The top reported proficiency rate is 72% in Math. The lowest is 35% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on School No. 3
School No. 3 serves students from pre-kindergarten through fourth grade in Fort Lee, a densely populated suburban borough perched on the Hudson Palisades across the George Washington Bridge from Manhattan. The school is part of the Fort Lee School District, which operates six schools for the borough’s families. Because School No. 3 only covers the early and primary grades, it does not have a graduation rate, and state science testing data is from several years ago and covers a grade level the school no longer serves, so those results are not a current reflection of the school’s performance.
The student body is diverse and reflects the broader Fort Lee community’s makeup. Asian students make up a substantial share of the enrollment, followed by a significant portion of Hispanic students, a smaller share of white students, and a modest number of Black students and students of two or more races. A relatively modest share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, suggesting that the school serves a mix of households but with the majority not in that measure of economic need. Data on English learner and special education populations was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those support offerings.
Academic performance on the state’s NJSLA assessments shows a school that is performing solidly overall, with some variation by subject and grade. In math, both tested grades posted proficiency rates that are strong, with the fourth-grade cohort showing a particularly high level of attainment. In English language arts, results are more mixed: third-grade proficiency was a softer area, while fourth-grade students performed at a high level, matching the strength seen in math. The school’s overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grades positions it above the midpoint when compared to other schools within districts in Bergen County, a county with many high-performing schools. This suggests that School No. 3 is competitive for its immediate peers, though not at the very top of that countywide range.
The Fort Lee district is in a period of demographic and financial change that will shape the school’s context going forward. The share of economically disadvantaged students in the district has grown meaningfully in recent years, a shift that can affect the kinds of support services and resource allocation families see. The district has also been spending on capital construction, which signals ongoing investment in facilities across the borough’s schools. Budget planning for the coming school year is underway, which will determine property tax levels and program funding for residents.
Housing in Fort Lee is expensive, reflecting its desirable location near Manhattan. Home values are high, and rents are also elevated, though the market has a substantial rental population in the borough’s many apartment towers. The area has been growing, with new high-rise development and a recently opened cultural venue, the Barrymore Film Center. The street life is most concentrated along Main Street, where a large Korean-American business community and a variety of restaurants and shops create a cosmopolitan, urban-suburban feel. The George Washington Bridge is the defining transportation feature, carrying heavy traffic and connecting many residents to New York City commutes. This is a busy, dense, and well-connected place, and School No. 3 is a standard public elementary school within that setting, a good fit for families looking for a regular primary school in a diverse, transit-oriented community.
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