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ENROLLMENT TRENDS · NEW JERSEY

New Jersey schools in decline

New Jersey public schools with the largest enrollment loss from 2017-18 to 2024-25.

Schools in this report
50
steepest declines in state
Largest drop
-66%
Spruce Run
Range
-66% to -35%
2017-18 → 2024-25
TOP 50 NJ PUBLIC SCHOOLS BY ENROLLMENT LOSS · 2017-18 → 2024-25
SchoolCityDistrict2017-182024-25% change ↑
Spruce RunCLINTONClinton Township School District24484-65.6%
Branch Brook SchoolNEWARKNewark Public School District15160-60.3%
School 3PATERSONPaterson Public School District403167-58.6%
Theodore Roosevelt School No. 10PASSAICPassaic City School District865369-57.3%
Academy for Urban Leadership Charter SchoolPERTH AMBOYAcademy for Urban Leadership Charter School576259-55.0%
Lincoln Elementary SchoolHARRISONHarrison Public Schools669306-54.3%
Lakewood Middle SchoolLAKEWOODLakewood Township School District1,252574-54.2%
School #8CLIFTONClifton Public School District345165-52.2%
Columbus SchoolLYNDHURSTLyndhurst Public School District211102-51.7%
Developmental Learning Center WarrenWARRENMorris-Union Jointure Commission School District19494-51.5%
Central Early Childhood CenterDEPTFORDDeptford Township Public School District639310-51.5%
Newark Educators Community Charter SchoolNEWARKNewark Educators Community Charter School291142-51.2%
Alternative High SchoolPATERSONPaterson Public School District16481-50.6%
Kennedy Park Elementary SchoolISELINWoodbridge Township School District504256-49.2%
Forest Avenue SchoolGLEN RIDGEGlen Ridge Public School District241127-47.3%
Clifton Ave Grade SchoolLAKEWOODLakewood Township School District627331-47.2%
Mahatma K. Gandhi SchoolJERSEY CITYJersey City Public Schools1,502821-45.3%
Oak Street Elem SchoolLAKEWOODLakewood Township School District928513-44.7%
Hope Community Charter SchoolCAMDENHope Community Charter School206115-44.2%
Linwood SchoolNORTH BRUNSWICKNorth Brunswick Township School District1,362761-44.1%
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Middle SchoolASBURY PARKAsbury Park School District349195-44.1%
Vincent Capuana School No. 15PASSAICPassaic City School District261147-43.7%
Thomas Jefferson Elementary SchoolNORTH ARLINGTONNorth Arlington School District291164-43.6%
School No. 3FORT LEEFort Lee School District576330-42.7%
Memorial SchoolLYNDHURSTLyndhurst Public School District16394-42.3%
Benjamin C Gregory Elementary SchoolTRENTONTrenton Public School District538311-42.2%
Franklin D Roosevelt Elementary SchoolNORTH ARLINGTONNorth Arlington School District221132-40.3%
Henry B. Wilson Family SchoolCAMDENCamden City School District630377-40.2%
School 18PATERSONPaterson Public School District998601-39.8%
Indian Hills High SchoolOAKLANDRamapo Indian Hills Regional High School District1,109668-39.8%
Camden Big Picture Learning AcademyCAMDENCamden City School District249150-39.8%
Franklin Middle School at Hamilton Street CampusSOMERSETFranklin Township Public School District979592-39.5%
Rosa Parks Community SchoolORANGEORANGE BOARD OF EDUCATION School District980593-39.5%
Creative Arts High SchoolCAMDENCamden City School District345209-39.4%
School No. 4FORT LEEFort Lee School District622377-39.4%
Southwood Elementary SchoolOLD BRIDGEOld Bridge Township School District437265-39.4%
Alfred Zampella SchoolJERSEY CITYJersey City Public Schools1,037629-39.3%
Bradley Beach Elementary SchoolBRADLEY BEACHBradley Beach School District317193-39.1%
Ventnor Middle SchoolVENTNORVentnor City School District287176-38.7%
Lincoln Elementary SchoolNEW BRUNSWICKNew Brunswick School District576356-38.2%
Ocean City Intermediate SchoolOCEAN CITYOcean City School District527326-38.1%
New Horizons Community Charter SchoolNEWARKNew Horizons Community Charter School595370-37.8%
Carteret Middle SchoolCARTERETCarteret Public School District862540-37.4%
Thomas Jefferson School No. 1PASSAICPassaic City School District674423-37.2%
Pinelands Regional Jr. High SchoolLITTLE EGG HARBORPinelands Regional School District793500-36.9%
George Washington SchoolEDGEWATEREdgewater School District527333-36.8%
Von E. Mauger Middle SchoolMIDDLESEXMiddlesex Borough School District792502-36.6%
Woodland SchoolMONROE TOWNSHIPMonroe Township School District410261-36.3%
Piner Elementary SchoolLAKEWOODLakewood Township School District563364-35.3%
William C. McGinnis Middle SchoolPERTH AMBOYPerth Amboy Public School District1,513984-35.0%
50 of 50 rows · Brick-and-mortar only. Virtual, online, and cyber schools excluded. Schools must have had ≥100 students in 2017-18 and be open in both school years.↓ Download schools-in-decline-by-state-nj.csv

How this list was built

Every New Jersey public school that reported total enrollment in both the NCES SY 2017-18 and SY 2024-25 vintages was scored on percent change in enrollment. Schools needed at least 100 students in 2017-18 to qualify, and must have been open in both school years. Schools that closed entirely are tracked in the separate school closures report. Virtual academies, cyber charters, and online schools are excluded so the list reflects neighborhood schools that families have moved away from rather than program-design changes.

Enrollment loss is not a verdict on a school. Schools shrink because catchment populations shrink, because new schools open nearby, because a magnet program elsewhere pulls transfers, because districts redraw boundaries, or because the building physically aged out. Use this list as a starting point for understanding which New Jersey schools are operating with substantially fewer students than they were seven years ago.

Source data

NCES Common Core of Data, EDGE_ADMINDATA_PUBLICSCH MapServer, vintages 2017-18 and 2024-25. Refreshed yearly when NCES publishes a new admin-data release. School names, slugs, and current district affiliation come from the 2024-25 snapshot.

HOW TO CITE THIS REPORT

Anyone is welcome to cite or republish these findings. Please credit allk12.com and link back to this page so readers can verify the underlying data.

allk12 (2026). "New Jersey schools in decline: enrollment loss 2017–2024." Retrieved from https://allk12.com/reports/in-decline/new-jersey
For interview requests or custom data pulls: [email protected]
DOWNLOAD THE DATA
↓ schools-in-decline-by-state-nj.csv
RELATED
New Jersey schools on the rise · All New Jersey schools · Best New Jersey schools · All states
DATA NOTICE

allk12 is independent and not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by NCES, the US Census Bureau, any state education agency or assessment program, or any other government agency. Source data is compiled from public records and provided "as is," without warranty of accuracy or completeness. You rely on it, and any analysis derived from it, at your own risk. See the full disclaimer.