The school was the 121st-ranked publichigh 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. The school had been ranked 211th in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 158th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed. The magazine ranked the school 167th in 2008 out of 316 schools. The school was ranked 152nd in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state. Schooldigger.com ranked the school 186th out of 381 public high schools statewide in its 2011 rankings which were based on the combined percentage of students classified as proficient or above proficient on the two components of the High School Proficiency Assessment, mathematics and language arts literacy.
Athletics
The Jefferson Township High School Falcons compete in the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference, a high school athletic conference comprising schools in Sussex County, Morris County and Warren County, following a reorganization of sports leagues in Northern New Jersey by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. With 761 students in grades 10-12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2015-16 school year as North I, Group II for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 495 to 762 students in that grade range. Prior to the NJSIAA's 2009 realignment, the school had competed in the Sussex County Interscholastic League, which was primarily based in Sussex County with some schools in Morris County. The school participates in a joint ice hockey program with Sparta High School as the host school / lead agency, under an agreement that expires at the end of the 2018-19 school year. The football team won the NJSIAA North II Group II state sectional championships in 1986 and 1987, and the North I Group II title in 2008. The Boys Football team won the 2008 North I, Group II state championship, defeating West Essex High School by a score of 21-6. The girls track team won the Group I state indoor relay championship in 1990. The team won the North II Group II state sectional title in 1991-1996 and 2000, together with three consecutive state titles. The wrestling team won back to back-to-back Group II state titles from 1992 to 1994, winning the third title with a resounding 45-14 win against Buena Regional High School. The team held the #1 ranking in the USA Today Super 25 national rankings during the 1993 season. The girls' basketball team won the Group II state championship in 1992, defeating Middle Township High School in the tournament final. The girls' softball team won the 2004 Group II state title, defeating Sterling High School 2-0 in the championship game. The girls cheerleading team won the final Sussex County Interscholastic League champions in 2008 against defending champions the Vernon Vikings. The 2008-09 and the 2011-2012 teams won the National Championship title which was held in Baltimore. The 2001-2002 boys varsity swim team won their first Morris County Championship four years after establishing a team under head coach Brian Palumbo. The 2009-2010 Boys Varsity Swim Team won the inaugural NJAC Northern Division Championship by going 8-0 in the conference under coach Scott Davis and Karen Gaba. The girls track and field team won their Divisional Title, County Title, as well as Conference in spring of 2013. Their 100-meter relay team was also two-time county champions, 2013 group champions, as well as the county record holder.
Controversy
A former teacher received $500,000 in an age discrimination suit filed against the school district, after claiming that she had been subjected to a pattern of harassment when she decided not to retire, despite having had received consistent positive evaluations from supervisors in previous years. The board of education had until the end of January 2012 to decide on an appeal of the verdict. Students and other members of the public came to an October 2010 board meeting to express their support for Kirsten Smith, a teacher who had been suspended with pay after the district claimed that she had violated policies related to testing.
