The top reported proficiency rate is 69% in English language arts. The lowest is 26% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Thomas Jefferson School #9
Thomas Jefferson School #9 is a regular public elementary school in Garfield, New Jersey, serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It sits within the Garfield Public School District, a densely built city in Bergen County with a population that is diverse and relatively young. The neighborhood around the school on Alpine Street is part of a city that mixes single-family and multi-family homes with commercial strips, light industry, and a grid street pattern. Garfield has a working-class history tied to its riverside location and the now-closed Garden State Paper mill, and today retains a small-business and industrial base alongside a YMCA, recreation center, and several parks. The city does not have a single concentrated downtown; civic life is dispersed across neighborhoods. For families considering this school, Garfield offers a compact, walkable environment with NJ Transit bus connections and proximity to Route 21 and the Passaic River crossings.
Academically, Thomas Jefferson School #9's state assessment results from the NJSLA tests present a mixed picture. In English language arts, the school's fourth graders posted a strong showing, with a large majority meeting the proficient-or-above bar. Fifth graders also performed well in reading, though third graders were closer to the midpoint. Math results were more moderate across all three tested grades: roughly three in five students at each grade level scored proficient or above in mathematics. Science results, tested only in fifth grade, were notably lower, with about one in four students reaching the proficient threshold. A parent considering this school may want to explore how science instruction is structured and whether the school has plans to strengthen that area. The school's overall proficiency index across all tested subjects and grades places it below the midpoint among the county's school districts, a position driven largely by the math and science numbers, while the fourth-grade ELA performance is a clear bright spot.
The student body is roughly even between Hispanic students and white students, with smaller shares of Black, Asian, and multiracial students. More than half of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a substantial share of families with lower household incomes. Data on students with disabilities and English learners were not available in the current report, which is a gap a parent may wish to fill by asking the school directly. The school serves roughly 370 students across kindergarten through fifth grade, with a notable number of prekindergarten seats as well. Grade-level sizes are relatively consistent, suggesting a stable enrollment pattern.
Garfield's housing market is competitive, with home values and rents that place it within the broader Bergen County context where the median listing price is well above the national median. The county housing market shows active and new listing activity that has increased year over year, with homes selling in just over three weeks on average. For renters, the estimated rent-to-income ratio is elevated, and the cost of buying a home with a mortgage exceeds the cost of renting, a dynamic common across the region. The city has seen population growth in recent decades, though it has leveled off somewhat after 2020. The closure of its largest historical employer was a significant economic transition, and an ongoing Superfund cleanup for groundwater contamination is a fact of the local landscape that prospective residents may want to investigate.
One recent district highlight worth noting: in 2023, a different Garfield elementary school, Washington Irving School #4, received a National Blue Ribbon recognition from the U.S. Department of Education. That award speaks to the district's capacity for excellence at one of its buildings, though it is not directly tied to Thomas Jefferson #9. For a family evaluating this school, the data suggest a school with a solid reading program at the upper elementary grades, math performance that is average for a county where standards are high, and a science result that could use attention. The socioeconomic profile of the student body is diverse and includes a significant share of families with economic need. The community context is urban, dense, and well-connected to transit and services, with a housing market that is expensive but somewhat more accessible than many Bergen County communities.
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