The top reported proficiency rate is 72% in English language arts. The lowest is 17% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Pace Charter School of Hamilton
Pace Charter School of Hamilton is a single-school district serving kindergarten through eighth grade in Mercer County. As a charter school, it operates independently of the local school district and draws students from the surrounding area. The school is relatively small for its grade band, with enrollment in the mid-hundreds spread fairly evenly across the elementary grades and tapering a bit in the middle school years.
The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a sizable Black population and smaller shares of White and Asian students. Data on economic disadvantage and special education status was not available in the source material, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals or receive individualized education plans. English learner counts were also not reported.
Academically, the school shows a mixed picture. On the New Jersey Student Learning Assessments, English language arts results are a notable strength. Across most tested grades, the majority of students scored at or above proficiency, with particularly strong showings in grades five, six, and eight, where a very high proportion met the bar. Math results are more variable, hovering around the midpoint in the elementary grades and dipping lower in seventh and eighth grade. Science results are a soft spot: at both the fifth and eighth grade levels, the share of students scoring proficient was low. A parent considering the school may want to look into this further with the school to understand what science instruction and support look like.
When placed against other districts in Mercer County, Pace Charter School of Hamilton sits above the midpoint on overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades. Its chronic absenteeism rate is below the midpoint, which is a positive sign for student attendance. Per-pupil current spending falls in the lower range among county districts, which may reflect the charter model's typical funding structure.
Because the school stops at eighth grade, there is no graduation rate to report. Families will need to plan for a high school transition after eighth grade, either to a local public district, another charter, or a private school.
The district brief found little in the way of recent publicly reported changes or strategic priorities, so this account is built from the test data and demographic profile alone. For a family seeking a small, charter-run elementary and middle school environment with notable literacy outcomes but more uneven math and science performance, Pace Charter School of Hamilton presents a specific academic profile worth investigating in person.
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