The top reported proficiency rate is 85% in Math. The lowest is 76% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Edward H. Bryan
Edward H. Bryan School is one of two elementary schools serving the Cresskill Public School District, a small Bergen County community that is a primarily residential suburb of New York City. The school covers pre-kindergarten through fifth grade and houses a little more than five hundred students. Families should understand that this is a school with notably strong academic results, a particular demographic profile, and a setting that places a premium on homeownership and property value.
The school's academic performance is a clear strength. On the state's NJSLA assessments, across all tested elementary grades, the share of students scoring at the proficient or advanced level was well above what is typical. The school’s overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile of all schools within the county, a high bar given Bergen County's overall strong performance. In mathematics, the proficiency rate climbed across the grades, with the strongest showing in fifth grade. In English language arts, a similar pattern held, with the share of proficient students rising steadily from grade to grade and reaching a very high level by fifth grade. Science results for fifth graders were also strong. A parent can reasonably expect that a child attending this school will be learning in an environment where meeting grade-level standards is the norm. The data does not include chronic absenteeism or graduation measures, but that is because those metrics do not apply to an elementary school.
The student body is predominantly white and Asian. According to the available data, a little under half of students identify as white and a little under two-fifths as Asian. The share of students who are Hispanic is in the single digits, and the Black student population is very small. The share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch is minimal, a figure that aligns with the community's overall affluence. This is not a school with significant economic diversity, and families considering Cresskill should be aware that the peer environment is largely one of middle-to-upper-income households.
Cresskill itself is a compact, built-out borough of roughly one-and-a-half square miles. The population has grown over the past two decades but appears to have plateaued recently, with a slight decline from the 2020 census to a 2023 estimate. There is little vacant land for new development, and no major new housing projects were identified in research; this suggests stability in the housing stock and, by extension, in the school's enrollment. The borough's housing market carries a very high price tag, and rents are correspondingly steep. The typical home value is well above the national median, and the median household income in the surrounding area is high. For a family, buying into Cresskill means paying a premium for the school system and the community. The borough government and the school district itself are among the largest local employers, and many residents commute to New York City or other Bergen County hubs.
The district has invested in its facilities. Publicly reported data shows significant capital outlay and construction spending in recent years, indicating a commitment to maintaining school buildings. Parents who want to know the specifics of a recent bond referendum or the exact scope of the work may need to contact the district directly, as the available research did not surface a timeline of specific projects at the school level.
The school serves only up to fifth grade. After that, students move on to the district's shared middle and high school campus. This means that the elementary experience is entirely within Edward H. Bryan or its sister school, Merritt Memorial, and that the transition to a larger school environment happens after grade five.
Edward H. Bryan is a strong academic fit for a family seeking a high-performing elementary school in an affluent, stable suburb. The student body reflects the demographics of the community, and the cost of entry into the housing market is high. For a parent focused on rigorous early academics and a peer group where economic disadvantage is rare, this school delivers. A family looking for greater socioeconomic diversity or for a school that serves through the middle grades would need to consider how the full K-12 pathway works across the district.
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