The top reported proficiency rate is 51% in English language arts. The lowest is 44% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Fanny Meyer Hillers
Fanny Meyer Hillers is a regular public elementary school in Hackensack, New Jersey, serving children from prekindergarten through fourth grade. As a primary school, it does not serve middle or high school grades, so metrics such as a graduation rate or high school course access do not apply here. The school is part of the Hackensack School District and sits within Bergen County, a densely populated suburban county with strong ties to New York City.
The student body is diverse. A large majority of students identify as Hispanic, with smaller shares of Black, Asian, and White students, plus a small number of students who identify as two or more races. More than half of the students come from households that qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that a substantial share of families have lower incomes. The school is a regular neighborhood school, not a charter or magnet, and its Title I status was not reported.
State testing data from the New Jersey Student Learning Assessment for the most recent school year show how students in third and fourth grade performed in math and English language arts. In third grade math, about half of students scored at or above proficiency. In fourth grade math, that figure was a bit lower. English language arts results were mixed: third graders had a proficiency rate below half, while fourth graders had a rate above half. Taken together, the school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades places it in the bottom quarter of elementary schools in Bergen County, when compared with other district schools in the county. This means that by the measure of state test performance, most other county elementary schools see higher proficiency rates. For a family, this suggests that while some grade-subject combinations are stronger, the school’s academic results are generally below the county median, and a parent may want to ask about specific instructional interventions or support programs for reading and math, especially in the early grades where foundational skills are built.
The school is housed in Hackensack, a dense, diverse small city that serves as the Bergen County seat. Hackensack mixes single-family neighborhoods, garden apartments, a residential high-rise corridor, industrial areas, a downtown district with shops and restaurants, the Bergen County Court House, and the Hackensack University Medical Center campus. The city has a walkable downtown, two NJ Transit train stations with frequent service to New York City, and a bus transfer station. The housing market in the area is active, with home values and rents rising modestly compared to a year ago. The cost of buying a home in the ZIP code area is above the national benchmark but below the state average, while rents are high relative to incomes. This combination of urban density, transit access, and a health care–centered economy means that many families live in apartments, older single-family homes, or condos within walking distance or a short drive of the school.
No recent district-level changes were publicly reported that would affect parents’ experience at this school, such as boundary adjustments or new program launches. Families should expect a standard elementary curriculum in a setting that reflects the city’s diversity and economic mix. For a parent weighing options, Fanny Meyer Hillers offers early elementary education in a community that is walkable, transit-connected, and rapidly growing, but with test results that fall below many neighboring districts. The school may be a good fit for families who value a neighborhood school with a diverse student body and are comfortable engaging with the school to understand how it supports students who are still building core academic skills.
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