The top reported proficiency rate is 50% in English language arts. The lowest is 36% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Washington Elementary School
Washington Elementary School serves the youngest students in Little Ferry, a compact suburban borough in Bergen County, offering pre-kindergarten through fourth grade. The school is a regular public school and is not a charter or magnet institution. It is one of two district buildings, sitting directly across the street from Memorial Middle School, which serves grades five through eight. Because the school does not serve high school grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and because the state testing program begins in third grade, results are available only for the two tested grade levels.
The student body is diverse. More than half of the students are Hispanic, representing the largest single demographic group. White students make up roughly a quarter of the enrollment, Asian students a substantial share, and Black students a smaller but present portion. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is a common measure of economic need. Data on special education identification and English learner status were not available in the information provided.
On state assessments in math, roughly two out of five third graders scored at the proficient or advanced level, placing proficiency below the midpoint among the county's districts. In fourth grade math, the proficiency rate was lower, at about three out of ten. In English language arts, the pattern was reversed: about two out of five third graders were proficient, and fourth graders posted a stronger result, with just over half of students scoring at the proficient level or above. The overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grades falls within the bottom quartile relative to other districts in Bergen County. A parent may want to discuss the school’s academic supports and how it tracks student progress across these early grades.
The housing market in Little Ferry reflects the broader Bergen County context, where home values and rents are high relative to national averages. The borough is small in area and population, with a mix of single-family homes and some multi-unit dwellings. The community is described as tight-knit and suburban, with a modest commercial presence along corridors like Bergen Turnpike and Route 4 rather than a dense downtown. The school buildings sit within residential neighborhoods, integrated into the fabric of the borough. Students in ninth through twelfth grades attend Ridgefield Park High School in the neighboring town under a long-standing sending-receiving relationship, so families considering Washington Elementary should also look at that high school path early.
Little Ferry is growing very slowly, and the search for recent district-level changes — such as program expansions, leadership shifts, or new facilities investments — turned up little of note. The district brief found no substantial parent-relevant developments to report. The borough’s parks, creek-side trails, and a bird sanctuary are nearby, and NJ Transit bus routes provide connections to Manhattan. The commute profile is typical for suburban Bergen County. For a family weighing this school, the key factors are the early-grade-only structure, the academic profile that leans below the county median on proficiency, the diversity of the student population, and the eventual transition to Ridgefield Park for high school. The school itself is a straightforward neighborhood elementary building; the peer environment is mixed academically, and the housing context is expensive and competitive in the broader regional market.
See more original research from School Decision →