State Report Card Grades Mahwah Schools' Performance

The New Jersey Department of Education released report cards for the performance of every school in the state during the 2010-11 year Thursday.

Overall, Mahwah schools performed higher than the state averages on statewide exams. However, two schools in the district – Ramapo Ridge and Joyce Kilmer – did not make their 2010 AYP, or “adequate yearly progress” score to meet state benchmarks. The AYP is based on test scores in both the total population of the school, and in certain subgroups.

For the third year in a row in 2010, JK was classified as a “school in need of improvement.” It was the only school in the district to receive the classification.

Earlier this year, school officials presented several plans for , including and .

The district reported spending $17,521 per student for the 2010-2011 school year. The cost includes district expenditures on classroom instructional costs, support services, administrative costs, operations/maintenance, extracurricular, transportation and other costs. The total of these expenditures is divided by the average daily enrollment to calculate a total comparative cost per pupil. Compared to districts with similar budgets, Mahwah's expenses are only slightly higher. The average cost per pupil in districts of similar budgets was $17,469.

Here's a breakdown of the report card results at each school in the district:

Students at Mahwah High School generally had a greater percentage of proficient and advanced proficient scores than their peers in the state and the District Factor Group (DFG) — which measures schools from socio-economically similar areas — on both the language arts and math sections of the HSPA test.

However, the average SAT scores from Mahwah High were either on par with, or lower than, the DFG averages in different SAT categories. Mahwah students scored significantly higher than the state averge on the math, verbal and essay portions of the standardized test.

The school had a 96.17 percent graduation rate. The school reported a 1.1 percent drop-out rate, lower than the 1.5 percent state average.

Average class sizes at Mahwah High School are slightly higher than the state average, with the whole school averaging 22.1 kids per class, and the state averaging 19.1. Ninth graders stand out as the year with the largest class sizes, averaging 27.5 kids per class, as compared with the statewide average of 20.4.

When compared with other DFG schools on standardized exams, the Ridge received higher levels of proficient or advanced proficient scores in sixth grade language arts literacy, and sixth, seventh and eighth grade mathematics, but lower in seventh and eighth grade language arts, and eighth grade science.

Average class sizes at the Ridge are slightly higher than the statewide average. Overall, the school reported an average class size of 22.2 students, compared with 19.1 statewide. The eighth grade saw the highest average class size in the 2010-2011 school year, with 24.1 students per class.

JK students received lower than percentages of proficient or advanced proficient scores on standardized tests in fourth grade language arts literacy and science, and fifth grade language arts and mathematics than other schools in the DFG. However, students performed higher than the DFG average in fourth grade mathematics.

Class sizes at in the fourth and fifth grades at JK are larger than the state average, with just over 24 students in each class as compared with a statewide average around 21.

More students at Betsy Ross received a proficient score in the third grade language arts exam than the DFG average. And, although the school had a lower number of "proficient" scores on the mathematics exam, a very high percentage – 75.9 – scored at an “advanced proficient” level, as compared with 54.3 percent in the DFG. Overall, BR students outperformed their DFG counterparts in both language arts and mathematics.

Average class sizes are just slightly higher at BR than across the state, at 19.7 students per class, as compared with 19.1.

Similarly to BR, students at GW received a proficient score in the third grade language arts exam than the DFG average. And, although the school had a lower number of proficient scores on the mathematics exam, it had a higher number of students in the advanced proficient category. Overall, GW students outperformed their DFG counterparts in both language arts and mathematics.

School-wide, average class sizes of 23.4 students outpaced the state average of 19.1.

Students at Lenape received less "proficient" and "advanced proficient" scores in both third grade language arts and mathematics than did their DFG counterparts.

Average class sizes at Lenape came in at 17 students per class, lower than the statewide average of 19.1.

See a complete breakdown of the school report card here.

Have a question or a news tip? Email the editor Jessica Mazzola at jessica.mazzola@patch.com. Or, follow us on Facebook and Twitter. For news straight to your email inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.