K–5th | 6.7 |
| 9 | 262 students · Pre-K–5th | 6.5 |
| 10 | 568 students · Pre-K–5th | 6.2 |
Show all 18 elementary schools in East Orange
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
4 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 320 students · 6th–8th | 4.6 |
| 2 | 262 students · 6th–8th | 4.5 |
| 3 | 329 students · 6th–8th | 3.7 |
| 4 | 297 students · 5th–8th | 3.4 |
High Schools
3 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 609 students · 6th–12th | 7.1 |
| 2 | 695 students · 6th–12th | 7.0 |
| 3 | 1,751 students · 9th–12th | 3.2 |
Schools in East Orange
East Orange, New Jersey · 25 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 2 ZIP codes
Median Income
$60,296
Median Home Value
$315,400
Median Rent
$1,378/mo
Population
69,070
College Educated
23%
Homeownership
27%
Avg Commute
35 min
Poverty Rate
17.8%
Community Profile
East Orange has a median household income of $60,296. It is a community where 23% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $315,400, with a median rent of $1,378/month. The area has a poverty rate of 17.8%. The average commute in the area is 35 minutes, which is above the national average. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- New Jersey
- Elementary
- 18
- Middle
- 4
- High
- 3
Resources
Nearby Cities
Other Major Cities in New Jersey
Top metros statewide by school count.
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in East Orange, New Jersey
How many schools are in East Orange, New Jersey?
East Orange has 25 schools, including 22 public and 3 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in East Orange, New Jersey?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in East Orange is 5.8 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.
What is the top-ranked school in East Orange, New Jersey?
The top-ranked school in East Orange on MySchoolScout is Mildred Barry Garvin Elementary with a composite score of 7.9/10.
What is the best elementary school in East Orange, New Jersey?
The top-ranked elementary school in East Orange on MySchoolScout is Mildred Barry Garvin Elementary with a composite score of 7.9/10.
What is the best middle school in East Orange, New Jersey?
The top-ranked middle school in East Orange on MySchoolScout is John L. Costley Middle School with a composite score of 4.6/10.
What is the best high school in East Orange, New Jersey?
The top-ranked high school in East Orange on MySchoolScout is East Orange Stem Academy High School with a composite score of 7.1/10.
How many school districts serve East Orange, New Jersey?
East Orange is served by 3 school districts: East Orange Community Charter School, Pride Academy Charter School District, East Orange School District.
What is the education level in East Orange, New Jersey?
According to Census data, 23% of adults in East Orange have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in East Orange, New Jersey?
The median household income in East Orange is approximately $60,296 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in East Orange, New Jersey?
Yes, East Orange has 3 private schools alongside 22 public schools. The top-rated private school is St Joseph Elementary School with a score of 5.3/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in East Orange, New Jersey?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in East Orange is 14.1:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in East Orange, New Jersey?
MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.
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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, New Jersey Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.