The top reported proficiency rate is 59% in Math. The lowest is 33% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on School #16
School #16 is a regular public elementary school in Clifton, New Jersey, serving kindergarten through fifth grade as part of the Clifton Public School District. It is one of several neighborhood elementary schools in this large, dense suburb roughly a 15-mile drive west of midtown Manhattan, a city crisscrossed by major highways and served by two NJ Transit train stations. Clifton is a regional commercial hub as well as a bedroom community for New York City commuters, and its built environment is largely car-oriented, with commercial corridors and distinct residential neighborhoods rather than a single walkable downtown core.
The school has a relatively modest enrollment for an elementary school in a city of this size. The student body is diverse: Hispanic or Latino students make up the largest share, followed closely by white students, with a substantial Asian population and smaller shares of Black students, students of two or more races, Native American or Alaska Native students, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students. A significant proportion of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a middle-to-moderate income profile for families served.
On the most recent state assessments administered in the 2024-25 school year, proficiency results vary noticeably by grade and subject. In mathematics, third graders showed a strong proficiency rate, and fifth graders performed even more strongly, with a high share meeting the state's proficiency benchmark. Fourth-grade math results, however, were substantially lower. In English language arts, a similar pattern appears: third and fourth graders had lower proficiency rates, while fifth graders had a much stronger performance, with a clear majority meeting the standard. In science, the only tested grade is fifth, and roughly one-third of students met the proficiency benchmark. Participation rates for the assessments were not available. Overall, when combining all tested subjects and grades, the school's proficiency index placed it in the top quartile relative to districts in Passaic County.
Because School #16 serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report, no data on chronic absenteeism, and no data on high school course access such as Advanced Placement or dual-enrollment programs. Information on special education identification rates, English learner enrollment, staffing ratios, and discipline incidents was also not available in the data provided. A parent wanting to understand the full support services picture would need to contact the school directly.
Housing in the Clifton area shows a market that has been active and moderately expensive. The typical home value in the ZIP code covering the school's address is well above the national benchmark, and rents reflect a similar premium relative to national medians. The county-level housing data shows a market with a limited supply of homes for sale relative to demand, and homes are selling relatively quickly. This context suggests that families moving into the attendance zone will encounter a competitive housing market typical of North Jersey suburbia with good highway and transit access to the New York City metro area.
The Clifton Public School District itself operates a number of elementary, middle, and high schools serving the city. No recent district-level changes such as boundary adjustments, curriculum shifts, or referendums were found in publicly available records, so there is no reported disruption or major new initiative to flag for incoming families. The district's portfolio of neighborhood elementary schools including School #16 provides a straightforward feeder pattern for families living within the school's attendance boundary.
For a family considering School #16, the takeaway is a neighborhood elementary school in a diverse, transit-connected suburban city, where academic results show a mixed picture that improves markedly by fifth grade. The school's strength in the upper elementary years, especially in math and English, is a positive signal, while the weaker early-grade results are an area a parent may want to discuss with the school to understand instructional approaches and support strategies.
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