The top reported proficiency rate is 44% in English language arts. The lowest is 9% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Paterson Charter School for Science and Technology
Paterson Charter School for Science and Technology is a single charter school serving kindergarten through twelfth grade in Passaic County. It operates as its own district, with one campus that covers the full K-12 span. Because the school is a charter, it is publicly funded but operates with its own governing board and enrollment process. Parents considering this school are looking at a self-contained academic pathway from elementary through high school under one roof and one set of leadership.
State testing data from the most recent year shows a mixed picture across subjects and grade levels. In English language arts, a majority of students in grade six met the state's proficiency standard, and the rates in grade seven were close behind. The lower elementary grades also posted rates that were within a plausible range for a school serving a high-need population. In math, however, performance was notably lower across all tested grades, with particularly weak results in grade eight. Science proficiency, measured in grades five and eight, was very low. Taken together, the school's overall proficiency index places it below the midpoint among Passaic County's districts. A parent evaluating academic results here would want to look into the math and science gaps with the school directly and ask what supports and interventions are in place.
Graduation rate data was not available for this school. That gap is worth noting because the school does enroll high school grades; the absence of a published rate may be due to a small graduating cohort or a reporting issue, and any family considering the high school portion should request the number from the school.
The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial Black enrollment and smaller shares of White and Asian students. Enrollment is about the size one would expect for a single K-12 school, with roughly even numbers in each grade through middle school and a small senior class. Information on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals was not available, so the economic profile of the student population is not clear from the data provided. Similarly, data on students with disabilities and English learners was not reported, leaving a gap in understanding the full range of specialized supports the school offers.
On spending, the school's per-pupil current expenditure sits in the lower range among Passaic County's districts. That figure suggests a leaner budget relative to neighboring districts, which may affect resources for programming, facilities, or staffing. A parent may want to ask how the school allocates its funds and whether class sizes, materials, or extracurricular offerings are affected.
The district brief turned up no major recent changes such as leadership turnover, boundary shifts, or program expansions that would alter the school's direction in a lasting way. The school appears to be operating on a stable footing, with no clear pivot toward new academic or facility priorities.
No community context was available for the surrounding area. The school's name places it in Paterson, but specific characteristics of the neighborhood, housing market, or local amenities were not part of the data provided. Families will need to research the commute, the immediate vicinity, and how the school fits into the broader Paterson landscape on their own.
Overall, Paterson Charter School for Science and Technology offers a single-site K-12 option in Passaic County with a clear strength in middle-grade English language arts and notable challenges in math and science. The peer environment is diverse and urban. The school's leaner spending, missing graduation and subgroup data, and below-midpoint academic standing mean that thorough follow-up with the school administration is essential for any family weighing this choice.
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