Same State, Different Classrooms: How infrastructure defines student performance in New Jersey

By Alexia Ramos, Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA & High School

For the 2025-2026 school year, the township of Perth Amboy invested in new infrastructure for its high school at a cost of $ 284 million. The goal was to relieve overcrowding in district schools, improve the quality of education, and achieve “the promise to nurture our students to experience a rigorous curriculum within a robust educational learning environment…” according to David A Roman, the superintendent of schools, in a Central Jersey article. Yet this remodeling sparks a conversation that has surrounded the education industry since the beginning. 

What impact do infrastructure and resources have on a student’s performance? Quality infrastructure and student academic data seem to be correlated, which is understandable why the Perth Amboy district would invest millions of dollars to improve factors such as their low subject proficiency, which are all currently under 50%. Beyond Convery Boulevard, where Perth Amboy High School is located, New Jersey lies #1 in education, securing its high spot due to high test scores and high funding. However, it would not be an accurate statement to argue that all schools are equally funded and tested successfully. To accompany this challenge, the property tax factor is of main concern as the students’ economic status changes drastically, affecting their ability to achieve an equal education. 

A well-prepared classroom is not only defined by the most recent models of its technology or the aesthetics of the room; what it truly needs to achieve success is the correct quality and quantity of resources that can make a difference in a child’s education. A teacher cannot teach effectively if the class ratio prevents them from using individual materials. In the same manner, students will not be engaged throughout the school day as the environment lacks the capacity to assist. A successful school example, Princeton High School is known for its strong academics and university partnerships with Princeton University, the school is part of the Princeton Public School Districts, yet its curriculum resembles closely to private education standards that average to $12, 790 dollars for private elementary schools and secondary schools, $17, 123 for high school education, both per pupil. 

ELA Proficiency (% of students)

NJ State Avg       ███████████████████              52%

Princeton HS       ██████████████████████████       69%

Perth Amboy HS     ████████████████                  44%

Math Proficiency (% of students)

NJ State Avg       ████████████████                  40%

Princeton HS       ███████████████████████          46%

Perth Amboy HS     ███                              <10%

Graph comparison of academic trends in 2024-2025 between Princeton High School, Perth Amboy High School, and Statewide rates. Data Credits to NJ.Gov School Performance Report.

Conversively,  according to Mahadev Maitri foundation data, Perth Amboy spends $43, 249 dollars per pupil. There is a significant economic need in the community, this is reflected in factors such as the free lunch program which 81.1% students in the district are part of,  which is high above the national average of 52.2%  Princeton and other areas of higher income, such as Millburn, Livingston, and Summit, have shown a fantastic academic performance along with strong infrastructure and quality resources. Yet as shown previously, an affluent community does not equal higher educational spending; on the contrary, impoverished areas commonly spend more since they have more necessities to cover. 

Clearly, there is a relationship between household income and school performance; the fact is that property taxes are one of the main sources of funding for U.S. public education. The data presented by the National Center for Education Statistics show that property taxes contribute 36% of the total funding received by districts in the United States. With schools, the funding from those taxes, or lack thereof, makes a radical difference in a student’s opportunity and resources, which only causes the disparity between more affluent communities to increase. Funding inequality contributes to a cycle of limited access for low-income students; it is incorrect to judge solely by academic performance when there are no educational resources to build from. Low graduation rates and literacy are a manifestation of the state and local government’s poor budget management along with systemic barriers that minority-based areas face. 

In order to address the crisis, state-wide efforts have been made and put into action, specifically the funding program known as the School Funding Reform Act (SFRA). This is part of the concept of Equalization Aid, which is a form of financial assistance made for its unrestricted use in public school districts in the United States. According to the official site of the state of New Jersey, SFRA was the first school funding formula deemed constitutional. Districts receive funding based on student population and condition, meaning the number of students deemed at risk (low income) and English learners. 

Perth Amboy’s investment is a response to its declining academic performance, an action only possible with the primary investment of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority (SDA), a state effort made to improve the structural quality of schools in impoverished areas. As described by NJ Spotlight News, this was the largest and most expensive school project in SDA history, along with 35 other projects. This is a new beginning that opens extraordinary opportunities and possibilities for the Perth Amboy community, to have a prosperous generation we must start investing in education.