With low-income school districts underfunded by around $6,700 per pupil, WalletHub released its report on the Most and Least Equitable School Districts in New Jersey. To find out where school funding is distributed most fairly, WalletHub scored the equitability of each school district in New Jersey based on two metrics—average household income and expenditures for public elementary and secondary schools per pupil.

Alongside this report, WalletHub also released rankings for the States with the Most and Least Equitable School Districts, along with accompanying videos and audio files. New Jersey ranked as the 7th least equitable overall.

Here are the 10 most equitable districts in New Jersey, along with a Q&A.

1. Washington Township School District – Sewell
2. Beach Haven School District
3. Hardyston Township School District
4. Cinnaminson Township School District
5. Lumberton Township Board of Education
6. Sandyston-Walpack Consolidated School District
7. Linwood City School District
8. Pohatcong Township School District
9. Hainesport Township School District
10. Rutherford School District

To view the full report, visit wallethub.com/edu/states-equitable-school-districts/76723

What are the long-term benefits of making sure all school districts have equitable funding?

“If we make sure that every school district has equitable funding, students in less affluent communities will have a level playing field with students in wealthy districts. As a result, their graduation rates will increase, as will their likelihood to pursue higher education and earn larger incomes,” said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst. “College graduates have $154 – $1,115 higher median weekly earnings than people with a high school diploma and no college experience, depending on the degree.”

What can we do to support underprivileged school districts during this difficult economic period?

“We should make sure that all schools have the resources they need to provide a robust education in the coming year. Students have experienced a large amount of learning loss during the COVID-19 pandemic, and we cannot expect all parents to be able to afford resources to help their children catch up. That’s especially true during this period of high inflation,” said Gonzalez. “All schools should have enough funding for an effective catch-up year, including tutoring resources for students who have fallen behind. We should also make sure that all students are able to eat a nutritious breakfast and lunch if their parents are unable to provide them due to rising food costs.”