The top reported proficiency rate is 29% in Math. The lowest is 20% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Number 1
Number 1 is one of the elementary schools in Linden, New Jersey, serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade as a regular public school within the Linden Public School District. It sits on North Wood Avenue in a city that combines heavy industry with dense residential neighborhoods, where a strong Polish-American presence shapes the local culture and where the Phillips 66 Bayway Refinery is a dominant economic force. For a family considering this school, the immediate question is what kind of academic environment and peer group their child would enter.
The student body is diverse. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which places the school in a higher-need category. The racial and ethnic composition reflects the community: the largest group is Hispanic, followed by Black students, then White students, with small numbers of Asian and multiracial students. This mix creates a peer environment that differs from many surrounding districts. The school is one of several elementary schools in a district that has expanded its full-day pre-kindergarten program in recent years, a publicly reported change that adds seats for younger children.
On state assessments, the picture is mixed, and the data points to areas where families may want to explore further. The school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades places it in the bottom quartile among districts in Union County. In math, the share of students meeting New Jersey’s proficiency standard (Levels 4-5 on the NJSLA) is below what many parents would hope to see across grades three, four, and five. English language arts results follow a similar pattern, with the highest proficiency found in grade five and the lowest in grade three. Fifth-grade science results also show a modest share of students reaching the state’s proficiency benchmark. These are the latest available results, and they suggest that academic performance is an area where the school and district may be focusing improvement efforts. A parent considering enrollment would want to ask about the school’s instructional strategies, intervention programs, and how it supports students who are below grade level.
Because Number 1 serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to review. The data does not include information on chronic absenteeism, discipline, or staffing ratios, so those dimensions are not available for this profile. The school’s Title I status was not reported in the data, though the high share of students from low-income households often correlates with federal support.
Housing in Linden’s ZIP code shows home values that are slightly below the state median but above the national median. Rents are relatively high, and the overall affordability picture—comparing estimated monthly mortgage costs to rents—suggests that renting may be somewhat cheaper than buying, though both are substantial. The Linden housing market has seen moderate price appreciation, and the county-wide market shows a limited supply of homes relative to demand, keeping the market competitive. The city itself has seen population growth over the past decade, and the redevelopment of the former General Motors assembly plant site adds a notable development context.
The broader community context matters for families. Linden offers a train station with a one-seat ride to Manhattan, major highway access, and a mix of walkable commercial corridors. The city’s industrial base brings jobs but also environmental considerations; it was publicly reported as the most polluted community in New Jersey by toxic chemical volume in a recent year. This trade-off between convenience and environmental quality is part of the local reality.
For parents weighing Number 1, the strengths lie in the district’s investment in early childhood education and the school’s location within a city that provides transit access and a tight housing market. The academic results, however, are a softer spot. A parent would want to visit, talk to teachers and the principal, and understand what steps are being taken to raise proficiency, especially in reading and math in the early grades. The school serves a critical age range, and the foundation laid in elementary school shapes later outcomes. The data available does not paint a picture of a high-performing school on state tests, but it also does not tell the full story of classroom instruction, enrichment, or the specific support available for English learners or special education students—those details were not provided. Any family interested in this school should seek out that information directly from the school and the district.
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