The top reported proficiency rate is 79% in English language arts. The lowest is 62% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Riker Hill Elementary School
Riker Hill Elementary School serves students in kindergarten through fifth grade in Livingston, a predominantly residential suburban township in Essex County. The school is one of six elementary schools in the Livingston Board of Education School District, a system that district leaders have positioned for growth. In late 2024, 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 complete for the 2026-27 school year. The district also adopted a budget that includes a tax levy increase, reflecting the community’s investment in its schools.
Riker Hill’s student body is diverse. A significant share of students are of Asian background, and a large portion identify as White. Black, Hispanic, and multiracial students each make up a smaller share of the enrollment. A very small number of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which aligns with Livingston’s character as one of New Jersey’s highest-income communities. The township’s population is notably diverse, with a substantial Asian community and a sizable Jewish population. The built environment is largely single-family homes on tree-lined streets, and the school sits within a residential neighborhood, as is typical for the district’s elementary campuses.
Academically, Riker Hill performs at a high level. On the state’s NJSLA assessments in the most recent testing year, students in third, fourth, and fifth grades posted strong proficiency rates in English language arts, with solid majorities scoring at or above the proficient level in each grade. Math results were similarly strong across all three tested grades. Fifth-grade science results showed that a majority of students met the state’s proficiency benchmark. On a composite measure of proficiency across all tested subjects and grades, Riker Hill sits in the top quarter of all schools in Essex County. This is a school where a large majority of students are meeting or exceeding state academic standards in the core subjects.
Because the school serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report. The school has a substantial enrollment for an elementary building, with classes that appear well populated across all six grade levels. The district has two middle schools and a comprehensive high school that students feed into after leaving Riker Hill. The school’s designation is a regular public school, and there is no Title I program, consistent with the high-income community it serves.
Livingston is a car-dependent suburb with limited walkability. The township’s major employer is Saint Barnabas Medical Center, a large hospital that anchors the local economy. Most residents commute to work, with a mean travel time that reflects the distance to New York City and other employment centers. The school system is a primary draw for families moving to the area, and the township has seen steady population growth.
For a family considering Riker Hill, the picture is clear. This is an elementary school in an affluent, academically strong district where test scores are well above the county average. The student body is racially and economically diverse for a wealthy suburb, but the economic profile is overwhelmingly advantaged. The school sits in a community that values its schools enough to fund major capital projects, and the elementary grades feed into a middle and high school system that is regularly recognized for its academic depth. A family that values high academic expectations and a resourced school environment will find a strong fit here. A family seeking a more economically diverse or urban setting would need to look elsewhere. The school’s academic data do not show areas of significant weakness, though a parent might want to ask about how the school serves students who are not yet meeting proficiency benchmarks, given that a minority of students in each grade fell short.
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