Manalapan High School is a comprehensive four-year public high school located in Manalapan Township, in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, operating as part of the Freehold Regional High School District. The school serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from all of Englishtown (which is the school's mailing address) and portions of Manalapan.Manalapan High School 2015 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed May 29, 2016. "Manalapan High School is a fully accredited comprehensive high school serving a community of nearly 39,000 residents living primarily in the Township of Manalapan and the Borough of Englishtown. One of six high schools in the Freehold Regional High School District, which opened in 1971, Manalapan High School has enjoyed an outstanding reputation throughout the state for its academic and extracurricular programs." The Freehold Regional High School District also serves students from Colts Neck Township, Farmingdale, Freehold Borough, Freehold Township, Howell Township, and Marlboro Township.Freehold Regional High School District 2016 Report Card Narrative , New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed December 9, 2017. "The Freehold Regional High School District, the largest regional high school District in New Jersey, has six high schools with over 11,000 students and over 1,500 employees and spans 200 square miles. District members include the townships of Colts Neck, Freehold, Howell, Manalapan, and Marlboro, and the boroughs of Englishtown, Farmingdale, and Freehold."Annual Comprehensive Financial Report , Freehold Regional High School District, June 30, 2018. Accessed January 15, 2020. "Geographically, the District is comprised of the Townships of Colts Neck, Freehold, Howell, Manalapan and Marlboro and the Boroughs of Englishtown, Farmingdale and Freehold. Established in 1953, the District's total area is 198 square miles." The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools since 1975; the school's accreditation expires in July 2025.Manalapan High School, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools. Accessed December 21, 2024.
Manalapan High School is home to the Science/Engineering Specialized Learning Center, or S&E, which is a program for students with an interest in mathematical and scientific subjects. The program has anywhere between 10 and 40 students in each class and the curriculum consists of courses related to engineering, science and high level mathematics.The Science and Engineering Learning Center, Freehold Regional High School District. Accessed January 16, 2017. The high school houses the Law Enforcement Public Safety Academy (LEPS), in which students undergo a course load learning about such fields as criminal justice, first responder procedures, evidence collection, first aid certifications, investigative procedures, civics, Homeland Security, fire science and safety, and emergency medical technicians.The Law Enforcement and Public Safety Academy, Freehold Regional High School District. Accessed January 16, 2017. Manalapan also houses the Automotive Technical Academy, which helps students prepare for a career in the automotive service industry. Students learn about how engines and vehicles work, how to diagnose, and how to repair vehicles. Students will gain certifications through this program to set them up later in life. Students also learn how to use equipment such as scan tools.Benjamin, Dave. "Career night promotes h.s. auto tech academy", Tri-Town News, November 6, 2003. Accessed January 16, 2007. The automotive technology academy is a four-year training program in the automotive field offered by the Freehold Regional High School District at Manalapan High School."
As of the 2024–25 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,690 students and 113.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 15.0:1. There were 198 students (11.7% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 29 (1.7% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.School data for Manalapan High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed January 15, 2026.
History Freehold Township High School and Manalapan High School, the district's fourth and fifth facilities, were constructed with identical designs. Groundbreaking for both schools took place in August 1969 and the two schools opened in September 1971, having been completed at a combined cost of $10.4 million (equivalent to $ million in ). Manalapan High School opened with an enrollment of 900 students from Englishtown and Manalapan Township, who had previously been assigned to attend Marlboro High School."Freehold Regional Opening 2 New Schools Tomorrow", Asbury Park Press, September 7, 1971. Accessed July 6, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "Manalapan Township High School (top) and Freehold Township High School, the two newest schools in the Freehold Regional High School District, will open for the first time tomorrow. The two schools were built at a cost of $10.4 million.... The two new schools will bring to five the number of buildings in the eight-municipality regional district.... Manalapan Township and Englishtown students who formerly attended Marlboro High School will now attend the Manalapan High School. Estimated enrollments for this year are: Freehold High School, Freehold Township 1,600; Howell High School 1,750; Manalapan High School 900; and Marlboro High School 1,300. The two new schools are identical in structure."
In 1985, Manalapan High School became the location of the Science & Engineering Magnet Program, the first magnet program established in the Freehold Regional High School District. The success of that program encouraged further programs in the district, with 11 others now operating district-wide https://sites.google.com/frhsd.com/magnet-programs/home FRHSD Magnet Programs, accessed September 13, 2026.
Awards, recognition and rankings The school was the 93rd-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 5, 2014. The school had been ranked 152nd in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 127th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed.Staff. "The Top New Jersey High Schools: Alphabetical", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2012. Accessed December 2, 2012. The magazine ranked the school 125th in 2008 out of 316 schools.Staff. "2010 Top High Schools", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2010. Accessed February 3, 2011. The school was also ranked 125th in the magazine's September 2006 issue, which surveyed 316 schools across the state."Top New Jersey High Schools 2008: By Rank", New Jersey Monthly, September 2008, posted August 7, 2008. Accessed August 19, 2008.
Schooldigger.com ranked the school tied for 61st out of 381 public high schools statewide in its 2011 rankings (a decrease of 7 positions from the 2010 ranking) which were based on the combined percentage of students classified as proficient or above proficient on the mathematics (91.6%) and language arts literacy (96.2%) components of the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA).New Jersey High School Rankings: 11th Grade HSPA Language Arts Literacy & HSPA Math 2010-2011, Schooldigger.com. Accessed February 27, 2012.
In 2009, of the 460 students who graduated, 97% went on to continue their education at two- or four-year colleges or universities. Also there are others who graduated and are now attending trade or technical schools. The Class of 2009 also produced 11 commended students, 4 semi-finalists and 1 complete finalist in the National Merit Scholarship Program, as well as 42 Edward J. Bloustein Distinguished Scholars.
Athletics The Manalapan High School BravesManalapan High School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020. compete in Division A North of the Shore Conference, an athletic conference comprised of public and private high schools in Monmouth and Ocean counties along the Jersey Shore.Shore Conference Realignment for 2018-2019 and 2019-2020, Shore Conference. Accessed November 15, 2020.Member Schools, Shore Conference. Accessed November 15, 2020. The league operates under the jurisdiction of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association.League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020. With 1,417 students in grades 10-12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Group IV for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 1,060 to 5,049 students in that grade range.NJSIAA General Public School Classifications 2019–2020, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020. The school was classified by the NJSIAA as Group IV South for football for 2024–2026, which included schools with 890 to 1,298 students.NJSIAA Football Public School Classifications 2024–2026, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated September 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024.
The girls' spring track team was the Group II state champion in 1975.NJSIAA Girls Spring Track Summary of Group Titles, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
The boys' cross country running team won the Group III state championship in 1979.NJSIAA Boys Cross Country State Group Champions, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed January 1, 2022.
The boys' wrestling team won the Central Jersey Group IV state sectional championship in 1986, 1991 and 1992, and won the Central Jersey Group V title in 2020.Boys Wrestling Championship History: 1934–2025, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated February 2026. Accessed March 1, 2026.
The boys' basketball team won the Central Jersey Group IV state sectional championship in 1988.
The boys' bowling team were the winners of the 2006 New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association state championship. The Brave's score of 2,840 defeated runner-up Woodbridge High School by a margin of ten pins at Carolier Lanes.[http://newstranscripch 1, 2006. Accessed January 13, 2007.History of NJSIAA Boys Bowling Championships, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed August 1, 2022.
In 2007, the boys' soccer team won the Central Jersey Group IV state sectional championship with a 1–0 win over Howell High School in the tournament final.2007 Boys Soccer - Central, Group IV, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 14, 2007. The team moved on to share the Group IV state championship with a 1–1 tie against Clifton High School.2007 Boys Soccer - Public Semis/Finals, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 24, 2007.Bondy, Stefan. "Mustangs finish state champions", Herald News, November 17, 2007. Accessed November 24, 2007.NJSIAA History of Boys Soccer, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed January 1, 2022.