Superintendent: 'Report Card' shows Madison schools perform well
Madison High School's Class of 2009 SAT scores rank fourth in Morris County
By SALLY CAPONE
Staff Writer for the Madison Eagle Newspaper
Published: Feb 16th, 6:28 AM
MADISON ‑ The Madison High School Class of 2009 ranked fourth highest in SAT scores for Morris County with 1730 out of a possible 2400, according to the N.J. Department of Education.
Of the 159 members of Madison’s Class of 2009 on the SAT, the average scores were 595 in math, 558 in verbal, and 577 in writing, for a total average score of 1730.
In Morris County the top three high schools for SAT scores in order were the Academy of Math, Science and Engineering, a competitive-admissions, four-year magnet public high school in Rockaway that is part of the Morris County Vocational School District; Chatham High School, and Mendham High School.
The 2009 SAT scores are included among the data that the state releases annually about its public schools, known as the “School Report Card.” Drawing on data from the previous school year, school-by-school test scores on state exams and school-level information about class sizes and teacher qualifications are available. The state’s data for 2009 was released officially Feb. 10.
“This was another strong year for the SATs,” noted Superintendent of Schools Richard Noonan at the Board of Education meeting Tuesday, Feb. 9.
“We continue to outdo our district peers by 75 percent.
“Our schools continue to perform well, proof of a cost-effective operation,” Noonan said.
At The High School
For the 2008-09 school year at Madison High School on Ridgedale Avenue, out of 172 juniors tested, the passing rate in language arts proficiency improved by 3.7 percent from the previous year; in math, that number dropped by 5.5 percent.
In a profile of the high school, enrollment increased 4.3 percent over the past three years. There were 795 students enrolled at the high school, with 15.5 percent of that population disabled.
English-speaking students comprised 86.3 percent of the student body; those with limited English, 0.9 percent.
The turnover rate for the high school staff was zero. Staff advanced degrees comprised 82 percent, the highest in Morris County. The next highest was Morris Hills in Rockaway with 76.2 percent.
Among 2009 Madison High School graduates, 82.8 percent went on to a four-year college; 10.6 percent went on to two-year colleges, and 4 percent joined the workforce after high school.
At The Junior School
For the 2008-09 school year at the grades 6-8 Madison Junior School on Main Street, 86.8 percent of the sixth graders passed language arts, 85 percent passed math. Comparisons to the previous year were not available, since before 2008 Madison’s sixth grade was divided among three elementary schools.
For the seventh grade, 91.1 percent of the students passed language, up 1.4 percent; 78.4 passed math, down 10.8 percent.
For the eighth grade, 95.4 passed language arts, up 1.8 percent; 93.4 percent passed math, up 4.9 percent, and 98 percent passed science, up 0.7 percent.
Enrollment was 504, a three-year change of 45.7 percent due to the inclusion of the sixth grade in 2008 at the formerly grades 7-8 Junior School on Main Street.
English speakers comprised 87.7 percent of the student body, with limited English speakers at 0.6 percent. Attendance rates were 96.1 percent; class size was 20.2, and staff turnover was zero, with 50 percent of the faculty holding advanced degrees.
Elementary Schools
For 2009 at the grades K-5 Central Avenue School, total enrollment was 450, down 6.1 percent over the past three years.
English speakers comprised 85.3 percent of the school population, with 2.2 percent for limited English. Attendance was 96 percent, slightly higher than the state average of 94.6 percent; class size was 20.5, compared to a statewide average class size of 18.4 students in elementary schools, and staff turnover was 9.4 percent, with 71.4 percent of the faculty holding advanced degrees.
For 2009 at the grades K-5 Kings Road School, enrollment was 259, down 16.5 percent over the past three years.
English speakers comprised 93.4 percent of the student population, with 0.8 percent limited in English. Attendance stood at 95.9 percent; class size was 21.6, and staff turnover was 3.4 percent, with 57.1 percent of the faculty holding advanced degrees.
For 2009 at the grades K-5 Torey J. Sabatini School on Woodland Road, enrollment was 261, down 20.4 percent over the past three years.
English speakers comprised 92.3 percent of the school population, with 2.3 percent limited in English.
The attendance rate stood at 96.1 percent; class size was 20.1, and staff turnover was zero, with 72.4 percent of the faculty holding advanced degrees.
Spending, Salaries
For the entire grades K-12 Madison school district, per pupil spending rose 8.7 percent over the past two years, from $13,711 to $14,843.
The median administrator salary was $125,500, an 11.5 percent increase over two years. The statewide median administrative salary was $114,950.
The median salary for a teacher was $65,325, a 1.5 percent increase over two-years. The statewide median teacher’s salary was $59,232.
The N.J. State Department of Education “School Report Card” for the 2008-09 school year can be accessed through the department’s Web site at http://education.state.nj.us/rc/.
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