We know that Gov. Murphy and his good pal, NJEA President/gubernatorial candidate Sean Spiller, like to claim that New Jersey’s public schools are #1 in the nation, but the results from the 2024 National Assessment of Academic Progress (NAEP) tests say otherwise, especially when it comes to New Jersey’s disadvantaged students. Overall, the Urban Institute ranks New Jersey #6 but when adjusted for demographic differences in student populations, New Jersey ranks #12. That’s not #1 by a long shot.
Looking at the NAEP scores, New Jersey’s results were “objectively lackluster at best,” according to Paula White of JerseyCan. White summed up the bottom line:
… New Jersey is not #1 in education in the country … Anyone who says differently does not have the best interests in mind for our kids or our families. [Emphasis added.]
That includes Murphy and Spiller.
The numbers back her up.
I. AVERAGE 2024 NAEP SCORES FOR NEW JERSEY 4TH- AND 8TH-GRADERS:
- 4th-grade math: New Jersey students averaged 240, which was tied for 9th place, with one state scoring significantly higher, 34 states not significantly different and 14 states significantly lower. Basically, New Jersey is in the middle.
- 4th-grade reading: Students averaged 222, which was tied for 2nd place, with 23 states not significantly different and 26 states significantly lower. Basically, New Jersey is in the upper half.
- 8th-grade math: Students averaged 282, which was tied for 2nd, with 16 states not significantly different and 33 states significantly lower. So New Jersey is in the top third.
- 8th-grade reading: Students averaged 266, which was 2nd place, with six states not significantly different and 43 states states significantly lower. So here New Jersey was among the top six states.
Not only is New Jersey not #1 overall, it’s not $#1 in any category (Massachusetts was both). The Urban Institute ranks New Jersey #6 based on the overall average score.
II. AVERAGE 2024 NAEP SCORES ADJUSTED FOR DEMOGRAPHIC DIFFERENCES:
New Jersey is a very wealthy state, and wealth correlates strongly with student academic achievement, but New Jersey also has one of the largest achievement gaps in the nation. In other words, to see how New Jersey compares to other states on an apples-to-apples basis, NAEP must be adjusted for demographic differences. For example, 35.8% of New Jersey students are low income, whereas 71% of Louisiana’s are.*
The Urban Institute** adjusts the NAEP score for demographics to account for these differences in student populations.
| State | 4th Math | 4th Reading | 8th Math | 8th Reading |
| 1. Mississippi | 248.6 | 228.5 | 281.3 | 263.2 |
| 2. Lousiana | 245.2 | 226.5 | 278.2 | 265.1 |
| 3. Massachusetts | 243.4 | 222.3 | 280.0 | 266.0 |
| 4. Texas | 246.8 | 218.7 | 276.3 | 258.8 |
| 5. Indiana | 240.7 | 221.0 | 277.1 | 261.2 |
| 6. Florida | 247.5 | 222.5 | 272.0 | 256.0 |
| 7. Georgia | 237.9 | 215.9 | 274.3 | 263.4 |
| 8. South Carolina | 241.4 | 218.9 | 272.7 | 258.0 |
| 9. Illinois | 234.6 | 213.0 | 277.4 | 261.8 |
| 10. Kentucky | 238.3 | 220.1 | 270.0 | 258.3 |
| 11. Nevada | 239.9 | 219.7 | 269.5 | 256.5 |
| 12. New Jersey | 235.0 | 214.4 | 274.3 | 259.4 |
When demographic differences are accounted for, New Jersey ranks #12.
We reiterate Paula White’s bottom line: New Jersey is not #1 by a long shot, and anyone — including Murphy and Spiller — who says otherwise does not have the best interests of New Jersey kids in mind.
Let that sink in.
P.S. For a thorough take on New Jersey’s performance and various reactions to it, see NJEdReport’s excellent summary.
*Urban Institute data as displayed by NJEdReport.
**The Urban Institute compares each individual student to students nationwide who are the same gender, age, and race or ethnicity and have the same free and reduced-price lunch receipt status, special education status, and English language learner status. The data in this chart was compiled by Marc Porter Magee on X as displayed by NJEdReport.