The top reported proficiency rate is 79% in English language arts. The lowest is 78% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Hillside Elementary School
Hillside Elementary School serves students from pre-kindergarten through fourth grade in Closter, a small suburban borough in Bergen County. It is the younger of two schools in the Closter Public School District; students move to Tenakill Middle School for grades five through eight and then attend a regional high school outside the borough. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet.
On state assessments in math and English language arts, Hillside’s students performed comfortably above the midpoint among tested schools, and the school’s overall proficiency across grades and subjects landed in the top quarter of districts in Bergen County. For a primary school, that is a strong signal. In third and fourth grade, the share of students meeting or exceeding the state’s proficiency bar reached well above what most elementary schools in the county report. The school was recognized with a National Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence in 2021, a lasting marker of the academic foundation it provides.
The student body is diverse racially, with families of Asian background making up the largest share, followed by white students, and smaller groups of multiracial, Hispanic, Black, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and American Indian or Alaska Native students. The share of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch is very low, reflecting the economic profile of the borough.
Closter itself is a predominantly residential, upper-middle-class community that has transitioned from farmland and estates into a suburban commuter town. The borough’s main commercial anchor is Closter Plaza, an outdoor mall that includes a movie theater, restaurants, and stores such as Whole Foods, Target, and HomeGoods. Home values in the area are high, well above state and national benchmarks, and rents are similarly elevated. The housing market in Bergen County has been active, with median days on market relatively short, indicating strong demand. For a family considering this school, the cost of living in Closter will be a significant factor.
The school operates within a district that sends high school students to a regional district, so secondary options are not part of Hillside’s direct program. No high school graduation rate is reported because the school does not serve those grades. Civil rights data, such as discipline rates or staff-to-student ratios, was not available in the provided source material, so those are not part of this picture.
For families already in Closter or looking to move into a borough with a strong early elementary record, Hillside offers a well-regarded start in a small, community-based setting. The combination of top-quartile test results and a national Blue Ribbon award speaks to consistent academic performance at these early grades. The peer environment is one where most families are economically comfortable and the school reflects the broader diversity of the area.
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