See Where Westwood Schools Land In New Niche Ranking

WESTWOOD, NJ — Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania based Niche has released the eighth edition of their K-12 school rankings, including the top districts in the state of New Jersey.

The top three public school districts include Millburn, Northern Valley Regional High School District, and Princeton Public Schools.

According to the latest rankings, Westwood Regional School District is the 57th best in the state.

Released Monday, the K-12 school rankings include updated data for 94,491 public schools, 2,489 private schools, and 11,846 school districts nationwide.

Each New Jersey district received a letter grade in the following categories: Academics; Diversity; Teachers; College Prep; Clubs & Activities; Health & Safety; Administration; Sports; Food; and Resources & Facilities.

The rankings combine user input — ratings from current students, alumni, and parents — with quantitative data from sources like the U.S. Department of Education to evaluate teachers, resources and facilities, extracurricular activity opportunities, and more, Niche said.

The most significant change to the methodology in 2022 was a de-emphasis of SAT and ACT scores. Any factor for test scores has been reduced by one-third.

Niche said it chose to alter the methodology for several reasons, including acknowledgment of socioeconomic and racial disparities perpetuated by standardized tests; challenges making appointments to test in-person due to the coronavirus pandemic, and an increasing number of institutions adopting test-optional policies.

"Our 2022 rankings come at a time when so many parents are curious about the different options for their children's education, including some they may never have considered before," Niche founder and CEO Luke Skurman said in a statement.

"No matter where they are in their search process, we strive to be a reliable guide and resource. It is truly an honor to know our users trust us to play a key role in such a big life decision."

Click here for the full list.