The top reported proficiency rate is 50% in English language arts. The lowest is 30% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Highlands Elementary School
Highlands Elementary School serves students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade in the small waterfront borough of Highlands, New Jersey, which sits on Raritan Bay in northern Monmouth County. The school is a regular public elementary school; until July 2024 it was part of the Highlands Borough School District, but a voter-approved consolidation has now folded that district into a single PK-12 regional district under the Henry Hudson Regional School District. For families, that means the educational path after sixth grade is now within a unified regional system rather than a separate middle-high school arrangement, a structural shift that took effect for the 2024-25 school year.
Highlands itself is a dense, walkable community of modest size with a strong maritime history and a mix of residential and commercial activity. Its downtown and waterfront corridor support pedestrian life, with restaurants, marinas, and ferry service to Manhattan anchoring local commerce. The town has experienced population decline over recent decades, and the region was severely affected by Hurricane Sandy, which remains a reference point for long-term resilience planning. Housing values in the area are high, reflecting coastal location and proximity to New York City, and the borough functions largely as a commuter suburb.
The school’s enrollment is small for its grade band, and the student body is predominantly white, with a notable Hispanic minority and smaller shares of students who are Black or identify as two or more races. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, though data on students with disabilities or English learners was not available in the source material, so a parent who needs that information should follow up with the school directly.
On state assessments, the school’s performance sits below the midpoint among Monmouth County districts when measured as an overall proficiency index. Results vary by subject and grade level. In English language arts, proficiency rates are stronger in the earlier tested grades, with around half or more of students scoring at proficient levels in grades three through five, but that figure drops notably in grade six. In mathematics, proficiency rates are lower across the board, with roughly a quarter to two-fifths of students meeting the bar depending on grade, and the sixth-grade math results are the weakest. Science proficiency at grade five is similarly low. A parent evaluating academic fit may want to ask the school about its approach to math instruction and how it supports students through the transition to middle school, as the dip in both math and ELA by sixth grade is notable.
The school serves only through grade six, so there is no graduation rate to report here. The academic pathway after sixth grade continues at Henry Hudson Regional High School, which now also encompasses grades seven through twelve under the consolidated district. That merger is recent, and its effects on curriculum, staffing, and programming are still unfolding. The consolidation was approved by voters in September 2023 and took effect in July 2024, meaning the 2024-25 school year is the first operating under the new governance.
Overall, Highlands Elementary offers a small, neighborhood-scale setting in a tight-knit coastal town. Its academic results are mixed, with ELA performance stronger in primary grades and math presenting a persistent challenge. The recent district consolidation reshapes the entire K-12 pathway for families, and those considering the school should understand that the elementary experience now feeds into a newly unified regional structure rather than a separate intermediate district. The community itself is dense, walkable, and historically rooted but has faced population and environmental pressures that continue to shape its character.
See more original research from School Decision →