Northern Valley Regional High School District in Demarest grabbed the top spot among New Jersey school districts for 2026. Niche assessed 388 districts statewide. The district earned an A+ grade…
Jim Mayhew
Published Jan 27, 2026 1:27 PM EST

Northern Valley Regional High School District in Demarest grabbed the top spot among New Jersey school districts for 2026. Niche assessed 388 districts statewide. The district earned an A+ grade and teaches around 2,300 students across three schools.

This district achieved a 9/10 average testing ranking, which puts it in the top 20% of public schools statewide. Northern Valley Regional High School at Demarest maintained a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger and ranks within the top 20-35 high schools across the state.

Millburn Township School District placed second. Around 5,000 students attend eight schools there. About 80% of students show proficiency in math, while 83% achieve proficiency in reading. The student-teacher ratio sits at 13 to 1, and the district ranks better than 97.7% of districts statewide.

Tenafly Public School District claimed the third spot, serving around 3,600 students across six schools in Bergen County. It holds the #7 spot in state rankings with an average testing ranking of 10/10, placing it in the top 5% of public schools in New Jersey.

Princeton Public Schools serves 3,691 students. It ranks 79th out of 609 districts with a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger. Westfield Public Schools placed #18 among the state’s public districts, serving around 5,880 students across 10 schools with an average testing ranking of 10/10.

Summit Public Schools serves nearly 4,000 students across nine schools in Union County. The district ranks in the top 10% of public schools statewide with a 10/10 testing ranking for 2026. New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked the town #2 in its “Top 100 Towns” list in 2019.

The School District of the Chathams serves students in both Chatham Borough and Chatham Township, operating as a unified district with around 3,523 students. Chatham High School earned recognition as one of the top 40 public high schools in New Jersey and launched a Work-Based Learning Program for seniors.

Ridgewood Public School District serves around 5,500 students across 10 public schools in Bergen County. The district ranks in the top 5% statewide with an average testing ranking of 10/10.

New Jersey ranks among states with the highest-quality public education systems in the country. Rankings from education evaluation services identify districts that show excellence across testing performance, teacher credentials, and community involvement.

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Northern Valley Regional High School District Tops New Jersey School Rankings for 2026