Cranford High School is a four-year public high school serving students in ninth through twelfth grades, located in Cranford, in Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, and operating as the lone secondary school of the Cranford Township Public Schools. The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools since 1929.Cranford High School, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools, backed up by the Internet Archive as of March 30, 2012. Accessed April 19, 2021.
As of the 2024–25 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,116 students and 101.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.1:1. There were 15 students (1.3% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 6 (0.5% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.School data for Cranford High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed January 15, 2026.
History The school was initially founded in 1902 at Grant School and was relocated to Cleveland School in 1914. With Cleveland School operating more than 20% above capacity, plans were offered in 1932 to construct a standalone high school for $568,000, but the plans did not receive support from voters.Bary, Vic. "Cranford School Days Part II: The Next 30 Years and the High School that Almost Wasn’t", Cranford Historical Society. Accessed December 18, 2024. "By 1932 the Cleveland school student population had grown to 597 against a rated capacity of 494. The Board of Education argued for a new high school building at a cost of $568,000, submitting architect’s elevations and floor plans. Cranford voters responded by rejecting proposals for a new high school, proposing band aid solutions like building an addition to the Cleveland School (which stood on a property inadequate to the purpose) and renting overflow space on surrounding streets"
Construction of the current building began in 1937, with the school opening for grades 7–12 in January 1938.Steele, Sharon. "The History of Cranford NJ’s Award Winning High School", Cranford, NJ Patch, August 26, 2013. Accessed December 18, 2024. "It was 1902 when Cranford High School was first established as a four-year learning institution.... Construction of the present high school building began in 1937, and in January of 1938, the high school moved to its present location.... In its new location, CHS was actually organized as a six year school, for grades 7 through 12." Grades seven and eight were moved out of the high school as part of a district realignment in 1958. The school was reduced further to a two-year high school with the openings of Hillside Avenue Junior High School and Orange Avenue Junior High School in September 1963. After several unsuccessful attempts during the 1960s to either construct a new high school or renovate the existing building, a bond referendum authorizing spending $6.2 million (equivalent to $ million in ) to expand and renovate the school was finally approved in June 1970. The four-wing addition and renovations were completed in September 1973, allowing sophomores to return to the building. Freshmen returned to the building in September 1979 as part of a district realignment, meaning that the school would return to serving grades 9–12 for the first time in 17 years.Gross, Rosalie. "Cranford Reorganization Brings A Host Of Changes", Cranford Chronicle, August 23, 1979. Accessed December 15, 2025. "Cranford High School will open its doors Thursday, Sept. 6 to the first freshman class in 17 years. Incoming ninth and 10th graders will have a chance to get acquainted with their new school at an orientation the previous day. The switch to a four-year high school brings with it an upgrading in graduation standards.
Academics CHS offers more than 25 Advanced Placement classes in addition to many honors and college-preparatory classes. The faculty contributes to the scholastic environment with over 40% of the staff with post-baccalaureate degrees.
The school developed "The High School University of Cranford," a program that provides additional opportunities for those who wish to extend their education without having to place in the top portion of the class based on class rank formulated from GPA calculation. It serves as the school's equivalent to a "gifted and talented" program. In 2009, the school was one of 170 honored nationwide by the Character Education Partnership, which recognized the school for its University Program.Turpin, Craig. "Cranford High School earns national award for University Program", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, June 9, 2009. Accessed December 15, 2025. "Over 170 schools and districts from around the United States, as well as from Canada, Puerto Rico, Brazil and Mexico, will receive 200 awards for 'Promising Practices' in character education. Cranford High School will receive an award for its University Program."
Awards, recognition and rankings The school was the 49th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 339 schools statewide in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2014 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", using a new ranking methodology.Staff. "Top Schools Alphabetical List 2014", New Jersey Monthly, September 2, 2014. Accessed September 6, 2014. The school had been ranked 51st in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 13th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed (and second-highest in Union County).Staff. "The Top New Jersey High Schools: Alphabetical", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2012. Accessed September 11, 2012. The magazine ranked the school 29th in its September 2008 issue, and 39th in its September 2006 issue."Top New Jersey High Schools 2008: By Rank", New Jersey Monthly, September 2008, posted August 7, 2008. Accessed August 19, 2008.
In its listing of "America's Best High Schools 2016", the school was ranked 377th out of 500 best high schools in the country; it was ranked 43rd among all high schools in New Jersey and 26th among the state's non-magnet schools.Staff. "America's Best High Schools 2016", Newsweek. Accessed November 11, 2016.
In its 2013 report on "America's Best High Schools", The Daily Beast ranked the school 206th in the nation among participating public high schools and 15th overall (eighth of non-magnet schools) in New Jersey.Streib, Lauren. "America's Best High Schools", The Daily Beast, May 6, 2013. Accessed May 8, 2013.
In the 2011 "Ranking America's High Schools" issue by The Washington Post, the school was ranked 12th in New Jersey and 513th nationwide.Mathews, Jay. , The Washington Post. Accessed July 24, 2011. In Newsweeks June 13, 2010 issue, ranking the country's top high schools, Cranford High School was listed in 551st place, the 11th-highest ranked school in New Jersey."The Top of the Class: The complete list of the 1,623 top U.S. schools" , Newsweek, June 13, 2010.
For the 2002–03 school year, Cranford High School was designated as a "Star School" by the New Jersey Department of Education, the highest honor that a New Jersey school can achieve.Star School Award recipient detail 2002-03 school year, Cranford High School, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed July 13, 2006.
In 2004, Cranford High School was recognized as a National School of Character Winner by the Character Education Partnership, one of ten schools selected nationwide for its efforts in instilling character education in its curriculum and students.2004 National Schools of Character Winners & Finalists, Character Education Partnership. Accessed December 8, 2016.
Extracurricular activities
Clubs Cranford's DECA delegation also comes home from their conference(s) with numerous awards as well. In 2019, forty-six students advanced during the regional competition to participate in the state competition.
The online school newspaper is called Dialogue.
The school's student-run magazine is called Prologue Literary & Art Magazine. Its 2024 edition earned the highest distinction in the Recognizing Excellence in Art and Literary Magazines (REALM) contest.
In 1956 (tied with Columbia High School), the school's chess team was the New Jersey high school team champion, winning the Father Casimir J. Finley Trophy.N. J. High School Team Champions 1956 – Present, New Jersey State Chess Federation. Accessed August 13, 2013.
Athletics The Cranford High School CougarsCranford High School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020. compete in the Union County Interscholastic Athletic Conference, which is comprised of public and private high schools in Union County and was established following a reorganization of sports leagues in Northern New Jersey by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020. Prior to the NJSIAA's 2009 realignment, the school participated in the Mountain Valley Conference.Home Page, Mountain Valley Conference, backed up by the Internet Archive as of February 2, 2011. Accessed December 15, 2014. With 942 students in grades 10–12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Group III for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 761 to 1,058 students in that grade range.NJSIAA General Public School Classifications 2019–2020, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020. The football team competes in Division 4 of the Big Central Football Conference, which includes 60 public and private high schools in Hunterdon, Middlesex, Somerset, Union and Warren counties, which are broken down into 10 divisions by size and location.Kinney, Mike. "Big Central revises 2020 football schedule for its shortened inaugural season", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, August 12, 2020. Accessed April 18, 2021. "The newly formed Big Central Football Conference has released a revised 2020 schedule for its inaugural season.... the BCFC is comprised of schools from Middlesex, Union, Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren counties." The school was classified by the NJSIAA as Group III North for football for 2024–2026, which included schools with 700 to 884 students.NJSIAA Football Public School Classifications 2024–2026, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated September 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024.
From the conference's inception until the 2005–06 school year, Cranford had been a member of the Watchung Conference. Due to the change in size of the student body and location, Cranford's decision to leave the Watchung Conference for the Mountain Valley Conference was approved in 2006 and Cranford began competition in most sports in the 2006–07 school year, remaining there until the realignment.Echan, Michael. "Runners continue to inch closer to rival A.L. Johnson", Cranford Chronicle, November 8, 2008. Accessed September 11, 2012. "When Cranford High School left the Watchung Conference after the 2006 school year to join the Mountain Valley Conference (MVC), it tipped the balance of power in Union County, a fact that was reinforced when the UCIAC championship meet was held last Thursday at Warinaco Park."
The boys' track team won the spring / outdoor track state championship in Group III in 1932, won the Group II title in 1934–1936, 1946 and 1953.NJSIAA Boys Spring Track Summary of Group Titles, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.