James W. Lilley Elementary School, Erial NJ

Original Research by School Decision on James W. Lilley Elementary School

James W. Lilley Elementary School is a regular public school in Erial, a residential, car-dependent suburb within Gloucester Township, Camden County. It serves kindergarten through fifth grade. The school is part of the Gloucester Township Public Schools district.

The school has a diverse student body. Overall state testing results place Lilley in a below-the-midpoint position among districts in Camden County. In math, the share of students scoring proficient or above declined noticeably from third grade to fifth grade. English language arts proficiency showed a different pattern, with a lower share of students meeting the bar in third grade, a similar figure in fourth grade, and a higher share in fifth grade. Science results for fifth graders, the only grade tested in that subject, were lower. A parent may want to discuss these patterns directly with the school to understand how instruction and support are structured across the grade levels. The school’s fifth grade ELA result, where a notable share of students were proficient, stands out as a relative bright spot among the testing data.

The community of Erial is largely made up of single-family homes built from the 1970s onward, set on quarter-acre lots amid lakes and woodlands. There is no downtown; shopping is concentrated along Berlin-Cross Keys Road, with big-box retailers and grocery stores. Housing in the area has seen moderate appreciation, and the broader county market was showing rising prices and relatively low inventory. The area is commuter-oriented, about a moderate drive from Center City Philadelphia, and bus service is available but limited.

No information on the school’s staffing ratios, discipline rates, or chronic absenteeism was available. Data on the share of students receiving special education services or designated as English learners was also not reported. Because Lilley serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate, and state testing is limited to the grades that are assessed. The school’s status regarding Title I funding was not specified.

For a family, Lilley offers a diverse elementary setting in a quiet suburban environment where homes are on sizable lots. The proficiency picture is mixed, with math performance declining through the grades, English language arts results varying by grade, and science results at the lower end. A parent considering the school should ask about how the school supports students in math across the elementary years and how it builds on the stronger fifth grade reading performance. The surrounding area is growing and commuter-friendly, with no recent major developments or changes in the district reported that would affect a family’s decision.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 341%

School 41% · District 46% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▼ 5 pts below county median

Grade 432%

School 32% · District 38% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 13 pts below state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

Grade 522%

School 22% · District 35% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 17 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 330%

School 30% · District 35% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

Grade 432%

School 32% · District 41% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 23 pts below state median · ▼ 18 pts below county median

Grade 540%

School 40% · District 44% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 14 pts below state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

Science

Grade 512%

School 12% · District 17% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▼ 16 pts below state median · ▼ 17 pts below county median

This schoolGloucester Township Public Schools, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income23%Higher-income35%12 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income14%Higher-income47%33 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income29%Higher-income51%23 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income19%Higher-income55%36 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income14%Higher-income47%33 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income10%Higher-income35%25 pp gap