The top reported proficiency rate is 56% in English language arts. The lowest is 43% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Atlantic Highlands Elementary School
Atlantic Highlands Elementary School serves students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade in a small, historic borough on the Raritan Bayshore. The school is a regular public school and sits within a community that has seen a major governance change: as of July 2024, the former Atlantic Highlands School District was dissolved and consolidated with the Highlands School District and Henry Hudson Regional High School into a single PreK-12 Henry Hudson Regional School District. For families at this school, that means the elementary years are now part of a unified K-12 pathway that continues at Henry Hudson Regional High School for grades seven through twelve.
The school itself is a small elementary building, serving roughly that size of enrollment for a PreK-6 school. The student body is predominantly white, with a Hispanic population making up the next largest group, and small shares of students who are Black, Asian, or of two or more races. A modest share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is a lower rate than many schools in the region. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the provided records.
On state assessments, the school's performance sits above the midpoint among districts in Monmouth County when looking at overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades. That is a solid position, though the results vary by grade and subject. In math, third graders posted a strong proficiency rate, while fourth graders had a softer showing. Fifth and sixth graders landed in between, with roughly half of students meeting the bar. In English language arts, the pattern was similar: third graders had a moderate result, fourth graders were lower, and fifth and sixth graders were stronger, with roughly three in five students proficient. Science, tested only in fifth grade, showed a result where fewer than half of students met the standard. A parent may want to look into this further with the school, particularly around the fourth-grade dip and the science result, to understand what supports are in place.
Because the school serves only through sixth grade, there is no graduation rate to report. The school does not offer high school programs such as Advanced Placement or career and technical education pathways, as those begin at the regional high school.
The community context matters here. Atlantic Highlands is a small, historic borough on the Raritan Bayshore, known for its preserved Victorian architecture, a compact downtown along First Avenue, and a large municipal harbor with ferry service to Manhattan. The borough has seen modest population stability and a recent consolidation of its school districts into a single regional system. Housing values in the area are well above the national median, and rents are similarly elevated, reflecting the desirability of the waterfront location and proximity to New York City. The school itself sits within this walkable, arts-oriented town, and the Henry Hudson Trail provides a recreational link through the borough.
For a family considering this school, the key takeaway is that it is a small, community-anchored elementary school in a historic shore town that has recently undergone a significant governance change. The academic results are mixed but generally sit around the middle of the pack for Monmouth County, with some stronger years and some weaker ones. The school does not serve high school grades, so families will need to look ahead to Henry Hudson Regional High School for the full picture of secondary options. The consolidation of the districts is a recent and meaningful shift that families moving into the area should understand, as it has unified the K-12 experience for both Atlantic Highlands and Highlands.
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