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Excellent

#160 of 2,466 schools in NJ

Top 6% in state

Central Middle School

Middle School · Long Hill Township School District · Stirling, NJ

A Long Hill Township School District middle school where students score 7 points above what's typical for similar communities.

90 Central Avenue, Stirling, NJ 07980

  • Math 63% vs NJ 36% (2025)
  • Reading 79% vs NJ 57% (2025)
  • 11.2:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress9.0Excellent40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data16
Annual Change+6.04 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendImproving
Academics8.6Excellent35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency63.1% (2025 NJSLA)
Reading/ELA Proficiency79.1% (2025 NJSLA)
Math vs. State Avg+21.6 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+25.5 pts
Overall Proficiency71% (2025 NJSLA, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)64% (model expectation from 2025 NJSLA)
vs. Expected+7.2 pts
Adjusted Percentile79th
Resources & Environment8.1Excellent25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio11.2:1
District spending per student$25,715
Chronic Absenteeism10.7%

Students at Central Middle School score 71% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 64%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NJSLA proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NJ average.

Math Proficiency63%(2025 NJSLA)
School
State
36%(2025 NJSLA)
ELA Proficiency79%(2025 NJSLA)
School
State
57%(2025 NJSLA)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 20 points since 2021, reaching 71% in 2025.

Show all 16 years
2009
Math
87%
ELA
91%
2010
Math
89%
ELA
90%
2011
Math
91%
ELA
91%
2012
Math
89%
ELA
91%
2013
Math
90%
ELA
90%
2014
Math
50%
ELA
83%
2015
Math
60%
ELA
86%
2016
Math
68%
ELA
86%
2017
Math
60%
ELA
78%
2018
Math
65%
ELA
81%
2019
Math
65%
ELA
81%
2020*
Math
34%
ELA
68%
2021*
Math
34%
ELA
68%
2022
Math
53%
ELA
67%
2024
Math
58%
ELA
72%
2025
Math
63%
ELA
79%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 65% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 80% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 42 test records from NJ state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

8.2%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

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 rate

The neighborhood

Where Central Middle School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the New York map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 30Car-Dependent
  • Bike 33Somewhat Bikeable

Powered byWalk Score

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$146,133

Median home value

$660,900

Median rent

$1,662/mo

College educated

59.7%

Homeownership

69.1%

Poverty rate

4.3%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 07980; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Developmental Learning Center WarrenEnrollment path unverified5.91–122.8 mi125Compare →
Warren Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified7.46–82.8 mi543Compare →
Columbia Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified7.86–83.0 mi536Compare →
Valley View SchoolEnrollment path unverified7.35–83.4 mi276Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Long Hill Township School District

Schools in district
3
Rank in district
#1 of 3
District spending per student
$25,715NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
2.8%Census SAIPE · 2024

Central Middle School is listed in Long Hill Township School District; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Central Middle School

Central Middle School is a public middle school in Stirling, NJ, part of Long Hill Township School District, serving approximately 281 students in grades 6th-8th with a 11.2:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.6 out of 10 and ranks #160 of 2,466 schools in NJ. State assessment records show 65% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 80% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Central Middle School

What grades does Central Middle School serve?

Central Middle School serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Central Middle School?

Central Middle School has an enrollment of approximately 281 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Middle School?

The student-teacher ratio at Central Middle School is 11.2:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Central Middle School rank in NJ?

Central Middle School ranks #160 of 2,466 schools in NJ.

What is Central Middle School's MySchoolScout rating?

Central Middle School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.6 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Central Middle School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Central Middle School has 65% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 80% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Central Middle School a charter school?

No, Central Middle School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Central Middle School a Title I school?

No, Central Middle School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Central Middle School?

8.2% of students at Central Middle School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
6th – 8th
Enrollment
281
Student-Teacher Ratio
11.2:1
Teachers (FTE)
25
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Morris County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
10.7%
Area population (ZIP 07980)
2,591
Area median age
36.1
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 NJSLA · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 NJSLA. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 NJSLA · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 NJSLA. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
State assessments · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 07980; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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