10. Schools
Paramus Public Schools runs eight schools: five elementary schools through grade 4, two middle schools for grades 5 to 8, and Paramus High School.73, 74 Middle school starts in grade 5 here. Preschool for four-year-olds is at the high school's Early Childhood Center, and the program for three-year-olds is at Parkway.75
Every figure below is published by the New Jersey Department of Education or the district. No consumer rating is reproduced. Test and attendance figures are for the 2023-24 school year.
The eight schools side by side
Table 10.1. Paramus schools: size and staffing.
| School | Grades | Address | Students, 2021-22 | Students, 2024-25 | Students per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memorial | PK-4 | 203 East Midland Avenue | 296 | 289 | 11 |
| Midland | K-4 | 241 West Midland Avenue | 157 | 200 | 9 |
| Parkway | PK-4 | 145 East Ridgewood Avenue | 300 | 297 | 11 |
| Ridge Ranch | K-4 | 345 Lockwood Drive | 376 | 338 | 12 |
| Stony Lane | K-4 | 110 West Ridgewood Avenue | 199 | 223 | 10 |
| East Brook Middle | 5-8 | 190 Spring Valley Road | 599 | 555 | 10 |
| West Brook Middle | 5-8 | 560 Roosevelt Boulevard | 558 | 500 | 9 |
| Paramus High School | 9-12 | 99 East Century Road | 1,216 | 1,153 | 10 |
Source: NJ DOE School Performance Reports for each school; enrollment from the State's fall counts.76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84
District enrollment was 3,532 in 2024-25, down 9.3% from 2015-16.85 The district expects that to turn: its State-approved facilities plan projects 3,744 students by 2029-30.86
Paramus results against the State
Table 10.2. Paramus district and high school results against New Jersey, 2023-24.
| Measure | Paramus | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| NJSLA English language arts, meeting or exceeding expectations | 71.4% | 52.2% |
| NJSLA mathematics, meeting or exceeding expectations | 58.9% | 40.2% |
| Median student growth, English language arts | 64 | 50 |
| Median student growth, mathematics | 58 | 50 |
| Science proficient, grade 5 | 46% | 27% |
| Science proficient, grade 8 | 31% | 19% |
| Science proficient, grade 11 | 33% | 28% |
| Four-year graduation rate, 2024 cohort | 94.7% | 91.3% |
| Five-year graduation rate, 2023 cohort | 97.3% | 92.6% |
| Grade 11-12 students in at least one AP or IB course | 46.3% | 35.9% |
| Seniors taking the SAT | 74.1% | 62.7% |
| SAT average, reading and writing | 573 | 530 |
| SAT average, math | 575 | 519 |
| Grade 11-12 students in dual enrollment | 8.6% | 26.9% |
Source: NJ DOE School Performance Reports for the district and Paramus High School.73, 83
Paramus is above the State on every row but the last. Dual enrollment is where students earn college credit through a partner college. The high school offers 26 AP courses. Students sat 783 AP exams, and 71.9% of them scored 3 or higher.74, 83
Elementary schools: NJSLA scores and attendance
The NJSLA is the State's spring test in English and math. The tables show the share of students who met or exceeded expectations on it, and the share who missed 10% or more of school days.
Table 10.3. Elementary schools, NJSLA scores and attendance, 2023-24.
| School | NJSLA English, grade 3 | NJSLA English, grade 4 | NJSLA math, grade 3 | NJSLA math, grade 4 | Absent 10% or more of days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memorial | 61% | 78% | 76% | 77% | 9.5% |
| Midland | 86% | 73% | 73% | 71% | 8.0% |
| Parkway | 62% | 80% | 68% | 64% | 4.3% |
| Ridge Ranch | 69% | 91% | 59% | 71% | 6.9% |
| Stony Lane | 66% | 71% | 56% | 53% | 7.1% |
| Paramus district | 68% | 80% | 65% | 68% | |
| New Jersey | 44% | 51% | 48% | 45% | 14.9% |
Source: NJ DOE School Performance Reports.76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 73
Every elementary school is above the State figure in every column. Differences between the five schools are a different matter: a grade here has 33 to 87 students, so a few children move a percentage several points, and the order changes from year to year. Do not read one year's table as a ranking.
Middle schools: NJSLA scores and attendance
Table 10.4. Middle schools, NJSLA scores by grade and attendance, 2023-24.
| School | English 5 | English 6 | English 7 | English 8 | Math 5 | Math 6 | Math 7 | Math 8 | Absent 10% or more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Brook | 72% | 76% | 78% | 77% | 59% | 55% | 69% | 52% | 7.7% |
| West Brook | 68% | 75% | 65% | 62% | 57% | 54% | 57% | 38% | 9.7% |
| Paramus district | 71% | 75% | 72% | 70% | 58% | 54% | 63% | 46% | |
| New Jersey | 52% | 53% | 54% | 53% | 40% | 36% | 37% | 19% | 14.9% |
Source: NJ DOE School Performance Reports.81, 82, 73
Both middle schools are above the State figure in every grade and subject.
What this means for you
All eight schools sit above the State figures on nearly every measure, so the choice of a house in Paramus does not turn on which school it feeds. If one school matters to you for another reason, such as distance or a program, confirm the assignment before you sign.
What Paramus spends per student
Table 10.5. Cost per pupil, Paramus and nearby districts.
| District | 2024-25 actual | 2026-27 budget |
|---|---|---|
| Paramus | $23,990 | $26,695 |
| Westwood Regional (Washington Township and Westwood) | $21,625 | $25,043 |
| Glen Rock | $20,084 | $23,959 |
| River Dell Regional (grades 7-12; Oradell and River Edge) | $20,637 | $22,729 |
| Fair Lawn | $20,133 | $22,223 |
| Ridgewood | $19,713 | $21,796 |
| River Edge (elementary) | $17,321 | $21,133 |
| Oradell (elementary) | $16,384 | $19,651 |
Source: each district's 2026-27 budget filing with the State.87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94
Paramus spends the most per student of the districts shown. Much of it is staff: Paramus has 10.6 students per teacher, against 11.6 in Fair Lawn and Glen Rock and 12.2 in Ridgewood.95 That spending is paid through the lowest tax rate of the seven towns (Section 9).
What is planned
The State approved the district's long-range facilities plan in April 2026. It proposes additions at all five elementary schools, system upgrades at the middle schools and the high school, and no school closing, new school or change in grades.86 No cost or timetable has been set. A project of that size could go to voters as a bond referendum, so it is the school decision to watch over the next two to three years.
How to confirm which school an address attends
The district assigns elementary and middle school by home address. It publishes an address lookup called "Find My School" on its registration page, and you can confirm at registration@paramusschools.org or 201-261-7800.96 Zone maps on consumer real estate sites carry no stated source or date.
What this means for you
Run the address through the district's lookup and confirm with the district before you sign a contract. Treat the answer as the current assignment, not a guarantee.
What I tell my buyers: I cannot tell you which school is best, and the State's numbers would not let me if I tried, because all eight are above the State figures and the order among them changes every year. What I can do is make sure you know which school an address is assigned to before you bid. Look it up on the district's Find My School page, then call the district to confirm.
I’ll walk you through what any of this means for a specific house, your budget, or your tax bill. No obligation, and nothing to sign up for.