The top reported proficiency rate is 64% in English language arts. The lowest is 42% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Bogota Middle School
Bogota Middle School is a regular public school serving only sixth and seventh grades in the small, densely populated borough of Bogota, New Jersey, which lies along the Hackensack River in Bergen County. With an enrollment that is modest for a middle school grade band, the school draws from a community where a substantial share of students come from households that qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with smaller groups of white, black, and Asian students, reflecting the borough’s diverse demographic composition. Because the school stops at seventh grade, there is no graduation rate to report; students move on to Bogota High School for eighth through twelfth grades.
On state assessments, math proficiency rates for both tested grades sit below what many families might hope for. In sixth grade, roughly two out of every five students scored at the proficient or advanced level, a share that edges up only slightly for seventh graders. English language arts results tell a different story. Sixth graders posted a proficiency rate that fell a bit above the midpoint, and seventh graders achieved a notably stronger rate, with a clear majority meeting the standard. The school’s overall proficiency index across all tested subjects and grades, when compared with other districts in Bergen County, lands below the midpoint of that set—a fact that parents may want to discuss with the school to understand how instruction and support are calibrated, particularly in math.
Academic context beyond test scores is limited in this data set. There is no available information on chronic absenteeism, discipline rates, course access, or staffing ratios, and no multi-year trend data to show whether performance is improving or slipping. Enrollment counts for special populations such as students with disabilities and English learners are also missing from the record. A parent considering this school would benefit from asking the principal or district office directly about these areas, as they shape the day-to-day experience for many students.
The borough of Bogota itself is compact and unusually dense, bisected by a rail line that separates a highly industrial eastern half from a more suburban western half with storefronts and residential streets. Civic life is woven into the neighborhood: Borough Hall, the library, police and fire departments cluster around a central municipal complex, and the district’s four schools—two elementary schools, this middle school, and the high school—are dispersed across the small borough rather than consolidated on a single campus. Housing values in the area have risen modestly over the past year, and the single-family and multifamily stock is relatively expensive by national standards, though still within reach for many Bergen County buyers. The borough’s population grew at a measured pace over the last decade, and with little undeveloped land, any future growth is likely to be infill.
A search for recent district-level changes that would directly affect parents—budget votes, curriculum shifts, property tax actions—turned up no specific items in the available public record. That silence is not itself a concern, but it means a family new to the area should look up the district’s own communications or attend a board meeting to gauge current priorities.
Overall, Bogota Middle School offers a small, neighborhood-based setting where English language arts performance in seventh grade stands out as a clear strength. Math achievement is more uneven and warrants inquiry. The school’s economic context and demographic mix are typical of many older suburban boroughs in northern New Jersey. For a family whose child will move on to the high school after seventh grade, the academic pathway here is one that benefits from active parent engagement and a close look at how the school supports students who are not yet meeting benchmarks, particularly in mathematics.
See more original research from School Decision →