The top reported proficiency rate is 65% in English language arts. The lowest is 53% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Lincoln Elementary School
Lincoln Elementary School serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Dumont, a small, densely built residential borough in Bergen County. The school is one of five elementary buildings in the Dumont Public School District, and it sits within a neighborhood setting rather than on a separated campus, consistent with the borough’s compact geography where schools, civic buildings, and the downtown Washington Avenue corridor are within walking distance for much of the population. Dumont is an inner-ring suburb that is nearly fully built out; its modest population growth comes from household densification and redevelopment rather than new construction. The school serves a student body that reflects the borough’s diversity, with a substantial share of students identifying as Hispanic, a smaller but notable share of Asian students, and a student body that also includes White students and those identifying with two or more races. A relatively small share of the student population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the reviewed records, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the specific support structures in place for those groups.
State assessment results from the NJSLA show a mixed picture across grade levels and subjects. In math, proficiency rates across the three tested grades cluster near the midpoint of the district’s comparison set relative to other districts in Bergen County. In English language arts, the fourth- and fifth-grade cohorts perform well above the third-grade cohort, a gap a parent may want to look into further with the school. Science results for fifth graders, the only tested grade in that subject, show that about half of students met the proficiency standard. The school’s overall proficiency index lands just below the midpoint when compared with other schools in districts across Bergen County, a highly competitive academic environment where many districts post strong results. For context, the median district in the county performs at a higher level, so Lincoln sits on the lower side of an already high-performing county.
Because the school serves only grades K through five, there is no graduation rate, no data on chronic absenteeism, and no advanced coursework access to report; those measures apply to secondary schools and are not expected here. The district brief turned up no recent major changes such as referendums, curriculum overhauls, or budget shifts that would alter a family’s immediate experience, so the school appears to be operating under stable conditions.
The housing market in the 07628 zip code is expensive, with home values that have risen notably year over year, and the typical rent is also high. The borough’s median household income and high home values mean that the school draws from a relatively affluent residential base, even though the borough itself is not a wealthy enclave compared to some neighboring Bergen County communities. Dumont has a walkable downtown, a public library, and a calendar of community events like Dumont Day and the Winter Festival, which give the borough a defined civic life despite its small size. For a family considering Lincoln Elementary, the core question is fit: the school offers a solid, typical elementary program in a stable district where most students test near the county median in a high-performing region. The weaker math and third-grade reading results may be a soft spot that warrants a conversation with the school about instructional support and how the cohort-to-cohort differences are addressed.
See more original research from School Decision →