Hillside High School

Hillside High School serves 927 students in grades 9-12 in Hillside, New Jersey, with a student-teacher ratio of 13.2:1 and 70 full-time equivalent teachers. As a regular public high school in Union County, Hillside High is working to improve academic outcomes, with current proficiency rates showing significant room for growth—39% of students perform at or above proficient levels in English Language Arts, while 6% meet proficiency standards in mathematics. The school ranks in the 10th percentile among New Jersey high schools, reflecting the ongoing academic challenges facing the school community.

Despite these academic hurdles, the school maintains a reasonable class size structure that allows for more individualized attention between students and staff. Hillside High School draws from a diverse suburban community where the median household income is $89,804 and median home values reach $339,700. The surrounding neighborhood of 22,262 residents includes 29% of adults with bachelor's degrees or higher, while 10.6% of families experience poverty, indicating a mixed socioeconomic environment that brings both resources and challenges to the student body.

The school is situated in Union County's large suburban setting, providing students with access to the educational and cultural opportunities of the greater metropolitan area while maintaining a community-focused environment.

While current test scores at Hillside High School are below average, the school shows strong growth metrics — meaning students are making above-average progress year over year. This upward trajectory can be a positive indicator for families who value a school's ability to help students improve, even if absolute scores haven't caught up yet.