Colts Neck High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in Colts Neck Township, in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, serving students in ninth through twelfth grades and operating as one of the six secondary schools of the Freehold Regional High School District.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 is located at the intersection of County Route 537 and Five Points Road. The school serves students from all of Colts Neck Township and from portions of both Howell Township and Marlboro Township. The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools since 2008; its accredited status extends to July 2025.Colts Neck High School, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools. Accessed December 18, 2024.
As of the 2024–25 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,430 students and 97.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 14.7:1. There were 299 students (20.9% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 38 (2.7% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.School data for Colts Neck High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed January 15, 2026.
The school's mascot is the cougar, which was chosen collectively by the student body in a competition. The school's motto is "Let The Tradition Begin."
History The earliest proposal for a high school in Colts Neck dates back to a May 1978, referendum that would have included a high school building in the township at a cost of $17 million (equivalent to $ million in ), which was approved by Colts Neck voters but was overwhelmingly rejected by voters in the seven other constituent municipalities.Kahn, Joan. "Stung by Criticism", The Daily Register, May 19, 1978. Accessed April 27, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Stung by the overwhelming rejection this week of a referendum which would have given Colts Neck a high school within its boundaries, the Board of Education last night decided to set up an 11-member Citizens Advisory Committee to recommend plans for the district's high school students. Colts Neck is one of eight members of the Freehold Regional High School district, whose $24 million building program, including the construction of a $17 million new high school here, went down to a 6 to 1 defeat, with only Colts Neck voters giving the proposal a narrow edge of approval among the district members." In 1983, there was active consideration of having Colts Neck withdraw from the regional high school system, while the district considered renaming Marlboro High School, which was attended by Colts Neck students, as Marlboro-Colts Neck High School."School name change nixed", Daily Register, June 2, 1983. Accessed April 27, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "The local Board of Education last night sided with opponents of a proposal to change the name of Marlboro High School to Marlboro-Colts Neck High School, which is before the Freehold Regional Board of Education.... Still another argument is the uncertainty of the regional district's future in general, and specifically the future of Colts Neck students at what is now Marlboro High School. Colts Neck has sought to build its own high school as part of a proposal to dissolve the regional district."
A site was identified in 1986 as part of a project that would create a new Colts Neck High School that would cost an estimated $30 million (equivalent to $ million in ) and could accommodate 1,300 students and would also expand other district facilities at a total cost of $36 million."Colts Neck high school site chosen", Asbury Park Press, January 31, 1986. Accessed April 27, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "A site for construction of a high school in the township was announced by the Township Committee last night.... Upon the recommendation of H. Victor Crespy, superintendent of the Freehold Regional High School district, the committee will look into the purchase of about 70 acres of the 130-acre site. Crespy was instrumental in finding a site, Caponegro said. A $33 million project, which would include construction of a new high school in Colts Neck, as well as additions to three other high schools in the regional district, is being considered. A referendum on the project is expected to be held later this year.""Regional high school building plan nears vote", Asbury Park Press, August 13, 1986. Accessed April 27, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "With the state granting approval earlier this week to drawings for the new building, Colts Neck Township is another step closer to getting a high school In May, the Freehold Regional Board of Education approved the schematic drawings for the school, which will provide classroom facilities for 1,300 students.... The proposal calls for the high school to be built on a 67-acre site at the southeast corner of the intersection of Route 537 and Five Points Road. Construction of the school could begin by late summer or the fall of 1987 if residents approve the referendum. The school could open 24 to 36 months after that." In September 1986, voters approved the referendum by a 58%-42% margin, with Colts Neck residents providing much of the margin for passage.Johnson, Mary Gay. "To be built in Colts Neck; New high school gets voter OK", The Register, October 1, 1986. Accessed April 27, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "A strong voter turnout in Marlboro and Colts Neck townships provided enough momentum last night for passage of the $36.4 million Freehold Regional High School District referendum by a margin of more than 800 votes. With the approved referendum, residents in the district will get a new high school slated for Colts Neck, along with millions worth of repairs and renovations at four other area high schools." By 1988, the costs of construction of the new high school had soared by millions of dollars, exceeding the amount available from the referendum to cover the costs, leading to further delays.Arnold, Laurence. "Colts Neck high school fight hits roadblock", The Register, December 4, 1988. Accessed April 27, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Now, that fight may end up in court. At issue is how the school board deals with a budget shortfall between the voter-approved $36 million and what is now thought to be a price tag rising several million dollars above that. The boards decision to go ahead with four renovation projects on area high schools but to postpone the largest project the construction of Colts Neck High School has prompted threats of legal action by outraged township officials." In February 1993, a judge ruled that the district had to move forward with construction of the new high school and could not put forth a referendum to undo the 1986 vote.Skerritt, Andrew J. "Building of school ordered by judge", Asbury Park Press, February 19, 1993. Accessed April 27, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Colts Neck Township may finally get its high school. Superior Court Judge Patrick J. McGann Jr. has ordered the Freehold Regional High School District to begin building the much-delayed school in Colts Neck. And the district cannot hold a referendum asking voters to reverse their decision to issue bonds to finance the school's construction. McGann said in a ruling obtained yesterday." In July 1994, the New Jersey Supreme Court refused to hear the case.Bradfield, Ellen. "Mandate to build school is upheld; By refusing to hear an appeal, the state Supreme Court lets stand a lower court ruling ordering construction of a Colts Neck Township high school.", Asbury Park Press, July 21, 1994. Accessed April 27, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "The state's highest court has upheld the position that the Freehold Regional High School District must comply with a 1986 referendum to build a new high school here. On Wednesday, the state Supreme Court issued its denial of the regional board's petition to hear an appeal of a 1993 decision by state Superior Court Judge Patrick J. McGann Jr. ordering the regional board to proceed immediately with plans to construct the school. A further petition to the Appellate Division was denied earlier this year."
Construction began in August 1996, with expectations to have the building open in September 1998 to handle 750 incoming students, with an eventual capacity for 1,300.Sergeant, Jacqueline. "Work begins on school building; A groundbreaking for Colts Neck High School has been scheduled for September even though work has started.", Asbury Park Press, August 9, 1996. Accessed April 27, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "The groundbreaking ceremony hasn't happened yet, but construction is already under way on the sixth school in the Freehold Regional School District An official groundbreaking for the new high school, which had been scheduled for early summer, will now be held in September, said Fred Young, the district's deputy superintendent in charge of curriculum and instruction.... The 73,000-square-foot field at Route 537 and Five Points Road has been buzzing with workers on tractors, clearing and leveling the field, Young said.... The target opening date of September 1998 is still intact. The high school initially will house 750 students. But the building is being designed to accommodate 1,300 in the long run."
The school opened in September 1998 as the sixth high school in the system, with 380 students in ninth and tenth grades.Ryan, Harriet. "A clean slate in every classroom; New Colts Neck High School ready for a year fall of firsts", Asbury Park Press, August 31, 1988. Accessed April 27, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Today is the last day Colts Neck High School will be perfect. By tomorrow afternoon, back-to-school shoes will have scuffed some of the shine off the floors.... The Freehold Regional High School District's sixth high school is a state-of-the art building that will draw 380 freshmen and sophomores this year from throughout the district and be staffed by 30 teachers handpicked from hundreds of applicants."
Since the start of the 2016–17 school year, students in grades 9 through 12 from Naval Weapons Station Earle started attending Colts Neck High School, before which they had attended Monmouth Regional High School in Tinton Falls.Daniels, Rosemary. "NWS Earle Students To Attend Colts Neck HS", The Two River Times, April 20, 2016. Accessed December 17, 2024. "Thanks to an agreement between the Navy, Monmouth County School Administration, and the Freehold Regional School District, 15 high school-age children from the Naval Weapons Station (NWS Earle) will transition from Monmouth Regional High School, Tinton Falls, to Colts Neck High School as of September 2016.... The main side of the Earle complex is located in Colts Neck, and according to public relations liaison William Addison, the residents there patronize many of the local businesses."
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