In the September issue, New Jersey Monthly ranked Scotch Plains-Fanwood 62 out of 332 public high schools, moving up the high school by seven spots since the last published ranking, in 2008. Among those public high schools ranked in Union County, Scotch Plains-Fanwood earned the seventh best ranking out of 17 high schools, behind New Providence (5), Cranford (13), Governor Livingston in Berkeley Heights (24), Summit (25), Jonathan Dayton in Springfield (40) and Westfield (41). Millburn High School earned the top spot, as they did in 2008.
New Jersey Monthly describes three general categories used to judge the schools. "School environment" aggregates values such as average class size (SPFHS is at 20.0), student-faculty ratio (12.3:1), percentage of faculty with advanced degrees and the number of AP tests offered (23). "Student performance" groups together statistics such as average combined SAT score (1596 out of 2400), and the percentage of students showing advanced proficiency on HSPA, or High School Proficiency Assessment, on Language (18%) and Math (45%). "Student outcomes" weighs students' post-graduation plans, whether they choose to go to four-year (80% of SPFHS graduates) or two-year (9% of SPFHS graduates) colleges.
Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School Principal Dr. David Heisey appreciates the high school's ranking, but is wary of becoming obsessed with rankings such as New Jersey Monthly's. "I'm a firm believer that there are many great high schools in New Jersey. I don't know whether a school is 1 or 100 matters so much in deciding if they provide quality education for their students. There are schools right in the middle [of the rankings] who are great at specific aspects of education. It's great that we were ranked so high, but it's one ranking, one indication. I put some stock in it but not all."
Dr. Heisey was also straightforward about the ranking's effect on his job: "I certainly do not let the rankings change the way I run the school or what happens here."
But the quality of local schools goes beyond just the education students receive; education weighs heavily on real estate. Whether or not a home buyer is looking to start a family or not, property value is partially maintained and based in the strength of local public schools.
Rich Campbell, realtor for the local Suburb Realty Agency, said "Our schools are doing better and better, and the desirability of the homes in the area definitely increases with the quality of the schools. I always cite how excellent our schools are…As I'm showing a house, I make sure to inform the potential buyer that the local schools will keep the property value strong."
Despite SPFHS's past successes, a major test will come with recent budget strikes, taking a large chunk out of educational resources. As New Jersey Monthly ominously printed in the rankings article, "What the rankings do not tell us is how the schools will fare after losing $820 million in direct state aid this year."
