About Our Guide

The Camden Schools Quality Guide was created to help families understand the quality of Camden Schools, and their school options, to empower them to make confident and informed decisions about where their children learn and grow.
Our goal is to take complex school information and make it clear, useful, and accessible to every Camden parent or caregiver — no matter where you are in the process.

Types of Schools

In Camden, families can choose from several kinds of schools. Each type has unique programs, enrollment processes, and learning environments. The guide includes all public K-12 schools in Camden.

District Schools

Operated by the Camden City School District, these schools are free and open to students living in Camden. You’re usually assigned based on your neighborhood, but transfers may be possible. Apply to District Schools through the One Camden enrollment process.

Public Charter Schools

Tuition-free public schools run by independent organizations. They often have specific themes or teaching models and require an application through the charter enrollment process.

Renaissance Schools

Public schools are managed by nonprofit partners under agreements with the Camden City School District. They combine elements of district and charter schools, serving students in specific neighborhood zones. Apply to Renaissance Schools through the One Camden enrollment process.

Understanding the School Quality Guide

The Camden Schools Quality Guide helps families understand how well each school is supporting student learning and success. Every school receives several scores that highlight its strengths and areas for growth. Together, these measures give you a fuller picture of school quality — beyond one single metric.

What We Measure

K-8 Schools:

  • Overall Score

    • Summarizes the school's performance across all areas below. This gives you a quick snapshot of how the school is doing overall.

  • Student Growth Score

    • Summarizes how much students progressed year to year, compared to students with similar starting scores the prior year. This measure is called the median student growth percentile, and more information about how this is calculated can be found here. 

  • Proficiency on NJSLA Score

    • Summarizes how many students are meeting or exceeding grade-level expectations in reading and math on the state NJSLA exams.

  • Absenteeism Score 

    • Summarizes how often students miss school because consistent attendance is a key sign that students feel supported and engaged in their learning. Chronic absenteeism measures the number of students absent 18 or more days in a full school year, or 10% or more days.

High Schools:

  • Overall Score

    • Summarizes the school's performance across all areas below. This gives you a quick snapshot of how the school is doing overall.

  • Grad Readiness Exam Score

    • Summarizes how well students are prepared for high school graduation in ELA and Math by spring of 11th grade, using results from the NJGPA (Graduation Proficiency Assessment), the state exam used as the assessment requirement to graduate.

  • Proficiency on NJSLA Score

    • Summarizes how many 9th graders are meeting or exceeding grade-level expectations in reading and math (the Algebra exam) on the state NJSLA exams.

  • Graduation & Post-Secondary Score

    • Summarizes how well the school is doing in helping students graduate and move forward to their next step — whether that’s college, career training, or another path. The grad rate measures how many students graduate on time and are ready for postsecondary education. The postsecondary rate measures how many students enrolled in postsecondary education (2 or 4-year college) the fall after graduation.

  • Absenteeism Score 

    • Summarizes how often students miss school because consistent attendance is a key sign that students feel supported and engaged in their learning. Chronic absenteeism measures the number of students absent 18 or more days in a full school year, or 10% or more days.

Understanding the Star Ratings

Rating

Description

High Quality (5) – Strong performance across most or all areas

Approaching High Quality (4) – Above average performance with room to grow

Middle Quality (3) – Average performance; some areas of strength and others needing improvement

Approaching Middle Quality (2) – Below average, showing progress or early improvement

Low Quality (1) – Needs significant improvement across multiple areas

Join us at the Camden City Wide School Fair!

  • Saturday, January 24, 2026 10am - 3pm
  • The Kroc Center | 1865 Harrison Ave. Camden, NJ 08105
Learn More

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