The top reported proficiency rate is 28% in English language arts. The lowest is 12% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on School #8
School #8 is an elementary school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in Clifton, a dense suburb and regional commercial hub in Passaic County, roughly a 15-mile commute west of Midtown Manhattan. The school is part of the Clifton Public School District. Clifton itself is a heavily car-dependent city oriented around major highway corridors, though it has two train stations and a de facto downtown in the Main Mall area, giving some neighborhoods walkable nodes. The city saw steady population growth over recent decades, with a slight dip in the most recent estimate, but no major new housing developments or district-level changes were found in available public records.
The school enrolls a body of students that is majority Hispanic, with white students and Asian students as the next largest groups, and small shares of Black students and students of two or more races. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school serves all grades from PK through 5, and the grade-level enrollments are spread fairly evenly across kindergarten through fifth grade, with the pre-kindergarten count showing no enrollment in that particular year.
State testing results are available for the 2024-25 school year across math, English language arts, and science. In math, the share of students scoring proficient or above varied by grade, with fourth grade posting the highest result and fifth grade the lowest. In English language arts, the pattern was uneven: fourth graders recorded a solid result, while third graders recorded a very low figure. Fifth graders tested in science, and the proficient rate was low. The school's overall proficiency index, combining all tested subjects and grades, placed it in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in Passaic County. A parent should note that participation rates for these assessments were not reported, so it is not possible to know whether all enrolled students were tested, which can affect how representative the results are. Because the school serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to consider.
No data was available on chronic absenteeism, discipline rates, course access, or staffing ratios. Similarly, information on special education and English learner populations was missing from the records provided, so a parent who wants to understand how the school serves students with individualized education plans or those learning English would need to ask the school directly.
The school's housing context in Clifton reflects a moderately priced market relative to the wider region. Home values have seen modest year-over-year growth, and the inventory of homes for sale has increased, while the typical time a home spends on the market is short, indicating a competitive sales environment. The estimated monthly mortgage cost is higher than what a typical rent would run, a common pattern in the area.
For a family considering this school, the central takeaway is that it is a small elementary school in a diverse, commuter-oriented suburb, serving a population where a majority of students come from low-income households. Academic proficiency across state tests is generally low compared to other districts in the county, with a particular soft spot in early-grade English language arts. A parent weighing this school will want to visit and ask about reading support in the early years, how the school identifies and serves students who are behind, and what enrichment or intervention programs are in place. The absence of publicly reported civil rights and discipline data, as well as staffing information, means those are open questions the school would need to answer directly. Families who value a tight-knit, neighborhood elementary experience in a community with highway and rail access to New York may find the school's size and setting appealing, but should go in with eyes open about the academic performance picture.
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