Collins Elementary School, Livingston NJ

Original Research by School Decision on Collins Elementary School

Collins Elementary School is one of six elementary schools in the Livingston Township school district, serving kindergarten through fifth grade. It is a regular public school situated in a predominantly residential suburb of Essex County. The school enrolls a mid-sized student body for its grade band, with class cohorts that are fairly consistent in size from year to year.

The student population is characterized by considerable racial and ethnic diversity. A very substantial share of students are White, and a similarly large share are Asian, with smaller representations of students who are Hispanic, Black, and of two or more races. Economic diversity is limited; a very small share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a figure that is low even by national standards and typical of a high-income community. Data on the share of students with disabilities or English learner status was not provided.

Academically, Collins performs at a high level on state assessments. In both English language arts and mathematics, proficiency rates across grades three, four, and five are strong. English language arts results are particularly robust, with proficiency rates rising slightly in each successive grade. Math proficiency is also solid, with the strongest showing in third grade. Fifth-grade science results, while still a majority proficient, are a softer spot relative to the school’s own reading and math outcomes; a parent may want to look into this further with the school. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school’s overall proficiency index places Collins well above the midpoint, in the top quartile among districts in Essex County.

Because Collins serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and chronic absenteeism data was not available. The school’s student-to-staff ratios and course access details were also not provided in the available data.

Collins sits within the Livingston school district, which has recently undergone a change that directly affects families with young children. Voters approved a referendum to build additional classrooms at multiple elementary schools to expand full-day kindergarten for all students, with construction expected to be completed for the 2026-27 school year. This is a lasting change that significantly affects families considering the district. Separately, the district adopted a budget for the 2025-26 school year that includes a tax levy increase and draws on fund balance, with a modest state aid increase.

Livingston is a high-income suburban township with a largely single-family-home housing stock. Median home values are high, reflecting strong demand. The housing market data shows a mix of activity, with active and pending listings in the mid-hundreds in the broader county. Rental costs are also well above national averages. The township has a substantial Asian population and a reported higher share of residents identifying as Jewish compared to many other municipalities. The town is car-dependent, with walkability limited to a small Town Center area; major highways are nearby, and NJ Transit bus service connects to New York City. Saint Barnabas Medical Center is a major employer. The schools are distributed on separate residential campuses rather than in a downtown.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 381%

School 81% · District 82% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▲ 31 pts above state median · ▲ 42 pts above county median

Grade 472%

School 72% · District 82% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▲ 27 pts above state median · ▲ 34 pts above county median

Grade 575%

School 75% · District 80% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▲ 32 pts above state median · ▲ 44 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 383%

School 83% · District 81% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▲ 38 pts above state median · ▲ 42 pts above county median

Grade 484%

School 84% · District 85% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▲ 28 pts above state median · ▲ 31 pts above county median

Grade 586%

School 86% · District 85% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 32 pts above state median · ▲ 38 pts above county median

Science

Grade 562%

School 62% · District 65% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▲ 35 pts above state median · ▲ 45 pts above county median

This schoolLivingston Board of Education 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.