Last Updated on August 4, 2023 by Sidharth PS
Hi readers! In this post, I’ve compiled a list of best alternative schools in New Jersey. The list consists of both public and private schools. Here, readers will find the following details – top alternative schools, their address, grades, student teacher ratio and more.
Best Public Alternative Schools in New Jersey for 2022
Rank |
School |
Low Grade |
High Grade |
Address |
City |
Student Teacher Ratio |
1 | Alternative High School | 06 | 12 | 350 MARKET STREET | PATERSON | 4.0000000 |
2 | Essex High School | 09 | 12 | 520 Pompton Avenue | Cedar Grove | 4.2000000 |
3 | Raymond J. Lesniak Experience Strength & Hope Recovery HS | 09 | 12 | 121-125 Chestnut Street | Roselle | 4.8000000 |
4 | Alternative Middle & High School | 06 | 12 | Salem Community College | Carney’s Point | 5.6000000 |
5 | Atlantic County Alternative High School | 09 | 12 | 4805 Nawakwa Blvd | Mays Landing | 5.9000000 |
6 | Essex Campus Academy | 09 | 12 | 369 PASSAIC AVENUE | FAIRFIELD | 6.3000000 |
7 | Hillcrest Academy-North | 09 | 12 | 2630 PLAINFIELD AVENUE | SCOTCH PLAINS | 7.9000000 |
8 | Hope Academy | 09 | 12 | 266 Harrison Street | PASSAIC | 8.3000000 |
9 | Hillcrest Academy-South | 09 | 12 | 1571 Lamberts Mill Road | WESTFIELD | 8.7000000 |
10 | Alternative School at Levitt | 06 | 12 | 50 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd | Willingboro | 11.0000000 |
11 | UPLIFT Academy | 10 | 12 | 150 Newton St | NEWARK | 24.3000000 |
12 | A.E. Burling High School | 06 | 12 | 3600 Harris Avenue | Pennsauken | – |
13 | ADULT DIAGNOSTIC AND TREATMENT CENTER | – | – | 8 PRODUCTION WAY | AVENEL | – |
14 | ALBERT C WAGNER CORRECTIONAL FACILITY | 09 | 12 | WARD AVENUE | BORDENTOWN | – |
15 | Ancora Psychiatric Hospital | 11 | 12 | 202 SPRING GARDEN RD | ANCORA | – |
16 | Ann Klein Forensic Center | – | – | 1610 STUYVESANT AVE | WEST TRENTON | – |
17 | ATLANTIC CO JDC | 09 | 11 | 800 BUFFALO AVENUE | EGG HARBOR CITY | – |
18 | Atlantic Regional School | 09 | 12 | 2562 TILTON RD | EGG HARBOR | – |
19 | BERGEN CO JDC | 09 | 12 | 296 E Ridgewood Ave | PARAMUS | – |
20 | Bergen Regional School | 04 | 12 | 374 E RIDGEWOOD AVE | PARAMUS | – |
21 | BURLINGTON CO JDC | 09 | 11 | 620 PEMBERTON BROWNS MILLS RD | MT HOLLY | – |
22 | Burlington County Alternative High School | 06 | 12 | 20 Pioneer Blvd | Westampton | – |
23 | Burlington Regional School | 09 | 12 | 704 WOODLANE RD | MT HOLLY | – |
24 | CAMDEN CO JDC | 07 | 12 | WOODBURY TURNERSVILLE RD LAKE | BLACKWOODLEX | – |
25 | Camden Virtua | 06 | 11 | 1000 ATLANTIC AVE | CAMDEN | – |
26 | Cape May Regional School | 09 | 12 | 131 CREST HAVEN RD | CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE | – |
27 | Capital Academy | – | – | 20 PIONEER BLVD | MT HOLLY | – |
28 | Career and Innovation Academy of Orange | 09 | 12 | 123 Cleveland Street | Orange | – |
29 | Cherry Hill Regional School | 02 | 12 | 210 EVESHAM RD | CHERRY HILL | – |
30 | COSTELLO PREP | 09 | 12 | 800 CARRANZA RD | TABERNACLE | – |
31 | Cumberland Regional School | 07 | 12 | 928 WEST SHERMAN AVE | VINELAND | – |
32 | DOVES RCH | 09 | 11 | 188 LINDBERGH ROAD | HOPEWELL | – |
33 | EDNA MAHAN CORRECTIONAL FACILITY FOR WOMEN | – | – | 30 COUNTY RTE 513 | CLINTON | – |
34 | ESSEX CO JDC | 08 | 12 | 80 DURYEA STREET | NEWARK | – |
35 | ESSEX RCH | 09 | 10 | 461 463 CENTRAL AVENUE | NEWARK | – |
36 | ESSEX REGIONAL SCHOOL | – | – | 395-97 No 5th Street | Newark | – |
37 | GARDEN STATE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY | 09 | 12 | HIGHBRIDGE ROAD | YARDVILLE | – |
38 | GREEN RCH | 09 | 10 | 1311 SLOATSBURG ROAD | RINGWOOD | – |
39 | Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital | – | – | MAIN BUILDING | GREYSTONE PARK | – |
40 | JUVENILE FEMALE SECURE UNIT | 10 | 10 | W BURLINGTON STREET | BORDENTOWN | – |
41 | JUVENILE MEDIUM SECURE FACILITY | 09 | 12 | W BURLINGTON STREET | BORDENTOWN | – |
42 | JUVENILE MEDIUM SECURE FACILITY SOUTH | – | – | W BURLINGTON STREET | BORDENTOWN | – |
43 | MERCER REGIONAL SCHOOL | 04 | 11 | 1600 Stuyvesant Avenue | Trenton | – |
44 | MIDDLESEX CO JDC | 09 | 12 | US HIGHWAY 130 | NEW BRUNSWICK | – |
45 | Monmouth Regional School | 10 | 12 | 1076 WAYSIDE RD | OCEAN | – |
46 | MORRIS CO JDC | 10 | 10 | 460 WEST HANOVER AVE | MORRISTOWN | – |
47 | Morris Regional School | 10 | 12 | 15 JEAN ST | MORRISTOWN | – |
48 | MOUNTAINVIEW CORRECTIONAL FACILITY | 09 | 12 | 31 PETTICOAT LANE | ANNANDALE | – |
49 | NEW JERSEY STATE PRISON | – | – | 600 CASS STREET | TRENTON | – |
50 | NEW JERSEY TRAINING SCHOOL | 09 | 12 | NORTH STATE HOME RO | JAMESBURG | – |
51 | New Jersey Virtual School | 06 | 12 | 900 Hope Road | Tinton Falls | – |
52 | NORTHERN STATE PRISON | 11 | 12 | 168 FRONTAGE ROAD | NEWARK | – |
53 | OCEAN CO JDC | 09 | 12 | 165 SUNSET AVENUE | TOMS RIVER | – |
54 | OCEAN RCH | 09 | 11 | 1 GAME FARM ROAD | FORKED RIVER | – |
55 | Ocean Regional School | KG | 12 | 1141 OLD FREEHOLD RD | TOMS RIVER | – |
56 | Passaic Regional School | 12 | 12 | 160 MINNISINK RD | TOTOWA | – |
57 | PINELANDS RCH | 09 | 12 | 800 CARRANZA ROAD | TABERNACLE | – |
58 | Pride Academy | 06 | 12 | 1701 South 6th Street | Camden | – |
59 | Regional Alternative School | 06 | 12 | 100 Tornillo Way | Tinton Falls | – |
60 | Simon Youth Academy | 09 | 12 | 651 Kapkowski Road | Elizabeth | – |
61 | SOUTHERN RCH | 09 | 10 | 800A Buffalo Ave | EGG HARBOR CITY | – |
62 | Trenton Psychiatric Hospital | – | – | 100 SULLIVAN WAY | TRENTON | – |
63 | UMDNJ – CTR | – | – | 671 Hoes Lane | Piscataway | – |
64 | UNION REGIONAL SCHOOL | 02 | 12 | 1524 Terrill Road | Scotch Plains | – |
65 | Vineland Preparatory Academy | 09 | 11 | 2000 Maple Avenue | VINELAND | – |
66 | VOORHEES RCH | 09 | 12 | 201 RT 513 | GLEN GARDNER | – |
67 | WANAQUE REGIONAL SCHOOL | 07 | 09 | 1433 Ringwood Avenue | Haskell | – |
68 | WARREN RCH | – | – | 509 Brass Castle Road | OXFORD | – |
69 | WARREN REGIONAL SCHOOL | 10 | 12 | 540 RT 57 East | PORT MURRAY | – |
70 | YOUTHBUILD CAMDEN | – | – | 1001 SPRUCE STREET SUITE 202 | TRENTON | – |
Best Private Alternative Schools in New Jersey for 2022
Rank |
School |
Low Grade |
High Grade |
Address |
City |
Student Teacher Ratio |
1 | ATLANTIS PREP SCHOOL | 2 | 4 | 1904 ATLANTIC AVE | MANASQUAN | 0.41 |
2 | JIN-A CHILD CARE CENTER | 2 | 4 | 77 JAY ST | CLIFTON | 0.55 |
3 | GREATSTART EARLY LEARNING | 2 | 3 | 4001 HADLEY RD STE F | SOUTH PLAINFIELD | 1.05 |
4 | LITTLE FRIENDS OF JESUS NURSERY SCHOOL | 2 | 2 | 1881 WASHINGTON VALLEY RD | MARTINSVILLE | 1.23 |
5 | CREATIVE LEARNING CENTER | 2 | 6 | 160 AVE AT THE COMMONS | SHREWSBURY | 1.77 |
6 | FUSION ACADEMY ENGLEWOOD | 11 | 17 | 10 STEARLING BLVD STE 201 | ENGLEWOOD | 2 |
7 | THE MEADOWS SCHOOL | 3 | 3 | 102 BOROUGH ST | RUTHERFORD | 2 |
8 | CHILDREN’S CENTER | 2 | 3 | PO BOX 504 | BLAIRSTOWN | 2.17 |
9 | SANTA FE CENTERS | 2 | 3 | 1496 SPRINGFIELD AVE | NEW PROVIDENCE | 2.17 |
10 | BETH EL EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER | 2 | 3 | 8000 MAIN ST | VOORHEES | 2.26 |
11 | ALPHABETLAND | 2 | 7 | 110 HARRISON ST | BOONTON | 2.5 |
12 | THE GODDARD SCHOOL OF WOODBRIDGE | 2 | 3 | 400 GILL LN STE 2 | ISELIN | 2.56 |
13 | ASSUMPTION EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER | 2 | 3 | 35 JEFFERSON AVE | EMERSON | 2.72 |
14 | FAMILIES UNITED NETWORK ACADEMY | 3 | 17 | 24 BLACK OAK DR | OCEAN VIEW | 2.75 |
15 | STEPPING STONE LEARNING CENTER | 2 | 3 | 340 BOGERT RD | RIVER EDGE | 3 |
16 | CHILDREN’S CORNER AT BRIDGEWATER UMC | 2 | 3 | 651 COUNTRY CLUB RD | BRIDGEWATER | 3.9 |
17 | NURSERY RHYMES PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN | 2 | 4 | 141 MARKET ST | SADDLE BROOK | 4.13 |
18 | WESTFIELD DAYCARE CENTER | 2 | 3 | 140 MOUNTAIN AVE | WESTFIELD | 4.35 |
19 | ABILITY SCHOOL | 2 | 13 | 75 KNICKERBOCKER RD | ENGLEWOOD | 4.37 |
20 | TOWER HILL SCHOOL | 2 | 3 | 255 HARDING RD | RED BANK | 4.44 |
21 | BEACON ACADEMY | 2 | 4 | 570 EGG HARBOR RD D | SEWELL | 4.5 |
22 | MAGIC KINGDOM DAY NURSERY | 2 | 3 | 88 BROOKLAKE RD | FLORHAM PARK | 5 |
23 | JAMAS CHILDREN’S UNIVERSITY | 2 | 13 | 141 HOFFMAN BLVD | EAST ORANGE | 5.12 |
24 | GOOD DAY PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN | 2 | 3 | PO BOX 309 | MILLTOWN | 5.5 |
25 | CPC WEEKDAY NURSERY SCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN | 2 | 3 | 70 MAPLE ST | SUMMIT | 5.65 |
26 | GREEN HOUSE PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN | 2 | 3 | 2070 JONES RD | FORT LEE | 6 |
27 | RUTGERS-LIVINGSTON DAY CARE CENTER | 2 | 3 | 49 JOYCE KILMER AVE | PISCATAWAY | 6 |
28 | SHALVA HIGH SCHOOL | 14 | 17 | 1980 SWARTHMORE AVE, UNIT 1 | LAKEWOOD | 6.19 |
29 | CONGREGATION M’KOR SHALOM PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN | 2 | 3 | 850 EVESHAM RD | CHERRY HILL | 6.5 |
30 | APPLES & BOOKS LEARNING CENTER | 2 | 3 | 1036 US HIGHWAY 202 S | BRANCHBURG | 7 |
31 | CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER AT BRISTOL MYERS SQUIBB | 3 | 3 | PO BOX 4000 | PRINCETON | 7 |
32 | EDUCATION WITH CARE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN | 2 | 3 | PO BOX 2000 RY 125 | RAHWAY | 7 |
33 | JOYFUL NOISE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL | 2 | 3 | 55 E MAIN ST | MARLTON | 7 |
34 | JCC OF CENTRAL NEW JERSEY | 2 | 4 | 1391 MARTINE AVE | SCOTCH PLAINS | 7.25 |
35 | JOHNSON & JOHNSON CHILD DEVT CTR OF SOMERSET CNTY | 3 | 3 | 1000 US HIGHWAY 202 | RARITAN | 7.33 |
36 | FIRST FRIENDS CHILD CARE SCHOOL | 2 | 3 | 269 STATE ROUTE 34 | MATAWAN | 7.85 |
37 | BRIGHTEN ACADEMY | 2 | 3 | 315 FRIES MILL RD | SEWELL | 8 |
38 | THE SCHOOLHOUSE NURSERY SCHOOL AND KINDERGARTEN | 2 | 4 | 1618 HAINESPORT MOUNT LAUREL RD | MOUNT LAUREL | 8 |
39 | TURTLE CREEK LEARNING ACADEMY | 2 | 3 | 10 RAILROAD AVE | MARLBORO | 8 |
40 | HAPPY DAY LEARNING CENTER | 2 | 3 | 1111 PREAKNESS AVE STE 2 | WAYNE | 8.18 |
41 | FM KIRBY CHILDRENS CENTER | 3 | 3 | 54 E ST | MADISON | 8.5 |
42 | MONTCLAIR COOPERATIVE SCHOOL | 2 | 13 | 65 CHESTNUT ST | MONTCLAIR | 8.57 |
43 | TOMORROWS HOPE | 2 | 3 | 700 COOPER RD | VOORHEES | 8.57 |
44 | WESTFIELD Y CHILDRENS CENTER | 2 | 3 | 422 E BROAD ST | WESTFIELD | 8.57 |
45 | ST ANDREW’S NURSERY SCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN | 2 | 4 | 327 MARLTON PIKE W | CHERRY HILL | 8.66 |
46 | LITTLE TREASURES LEARNING CENTER | 2 | 3 | 2177 OAK TREE RD STE 100 | EDISON | 8.86 |
47 | SANDY LANE NURSERY SCHOOL | 2 | 3 | 634 MILL ST | BELLEVILLE | 9 |
48 | ST STEPHEN’S PRESCHOOL | 2 | 4 | 119 MAIN ST | MILLBURN | 9 |
49 | THE UPPER SADDLE RIVER CHILDREN’S ACADEMY | 2 | 4 | 500 E SADDLE RIVER RD | UPPER SADDLE RIVER | 9 |
50 | PRESBYTERIAN NURSERY SCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN | 2 | 4 | 140 MOUNTAIN AVE | WESTFIELD | 9.23 |
51 | CORNERSTONE SCHOOL OF SUMMIT | 2 | 3 | 561 SPRINGFIELD AVE | SUMMIT | 10 |
52 | FIRST PRESBYTERIAN PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN | 2 | 3 | 150 E PALISADE AVE | ENGLEWOOD | 10 |
53 | THE GODDARD SCHOOL | 3 | 4 | 2086 HAMBURG TPKE | WAYNE | 10 |
54 | THE LINCROFT CENTER FOR CHILDREN | 2 | 3 | 1475 W FRONT ST | LINCROFT | 10 |
55 | WYCKOFF CHRISTIAN PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN | 2 | 4 | 485 WYCKOFF AVE | WYCKOFF | 10 |
56 | PRIMROSE SCHOOL OF BERKELEY HEIGHTS | 2 | 3 | 246 SPRINGFIELD AVE | BERKELEY HEIGHTS | 10.62 |
57 | HARMONY SCHOOL AT PRINCETON | 2 | 3 | 1 MERWICK RD | PRINCETON | 10.71 |
58 | READY SET GROW! | 3 | 3 | 131 CHURCH LN | WAYNE | 11 |
59 | GREEN TWIG SCHOOL | 2 | 3 | 67 AIRMOUNT AVE | RAMSEY | 11.17 |
60 | SMART START PRESCHOOL | 2 | 4 | 786 RIVER RD | FAIR HAVEN | 11.5 |
61 | CINNAMON STICKS LEARNING CENTER | 2 | 3 | 600 ROUTE 130 N | CINNAMINSON | 12 |
62 | KIDDIE ACADEMY | 2 | 3 | 5 ALLYSON WAY | ALLENTOWN | 12 |
63 | KINDERCARE LEARNING CENTER | 2 | 4 | 212 RARITAN VALLEY COLLEGE DR | BRANCHBURG | 12 |
64 | LITTLE PEOPLE AT WORK | 2 | 3 | 500 NEPTUNE BLVD | NEPTUNE | 12 |
65 | ROSELAND CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER | 2 | 3 | 3 ADP BLVD # A | ROSELAND | 12 |
66 | THE GODDARD SCHOOL | 2 | 3 | 2026 BRIGGS RD D | MOUNT LAUREL | 12 |
67 | THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE | 1 | 1 | 2176 US HIGHWAY 206 | BELLE MEAD | 12.22 |
68 | ST JOSEPH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | 2 | 13 | 115 TELFORD ST | EAST ORANGE | 12.34 |
69 | ENGLISH CREEK ACADEMY | 2 | 3 | 600 SCARBOROUGH DR | EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP | 12.5 |
70 | PLAZA CHILD CARE | 2 | 3 | 4 PROGRESS ST STE A3 TCM PLZ | EDISON | 13 |
71 | MARGARET P MUSCARELLE CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER | 2 | 3 | 1 WALNUT ST | GARFIELD | 14 |
72 | GIGGLE AND GROW PRESCHOOL & EARLY LEARNING CENTER | 2 | 4 | 99 PARISH DR | WAYNE | 17 |
73 | CREATIVE LEARNING PRE SCHOOL | 2 | 3 | 515 HAMILTON AVE | LINWOOD | 19 |
74 | CREME DE LE CREME | 2 | 4 | 299 WALTON AVE | MOUNT LAUREL | 21 |
75 | PERPETUAL HELP DAY NURSERY | 2 | 3 | 170 BROAD ST | NEWARK | 22 |
76 | ST TERESA EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER | 2 | 4 | 306 MORRIS AVE | SUMMIT | 22 |
77 | KIDDIE ACADEMY CHILD CARE LEARNING CENTER | 2 | 4 | 233 SPARTA AVE | SPARTA | 26.42 |
78 | KANGAROO KIDS CHILDCARE & LEARNING CENTER | 2 | 3 | 1047 STATE ROUTE 28 | BRANCHBURG | 44.37 |
79 | BUILDING BLOCKS LEARNING CENTER | 2 | 3 | 616 SICKLERVILLE RD | SICKLERVILLE | 69 |
80 | THE MAGICAL PALACE OF KNOWLEDGE | 2 | 3 | PO BOX 1253 | CLIFTON |
For ranking the schools, I’ve relied upon the ‘Student Teacher Ratio’ factor. What is student teacher ratio, some of you may ask. It is the number used to indicate the number of students for every teacher in a school. For example, a student teacher ratio of 16 indicates that a teacher is available for 16 students in that school. When it comes to quality of education, student teacher ratio plays an important role. If the student teacher ratio is 100, it means that few teachers are available to attend to the needs of students in a school. This may lead to inadequate attention, inadequate engagement, and may even have a negative impact on student success! Student teacher ratio is like a two way street. Fewer students per teacher setup is an ideal classroom where students may enjoy adequate individual-attention from teachers. Under this setup, a teacher may take care of individuals’ needs and weaknesses. Similarly, under this setup, teachers may modify/adapt their teaching techniques according to learning styles/needs of the students.
I am Vishnu Nambiar a career and educational blogger from India. I am also a full time educational consultant having more than 12 years of experience in the educational sector.
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