The top reported proficiency rate is 59% in English language arts. The lowest is 9% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Link Community Charter School
Link Community Charter School serves students from kindergarten through eighth grade across two campuses in Newark, operating as a charter school district in Essex County. The school recently completed a multi-year expansion from a middle school into a full K-8 program, adding elementary grades and creating a continuous academic pathway for families in Newark and surrounding communities such as Irvington, Orange, and East Orange. For a parent considering this option, the expansion means that a child can enter as early as kindergarten and stay through eighth grade, avoiding a mid-cycle school change. The school’s enrollment is relatively small for its grade band, and the student body is predominantly Black, with a notable share of Hispanic students, giving it a demographic profile that is distinct from many of the county’s traditional districts.
Academic performance on New Jersey’s state assessments shows a mixed picture. In English language arts, the school’s proficiency rates rise notably as students get older: results in the early elementary grades are below what many families would hope for, but by sixth, seventh, and eighth grades, a majority of students meet state proficiency standards. That upward trend across the middle grades is a strength worth noting. In math, the pattern is reversed. Proficiency rates are modest in third grade and decline steadily through eighth grade, where the share of students reaching proficiency is low. Science results are also very low in both tested grades. Overall, the district’s combined proficiency index places it below the midpoint among Essex County’s districts, meaning many neighboring districts post higher average scores. A parent may want to look into how the school supports students who are behind in math and science, particularly as they move through the upper grades.
The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. That is by design given the grade span. Chronic absenteeism, however, is above the county median, with a rate that may suggest some students are missing enough school to affect learning. A parent considering Link should ask about attendance supports and what the school does to keep students engaged and present.
On the financial side, per-pupil spending sits in the middle range of county districts, toward the upper half. The data does not include free or reduced-price lunch counts, special education identification rates, or English learner shares, so it is hard to gauge the level of economic and academic need the school addresses directly, other than what the demographic mix suggests.
The expansion itself is the most notable recent change. Publicly reported accounts indicate that the school was originally a middle school and received approval to add elementary grades, a process that culminated in the 2025 school year. That growth likely means the school is still adjusting to serving younger children and managing two separate campuses. For a family, the K-8 model offers continuity, but the split campuses for lower and upper grades may affect how siblings are distributed and how the school community coheres.
There is no information in the available data about program offerings such as enrichment, arts, or extracurriculars, nor about staffing ratios or discipline practices. Without those details, the academic results and the expansion timeline provide the main frame for evaluating the school. The overall proficiency picture is uneven: ELA outcomes strengthen in middle school, while math and science lag. A family whose child is strong in reading may find a supportive environment in the upper grades, but a child who needs math intervention may face a steeper climb. The charter status means the school operates with some autonomy from the Newark district, but enrollment is determined by lottery and space. Parents interested in Link should visit the campuses, ask about the math curriculum and support structures, and understand how the recent growth is affecting class sizes and teacher turnover. The data alone does not answer those questions, but it points to areas where inquiry is warranted.
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