Robinson Elementary School, Hamilton NJ

Original Research by School Decision on Robinson Elementary School

Robinson Elementary School is a regular public school in Hamilton Township, part of the Hamilton Township Public School District, serving students from kindergarten through fifth grade. It is one of many elementary schools within a large suburban district that operates two dozen school buildings. The setting is auto-dependent and dispersed; Hamilton is a populous suburb of Trenton made up of multiple unincorporated communities rather than a single downtown. Major highways cross the township, and the district as a whole has been pursuing a significant bond referendum for security upgrades, HVAC work, and other capital projects across all its schools, an effort that would affect conditions district-wide if approved.

The student body at Robinson is diverse. Enrollment falls in a moderate range for an elementary school. The largest single demographic group is white students, followed by Hispanic students, with smaller shares of Black students, students of two or more races, and Asian students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, placing the school in a context where economic need is present but not universal. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those populations and the supports in place for them.

On state assessments, Robinson's results vary noticeably by subject and by grade level. In English language arts, the school shows a pattern that is above the midpoint in overall proficiency relative to other districts in Mercer County. Within the school, reading proficiency was strongest at third grade and declined slightly but remained in an above-average range at fourth and fifth grades. In math, the picture is more uneven. Third-grade math proficiency was also in a solid range, but fourth-grade and fifth-grade math proficiency dropped off sharply. This is a pattern a parent may want to investigate further with the school, particularly to understand whether the drop reflects curriculum changes, cohort effects, or gaps in instruction as students progress. Science testing occurs only at fifth grade, and the proficiency rate there was lower than both the reading and the third-grade math results.

Because Robinson serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and chronic absenteeism data was not available. The absence of either metric is typical for an elementary school, not a signal of concern.

The housing market in the school's zip code has experienced a slight softening, with home values dipping recently compared to a year ago, though the absolute level remains at a point that is somewhat below the statewide average. Rents are a heavy share of income at current market rates, which could be a factor for families weighing the area. These economic conditions sit within a broader national context of steady but moderate mortgage rates and stable unemployment.

Overall, Robinson presents a mixed academic profile. Its English language arts results are a clear strength and place the school in a competitive position within the county. Math performance at the fourth- and fifth-grade levels is a soft spot that warrants a closer look, especially for a family whose child struggles in that subject. The school's diversity and its location within a large district that is actively planning facility investments are straightforward characteristics. There are no program offerings or special designations in the data, and no discipline or staffing data was available, leaving a parent with a partial picture. For a family in Hamilton Township, Robinson is a solid option for reading instruction in the early and upper elementary years, with a math question mark to resolve.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 348%

School 48% · District 36% · ▲ 13 pts above district

▼ 2 pts below state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Grade 422%

School 22% · District 29% · ▼ 7 pts below district

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

Grade 524%

School 24% · District 30% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 11 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 357%

School 57% · District 35% · ▲ 22 pts above district

▲ 12 pts above state median · ▲ 19 pts above county median

Grade 455%

School 55% · District 43% · ▲ 12 pts above district

▼ 1 pts below state median · even with county median

Grade 550%

School 50% · District 42% · ▲ 8 pts above district

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Science

Grade 517%

School 17% · District 18% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 10 pts below state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

This schoolHamilton Township Public School District, 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-income53%Higher-income59%6 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income33%Higher-income68%34 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income46%Higher-income52%6 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income47%Higher-income49%2 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income10%Higher-income29%20 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income9%Higher-income30%21 pp gap