Clifton Public School District, NJ

Original Research by School Decision on Clifton Public School District

Clifton Public School District serves a large and demographically diverse student body across nearly twenty schools in Passaic County. The district’s enrollment is heavily Hispanic, with White and Asian families also present in meaningful numbers, and the full pre-K through twelfth-grade span is covered. The district sits within a community where housing is expensive; home values are well above national norms and the rental market is tight, which shapes who can afford to live in the attendance zone and what kind of local tax base supports the schools.

On state assessments, performance is mixed and, across tested grades and subjects, falls below the midpoint when placed against other districts in Passaic County. In English language arts, the share of students scoring proficient or above generally clusters in the low-to-mid forties for grades four through eight, with grade three a little softer. Math proficiency is lower across the board, and by eighth grade only a modest fraction of students meet the bar. Science results are weaker still; the fifth-grade and eighth-grade science assessments show proficiency at levels that a parent would want to look into further with the school. These are statewide standardized tests, so they offer one measure but not the full picture of classroom rigor or individual student growth.

Chronic absenteeism, a gauge of how many students miss enough school to fall behind academically, is above the county median, meaning a larger-than-typical share of students is absent frequently. This is a soft spot worth asking about, as it can affect classroom pacing and individual support. Per-pupil current spending falls in the lower range among Passaic County’s districts, which may influence class sizes, program breadth, or building conditions, but without more detail from the district on how funds are allocated it is hard to draw a direct line to outcomes.

A notable gap in the available data is the lack of a reported graduation rate, so there is no district-wide measure of high school completion to consider. Information on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility, special education enrollment, and English learner status is also absent. Those are common indicators of student needs and resource demands, so their absence leaves an incomplete picture of the support structures in place.

The district brief turned up little in the way of recent referendums, curriculum changes, or property tax shifts, so a parent may need to check the district website or local news for current priorities and upcoming decisions. The school system itself is made up of a set of elementary schools numbered one through seventeen, two early learner academies, two middle schools, and a single comprehensive high school. That structure is straightforward and typical for a district of this size.

For a family considering Clifton, the strengths are a broad pre-K through twelve system with a large enough enrollment to offer varied course options at the high school level, a stable if expensive housing market, and a student body that reflects the broader diversity of the region. The areas to probe further include the below-midpoint test scores, the elevated chronic absenteeism, and the absence of key data on graduation and student subgroups. This is a district that serves a hardworking, mixed-income community; families who value a strong peer culture around academics may want to visit schools and talk to teachers and administrators about how the district is working to lift achievement and attendance.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

11,010

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 62%

Black 4%

White 26%

Asian 6%

Two+ 1%

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

30%

42%

Gr 4

39%

55%

Gr 5

36%

57%

Gr 6

32%

45%

Gr 7

38%

57%

Gr 8

40%

61%

Math

Gr 3

40%

60%

Gr 4

33%

51%

Gr 5

29%

50%

Gr 6

22%

40%

Gr 7

27%

43%

Gr 8

17%

26%

Science

Gr 5

13%

31%

Gr 8

18%

Schools in this District

19 schools are officially reported under this district.

Clifton Early Learner Academies - Brighton

Clifton High School

Christopher Columbus Middle School

Woodrow Wilson Middle School

Clifton Early Learner Academies - Allwood

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

47%

Grade 3

39%

Grade 4

36%

Grade 5

28%

Grade 6

32%

Grade 7

20%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

34%

Grade 3

44%

Grade 4

43%

Grade 5

36%

Grade 6

45%

Grade 7

47%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

19%

Grade 5

11%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$617,265

Year-over-year change+3.2%

Range across 7 ZIP codes$573K to $1.4M

vs. state typical1.08x

vs. national typical1.68x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (7 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
07013	Clifton	$626K	+4.3%	39.2%
07011	Clifton	$577K	+1.6%	27.6%
07012	Clifton	$648K	+3.4%	19.4%
07014	Clifton	$573K	+2.6%	12.7%
07043	Montclair	$1.4M	+9.1%	0.9%
07110	Nutley	$656K	+3.9%	0.1%
07424	Woodland Park	$630K	+3.8%	0.0%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$2,481/mo

Year-over-year change+1.5%

Range across 5 ZIP codes$2,324 to $2,782/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (5 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
07013	Clifton	$2,446	—	39.2%
07011	Clifton	$2,364	+1.5%	27.6%
07012	Clifton	$2,720	—	19.4%
07110	Nutley	$2,324	—	0.1%
07424	Woodland Park	$2,782	—	0.0%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$3,115/mo

Home price / national median income7.4x

Annual rent / national median income35.6%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$633/mo

Market Activity: Passaic County

Median listing price$558,500

Median listing price YoY+1.6%

Median price per sq ft$320

Median price per sq ft YoY+0.3%

Median days on market24.3 days

Median days on market YoY+5.4%

Active listings561

Active listings YoY+29.6%

New listings388

New listings YoY+15.5%

Pending listings322

Pending listings YoY+2.5%

Hotness: median listing price$554,222

Hotness: median listing price YoY+8.4%

Supply score98.2

Supply score YoY+0.3%

Demand score74.8

Demand score YoY-10.1%

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.