The top reported proficiency rate is 76% in Math. The lowest is 41% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Colonial Road School
Colonial Road School is one of four elementary buildings in the Franklin Lakes School District, serving students from prekindergarten through fifth grade. This is a regular public school in a borough that is among New Jersey’s most affluent communities, a predominantly residential, low-density suburb in northwestern Bergen County with large-lot zoning, extensive nature preserves, and a notably rural, estate-like feel. The school’s student body is small and reflects the community’s demographics: the vast majority of students are white, with smaller shares of Hispanic and Asian students and a very small number of Black students. A very small share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which aligns with the borough’s high-income profile.
Academically, the school posts solid results on the state’s NJSLA assessments, though performance varies noticeably by grade and subject. In third-grade math, the share of students scoring proficient or above is high. Fourth- and fifth-grade math proficiency rates are lower, though still at levels a parent might expect to see in a well-regarded suburban district. English language arts results follow a similar pattern: third graders perform at a high level, while fourth-grade proficiency drops by a meaningful margin. Fifth-grade ELA returns to a rate close to where fourth-grade math sits. The school’s weakest showing is in fifth-grade science, where the proficiency rate is modest. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school’s overall proficiency index sits above the midpoint when compared to other districts in Bergen County. This is a school that performs well in the early grades, particularly in math and reading, but where some later-grade scores, especially in science, suggest a parent may want to ask about curriculum and support in those areas. Because the school serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report.
The school environment appears orderly, though data on some key indicators is missing. The profile does not include figures on chronic absenteeism, student-teacher ratios, discipline rates, or special education and English learner populations. A parent evaluating the school for a child with specific needs may want to request this information directly from the district. The school is not a charter or magnet, and its Title I status is not reported, which is consistent with the low share of students from low-income households.
The housing context in Franklin Lakes is a central fact for any family considering this school. Home values are very high, and the local market shows strong demand with a limited supply of listings. Rents are also high. For a family that does not already own in the borough, the cost of entry is steep. The borough has no traditional downtown; civic buildings and schools sit on separate parcels spread across winding residential roads. This is a car-dependent community where street life is minimal and the character is defined by privacy and large properties. The town’s major corporate employer is Becton Dickinson, whose headquarters are in Franklin Lakes.
No recent district-level changes, such as curriculum overhauls, referenda, or boundary adjustments, surfaced in a search, so this narrative reflects the school’s profile as it currently stands. Colonial Road School offers a solid academic foundation in a high-wealth, low-density setting, with stronger early-elementary results and a dip in proficiency by the upper elementary years that a family moving into the district might wish to explore further.
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