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Needs Improvement

#2399 of 2,466 schools in NJ

K. Johnson D. Vaughan and M. Jackson Stem Academy

High School · Elizabeth Public Schools · Elizabeth, NJ

An Elizabeth Public Schools high school serving grades 9th – 12th.

237 South Broad Street, Elizabeth, NJ 07202

  • Math 5% vs NJ 44% (2025)
  • Reading 50% vs NJ 50% (2025)
  • 1/5 advanced STEM subjects

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress4.7Below Average25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data2
Annual Change-1.65 pts/yr
Data Period2022–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics5.1Average25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency4.6% (2025 NJSLA)
Reading/ELA Proficiency50% (2025 NJSLA)
Math vs. State Avg-39.4 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+0.1 pts
Overall Proficiency27% (2025 NJSLA, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)26% (model expectation from 2025 NJSLA)
vs. Expected+1.5 pts
Adjusted Percentile33th
College Readiness1.5Needs Improvement30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
AP Participation16.6%
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment2.6Needs Improvement20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio16.7:1
District spending per student$25,711
Chronic Absenteeism13.3%

Students at K. Johnson D. Vaughan and M. Jackson Stem Academy score 27% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 26%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NJSLA proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NJ average.

Math Proficiency5%(2025 NJSLA)
School
State
44%(2025 NJSLA)
ELA Proficiency50%(2025 NJSLA)
School
State
50%(2025 NJSLA)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency has held near 27% across the 4-year record (2022–2025).

Show all 2 years by subject
2022
Math
3%
ELA
62%
2025
Math
5%
ELA
50%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 4% (multi-year average, 2022-2025) · reading/ELA 56% (multi-year average, 2022-2025)

Based on 4 test records from NJ state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

75%

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 K. Johnson D. Vaughan and M. Jackson Stem Academy 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 91Walker's Paradise
  • Transit 56Good Transit
  • Bike 55Bikeable
  • City Safety: High3,069/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Elizabeth), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

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

Median income

$68,071

Median home value

$358,000

Median rent

$1,508/mo

College educated

12.6%

Homeownership

26.2%

Poverty rate

12.3%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 07202; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

AP/IB Programs1AP course offered
16.6% participation·State avg: 3.2 AP courses·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics10sports offered
5 boys'·5 girls'·12 teams (incl. JV)·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM Courses1of 5 advanced subjects offered
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Admiral William F. Halsey Jr. Health & Public Safety AcademyEnrollment path unverified4.89–120.2 mi1,291Compare →
John E. Dwyer Technology AcademyEnrollment path unverified4.09–120.3 mi1,404Compare →
Thomas Jefferson Arts AcademyEnrollment path unverified4.69–120.4 mi1,156Compare →
Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell AcademyEnrollment path unverified8.29–120.5 mi1,291Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Elizabeth Public Schools

Schools in district
37
Rank in district
#37 of 37
District spending per student
$25,711NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
19.9%Census SAIPE · 2024

K. Johnson D. Vaughan and M. Jackson Stem Academy is listed in Elizabeth Public Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About K. Johnson D. Vaughan and M. Jackson Stem Academy

K. Johnson D. Vaughan and M.

Jackson Stem Academy is a public high school in Elizabeth, NJ, part of Elizabeth Public Schools, serving approximately 601 students in grades 9th-12th with a 16.7:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 3.4 out of 10 and ranks #2,399 of 2,466 schools in NJ. State assessment records show 4% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2022-2025) and 56% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2022-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about K. Johnson D. Vaughan and M. Jackson Stem Academy

What grades does K. Johnson D. Vaughan and M. Jackson Stem Academy serve?

K. Johnson D. Vaughan and M. Jackson Stem Academy serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend K. Johnson D. Vaughan and M. Jackson Stem Academy?

K. Johnson D. Vaughan and M. Jackson Stem Academy has an enrollment of approximately 601 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at K. Johnson D. Vaughan and M. Jackson Stem Academy?

The student-teacher ratio at K. Johnson D. Vaughan and M. Jackson Stem Academy is 16.7:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does K. Johnson D. Vaughan and M. Jackson Stem Academy rank in NJ?

K. Johnson D. Vaughan and M. Jackson Stem Academy ranks #2,399 of 2,466 schools in NJ.

What is K. Johnson D. Vaughan and M. Jackson Stem Academy's MySchoolScout rating?

K. Johnson D. Vaughan and M. Jackson Stem Academy has a current MySchoolScout rating of 3.4 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 K. Johnson D. Vaughan and M. Jackson Stem Academy?

Based on loaded state assessment records, K. Johnson D. Vaughan and M. Jackson Stem Academy has 4% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2022-2025) and 56% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2022-2025).

Is K. Johnson D. Vaughan and M. Jackson Stem Academy a charter school?

No, K. Johnson D. Vaughan and M. Jackson Stem Academy is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is K. Johnson D. Vaughan and M. Jackson Stem Academy a Title I school?

No, K. Johnson D. Vaughan and M. Jackson Stem Academy is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for K. Johnson D. Vaughan and M. Jackson Stem Academy?

75.0% of students at K. Johnson D. Vaughan and M. Jackson Stem Academy 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
9th – 12th
Enrollment
601
Student-Teacher Ratio
16.7:1
Teachers (FTE)
36
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Union County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
13.3%
Area population (ZIP 07202)
44,638
Area average commute
23.9 min
Area median age
36.2
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)
NCES EdFacts · 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 07202; 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, 2022-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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