The top reported proficiency rate is 46% in Math. The lowest is 38% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Lopatcong Elementary School
Lopatcong Elementary School is a regular public school serving prekindergarten through fourth grade in Lopatcong Township, Warren County. It is the sole elementary school in the Lopatcong Township School District. Because it serves only early and primary grades, the school has no graduation rate to report, and the academic picture comes entirely from New Jersey Student Learning Assessments in third and fourth grade.
The school enrolls a student body that is racially and economically varied. White students make up about half the population, with Black students representing a substantial share, and Asian, Hispanic, and multiracial students together making up the rest. About one in five students qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, a rate that is below what many neighboring districts report. Data on students with Individualized Education Programs and English learners was not available in the records used here, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the depth of its special education and language support services.
On state assessments, Lopatcong Elementary’s performance falls into a mixed picture. In math, third graders reached a proficiency rate that was above the midpoint when compared to other schools in Warren County, while fourth-grade math proficiency landed somewhat below that same midpoint. In English language arts, both third and fourth graders showed proficiency rates that were below the county midpoint. The school’s overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grades placed it below the midpoint among Warren County districts. This means that while some grade-level outcomes are competitive within the county, others lag behind, and a parent may want to discuss with the school how it supports students who are not yet meeting the state’s proficient benchmark.
The surrounding community of Phillipsburg is a small historic town on the Delaware River with a mixed residential, commercial, and light industrial character. The town has an Urban Enterprise Zone aimed at encouraging commerce. Its population has grown modestly in recent years after an earlier decline, and the town describes a growing base of small and mid-size businesses alongside tourism and recreation. Housing values in the area are moderate compared to New Jersey as a whole. The school itself sits on Route 57, outside the densest part of Phillipsburg’s downtown.
For families considering the district, several recent developments are relevant. The district expanded its preschool program beginning in 2023, using state Preschool Expansion Aid and the Tools of the Mind curriculum, adding seats for three- and four-year-old residents. The 2024-25 budget increased spending and added a school psychologist, expanding mental health support while maintaining existing programs. The district has also aligned all core subject curricula to the state’s 2023 learning standards, with a science curriculum that emphasizes hands-on investigation and real-world phenomena.
Lopatcong Elementary is a mid-sized primary school that draws from a township with modest growth and a district that has invested in early childhood and curriculum alignment. Its academic profile is uneven against county peers, with math in third grade a relative strength and English language arts a softer spot. For a family looking at this school, the key questions revolve around how the school addresses literacy and math development in the early grades and what supports are available for students who need additional help to reach proficiency.
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