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Needs Improvement

#2403 of 2,466 schools in NJ

West Side High School

High School · Newark Public School District · Newark, NJ

A Newark Public School District high school where students score 19 points below what's typical for similar communities.

403 South Orange Avenue, Newark, NJ 07103

  • Math 3% vs NJ 44% (2025)
  • Reading 7% vs NJ 50% (2025)
  • 74.0% 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress3.6Needs Improvement25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data13
Annual Change-3.7 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics1.9Needs Improvement25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency2.9% (2025 NJSLA)
Reading/ELA Proficiency6.7% (2025 NJSLA)
Math vs. State Avg-38.6 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-51.5 pts
Overall Proficiency5% (2025 NJSLA, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)24% (model expectation from 2025 NJSLA)
vs. Expected-19.4 pts
Adjusted Percentile4th
College Readiness4.5Below Average30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate74%
AP Participation6.8%
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment3.3Needs Improvement20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio14.4:1
District spending per student$31,680
Chronic Absenteeism29.1%

Students at West Side High School score 5% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 24%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NJSLA proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NJ average.

Math Proficiency3%(2025 NJSLA)
School
State
44%(2025 NJSLA)
ELA Proficiency7%(2025 NJSLA)
School
State
50%(2025 NJSLA)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 10 points since 2021, to 5% in 2025, across a 17-year record (2009–2025).

Show all 13 years
2009
Math
37%
ELA
48%
2010
Math
28%
ELA
54%
2011
Math
32%
ELA
62%
2012
Math
32%
ELA
52%
2013
Math
27%
ELA
62%
2017
Math
7%
ELA
23%
2018
Math
4%
ELA
15%
2019
Math
4%
ELA
15%
2020*
Math
3%
ELA
27%
2021*
Math
3%
ELA
27%
2022
Math
3%
ELA
12%
2024
Math
4%
ELA
13%
2025
Math
3%
ELA
7%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 14% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 32% (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 26 test records from NJ state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

77.8%

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 West Side High 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 73Very Walkable
  • Transit 63Good Transit
  • Bike 51Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,542/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Newark), 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

$42,397

Median home value

$259,300

Median rent

$1,289/mo

College educated

20.6%

Homeownership

23.4%

Poverty rate

31.6%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 07103; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

AP/IB Programs2AP courses offered
6.8% participation·State avg: 3.2 AP courses·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics9sports offered
5 boys'·4 girls'·15 teams (incl. JV)·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM Courses5of 5 advanced subjects offered
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
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; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
John F. Kennedy SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.6PK–120.2 mi109Compare →
Lead Charter SchoolCharter · enrollment unverified3.09–120.6 mi280Compare →
Bard Early College High SchoolEnrollment path unverified8.09–120.7 mi382Compare →
Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of TechnologyEnrollment path unverified7.49–120.8 mi1,148Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

Newark Public School District

Schools in district
64
Rank in district
#62 of 63
District spending per student
$31,680NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
25.6%Census SAIPE · 2024

West Side High School is listed in Newark Public School District; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About West Side High School

West Side High School is a public high school in Newark, NJ, part of Newark Public School District, serving approximately 621 students in grades 9th-12th with a 14.4:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 3.4 out of 10 and ranks #2,403 of 2,466 schools in NJ. State assessment records show 14% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 32% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about West Side High School

What grades does West Side High School serve?

West Side High School serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend West Side High School?

West Side High School has an enrollment of approximately 621 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at West Side High School?

The student-teacher ratio at West Side High School is 14.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does West Side High School rank in NJ?

West Side High School ranks #2,403 of 2,466 schools in NJ.

What is West Side High School's MySchoolScout rating?

West Side High School 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 West Side High School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, West Side High School has 14% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 32% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is West Side High School a charter school?

No, West Side High School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is West Side High School a Title I school?

No, West Side High School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for West Side High School?

77.8% of students at West Side High 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
9th – 12th
Enrollment
621
Student-Teacher Ratio
14.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
43
Type
regular
Setting
Large City
County
Essex County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
29.1%
4-Year Graduation
74.0%
Area population (ZIP 07103)
36,733
Area average commute
31.6 min
Area median age
31.8
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 07103; 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

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