Brooklawn Public School District, NJ

Original Research by School Decision on Brooklawn Public School District

The Brooklawn Public School District is a small, single-school district in Camden County, serving students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade at Alice Costello Elementary School. Because the district only covers grades PK through eight, there is no high school and therefore no graduation rate to report. For families considering this district, the academic pathway leads elsewhere after eighth grade, typically to a neighboring public high school or a choice program.

State assessment results from the New Jersey Student Learning Assessments show a mixed picture across grade levels and subjects. In mathematics, the share of students meeting proficiency standards varied notably by grade, with some grades performing at a stronger level and others showing a much lower rate. English language arts results followed a similar pattern, with several grades reaching a moderate proficiency level while others fell below that mark. Science results were available for grades five and eight; the fifth-grade cohort showed a modest proficiency rate, while the eighth-grade cohort had no students reaching the proficient threshold. Proficiency rates overall, when averaged across tested subjects and grades, sit above the midpoint among Camden County's districts. That said, the variation from grade to grade and subject to subject is wide enough that a parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand how specific student groups and classrooms are faring.

The student body is diverse. White students make up a substantial share, with Hispanic students forming the next largest group, followed by Black and Asian students, and smaller numbers of students who identify as two or more races, American Indian or Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, receive special education services, or are classified as English learners was not available in the source material. Chronic absenteeism, a metric the district reports, falls below the midpoint among the county's districts, meaning a comparatively higher share of students are missing school. This is a key indicator for families to consider, as chronic absence can signal broader challenges with engagement or student well-being.

The district operates under a tight financial and enrollment context. Enrollment has declined steadily over the past decade, and the district's own financial report attributes the recent drop partly to a cap placed on school choice enrollment. Brooklawn participates in New Jersey's Interdistrict Public School Choice Program, which allows non-resident students to attend Alice Costello School at no cost to their parents. That program is a meaningful avenue for families outside the borough, but the cap limits how many choice students can enroll. Because the district is small and centered on a single school, changes to choice caps directly affect class sizes, funding, and the mix of residents and non-residents in the building. The district's per-pupil spending is in the upper range among Camden County's districts, a reflection of the higher fixed costs that come with a small enrollment base.

The housing context is shaped by the zip code that serves both Brooklawn and Gloucester City, with home values in the area near the national median and below the New Jersey state benchmark. Rents are moderate relative to income. The county's housing market has shown rising listing prices and a moderate inventory of homes for sale, suggesting a market that is active but not overheated. For families looking to buy or rent within the district's boundaries, affordability is relatively attainable compared to many parts of the state, though the selection of homes is limited by the district's small geographic footprint.

The district is small, with enrollment that has been shrinking, and its academic results are uneven across subjects and grades. The chronic absenteeism rate is a soft spot that warrants direct questions to the school. The choice program offers an inroad for families who do not live in Brooklawn, but the cap on those seats means access is not guaranteed. For a family weighing this district, the central consideration is whether the small, single-school environment and the academic variability it shows fit a child's needs, particularly with the understanding that middle school ends here and a new district picks up for high school.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

263

Grades

PK–08

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 28%

Black 10%

White 51%

Asian 7%

Two+ 3%

Am. Indian / AK Native 1%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

47%

—

Gr 4

57%

—

Gr 5

48%

73%

Gr 6

16%

—

Gr 7

67%

82%

Gr 8

37%

—

Math

Gr 3

63%

—

Gr 4

36%

—

Gr 5

14%

27%

Gr 6

17%

—

Gr 7

50%

64%

Gr 8

—

Science

Gr 5

19%

36%

Gr 8

—

Schools in this District

1 schools are officially reported under this district.

Alice Costello Elementary School

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

63%

Grade 3

45%

Grade 4

19%

Grade 5

19%

Grade 6

55%

Grade 7

10%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

50%

Grade 3

50%

Grade 4

56%

Grade 5

21%

Grade 6

72%

Grade 7

43%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

25%

Grade 5

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$238,260

Year-over-year change-3.6%

vs. state typical0.42x

vs. national typical0.65x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (1 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
08030	Gloucester City	$238K	-3.6%	100.0%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,852/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (1 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
08030	Gloucester City	$1,852	—	100.0%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,202/mo

Home price / national median income2.9x

Annual rent / national median income26.5%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$650/mo

Market Activity: Camden County

Median listing price$374,900

Median listing price YoY+7.1%

Median price per sq ft$227

Median price per sq ft YoY+4.1%

Median days on market29.0 days

Median days on market YoY+20.8%

Active listings891

Active listings YoY+18.8%

New listings700

New listings YoY+9.4%

Pending listings925

Pending listings YoY+15.6%

Hotness: median listing price$365,000

Hotness: median listing price YoY+5.2%

Supply score95.4

Supply score YoY-2.1%

Demand score79.6

Demand score YoY-9.3%

Median listing price (12 months)

Median price per sq ft (12 months)

Median days on market (12 months)

Active listings (12 months)

New listings (12 months)

Pending listings (12 months)

Hotness: median listing price (12 months)

Supply score (12 months)

Demand score (12 months)

Comparison

State typical home value$571,373 (+3.4% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.