The top reported proficiency rate is 31% in English language arts. The lowest is 4% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on The Village Charter School
The Village Charter School operates as a single-school district in Mercer County, New Jersey, serving kindergarten through eighth grade. As a charter school, it offers a choice option for families seeking an alternative to the county’s traditional public school districts. The school’s enrollment is small for a KG–08 district, and the student body is nearly entirely Black, with a very small share of Hispanic students and an even smaller share of white students. Data on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, as well as on students with disabilities and English learners, was not available in the provided records.
On state assessments administered through the New Jersey Student Learning Assessment, student proficiency rates across grades and subjects run well below what families might encounter in many of the county’s other districts. In mathematics, the share of students scoring proficient or advanced ranged from roughly one in ten in sixth grade to a little more than one in four in third grade. English language arts results were only modestly stronger, with the lowest proficiency in fifth grade and the highest in eighth grade, where just under half of students met the bar. Science results were particularly low; in both fifth and eighth grade, only a small handful of students reached the proficient level.
Placed among Mercer County’s districts, the school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades lands in the bottom quartile of the county. That means most other districts in Mercer County see higher average proficiency. A parent comparing options would want to understand what academic supports the school offers and what instructional strategies it uses, since the state test results suggest that a substantial majority of students are not yet meeting grade-level benchmarks.
Chronic absenteeism, a measure of how often students miss a significant number of school days, is also elevated. At nearly one in five students chronically absent, the school falls in the bottom quartile of the county on this metric, signaling that attendance is an area the school and families may need to address together. No data on discipline or staffing was provided, so a parent would likely want to ask the school directly about class sizes, teacher experience, and the school’s approach to behavioral support.
On spending, the school’s per-pupil current expenditure sits in the middle range of Mercer County districts, but on the lower side of that middle range. This level of funding is not so low as to raise immediate red flags, but it may limit the breadth of enrichment programs or specialized staff compared to higher-spending neighbors.
Because the school serves only through eighth grade, families who enroll will need to plan for a transition to a high school. No information was available about any feeder relationships or articulation agreements. The school’s website or a conversation with the administration would be the place to learn about where students typically go after eighth grade and what support is offered for that transition.
The district brief for The Village Charter School was searched for recent changes such as curriculum shifts, facility investments, or policy updates, but none with lasting impact were found in public sources. That does not mean nothing is happening, only that it was not widely reported in the time frame reviewed. A parent exploring this school should ask about any recent developments in instruction, programming, or school climate directly.
Overall, The Village Charter School offers a small setting that may appeal to families looking for a charter option within Mercer County. The academic results, however, are markedly lower than county averages, and chronic absenteeism is a concern. A parent considering this school would want to visit, examine the school’s own academic progress data, and inquire about specific interventions for students who are not yet proficient.
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