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Very Good

#456 of 2,466 schools in NJ

Top 19% in state

Columbia Middle School

Middle School · Berkeley Heights School District · Berkeley Hts, NJ

A Berkeley Heights School District middle school where students score 5 points above what's typical for similar communities.

345 PLAINFIELD AVE, Berkeley Hts, NJ 07922

  • Math 66% vs NJ 41% (2025)
  • Reading 80% vs NJ 57% (2025)
  • 9.7:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress6.2Average40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data16
Annual Change+0.63 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendStable
Academics8.6Excellent35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency65.7% (2025 NJSLA)
Reading/ELA Proficiency79.8% (2025 NJSLA)
Math vs. State Avg+24.2 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+26.2 pts
Overall Proficiency73% (2025 NJSLA, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)67% (model expectation from 2025 NJSLA)
vs. Expected+5.5 pts
Adjusted Percentile78th
Resources & Environment9.3Excellent25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio9.7:1
District spending per student$27,242
Chronic Absenteeism6.5%

Students at Columbia Middle School score 73% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 67%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NJSLA proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NJ average.

Math Proficiency66%(2025 NJSLA)
School
State
41%(2025 NJSLA)
ELA Proficiency80%(2025 NJSLA)
School
State
57%(2025 NJSLA)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 14 points since 2021, reaching 73% in 2025.

Show all 16 years
2009
Math
87%
ELA
91%
2010
Math
89%
ELA
92%
2011
Math
91%
ELA
91%
2012
Math
87%
ELA
89%
2013
Math
87%
ELA
90%
2014
Math
58%
ELA
66%
2015
Math
66%
ELA
75%
2016
Math
75%
ELA
78%
2017
Math
78%
ELA
84%
2018
Math
70%
ELA
82%
2019
Math
70%
ELA
82%
2020*
Math
46%
ELA
72%
2021*
Math
46%
ELA
72%
2022
Math
66%
ELA
79%
2024
Math
68%
ELA
76%
2025
Math
66%
ELA
80%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 71% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 81% (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 40 test records from NJ state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

2.1%

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 Columbia 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 46Car-Dependent
  • Bike 42Somewhat Bikeable

Powered byWalk Score

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

Median income

$179,006

Median home value

$697,000

Median rent

$1,986/mo

College educated

73%

Homeownership

95.9%

Poverty rate

2.2%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 07922; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Flex SchoolPrivate · tuition6.9private3–120.7 mi76Compare →
FlexschoolPrivate · tuition6.9private3–120.7 mi77Compare →
New Providence Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified8.57–82.4 mi417Compare →
Valley View SchoolEnrollment path unverified7.35–82.8 mi276Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

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

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Berkeley Heights School District

Schools in district
6
Rank in district
#1 of 6
District spending per student
$27,242NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
1.4%Census SAIPE · 2024

Columbia Middle School is listed in Berkeley Heights School District; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Columbia Middle School

Columbia Middle School is a public middle school in Berkeley Hts, NJ, part of Berkeley Heights School District, serving approximately 536 students in grades 6th-8th with a 9.7:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.8 out of 10 and ranks #456 of 2,466 schools in NJ. State assessment records show 71% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 81% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Columbia Middle School

What grades does Columbia Middle School serve?

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

How many students attend Columbia Middle School?

Columbia Middle School has an enrollment of approximately 536 students.

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

The student-teacher ratio at Columbia Middle School is 9.7:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Columbia Middle School rank in NJ?

Columbia Middle School ranks #456 of 2,466 schools in NJ.

What is Columbia Middle School's MySchoolScout rating?

Columbia Middle School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.8 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 Columbia Middle School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Columbia Middle School has 71% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 81% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Columbia Middle School a charter school?

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

Is Columbia Middle School a Title I school?

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

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

2.1% of students at Columbia 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
536
Student-Teacher Ratio
9.7:1
Teachers (FTE)
55
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Union County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
6.5%
Area population (ZIP 07922)
11,971
Area average commute
36.1 min
Area median age
48.2
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 07922; this does not measure the attendance area.

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

About our data · How we calculate scores

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