The top reported proficiency rate is 21% in Math. The lowest is 9% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on R. M. Bacon Elementary School
R. M. Bacon Elementary School sits in Millville, a city in southern New Jersey with a long industrial history rooted in glassmaking. The school serves kindergarten through fifth grade as a regular public elementary school within the Millville School District. The district itself has few publicly reported recent changes of note, so a parent may want to contact the district directly for information about upcoming programming or facility plans.
The school is relatively small for an elementary building, with enrollment spread across kindergarten through fifth grade. The student body is diverse. More than a third of students are Black, roughly three in ten are Hispanic, close to one in five are White, and a smaller share identify as two or more races. A large majority of students come from low-income households; the share who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch is well above what many families would expect in a typical New Jersey elementary school.
State test results from the most recent year show a pattern that families will want to examine closely. In math, proficiency rates declined as students moved up in grade. At third grade roughly three in ten students met the state’s proficiency bar. By fourth grade that share fell, and by fifth grade it had fallen again. In English language arts, the pattern was similar but steeper. Third and fourth grade proficiency rates were in the range of roughly one in six students, and by fifth grade the rate had dropped substantially further. Science results for fifth graders showed a small share of students reaching proficiency. Compared with other districts in Cumberland County, the school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades places it in the bottom quarter of the set, which includes roughly a dozen and a half districts. This is a school where the academic data suggests families should expect to engage closely with teachers and the school administration about how their child is progressing and what supports are available.
Millville itself is a city of moderate size that has seen its downtown revitalized in recent years. The Glasstown Arts District along High Street has brought galleries, studios, shops, and restaurants into what was once a depressed area. Cultural anchors include the Levoy Theatre and Wheaton Arts, which operates in a restored nineteenth-century glass factory. The city’s economy has historically relied on manufacturing, but publicly reported information about specific major employers was not identified in standard sources. Outdoor amenities include Union Lake, the Maurice River, and two wildlife management areas. The Millville Executive Airport serves general aviation and freight. The city’s population has been relatively stable to slightly declining in recent census counts, and its Urban Enterprise Zone status expired recently. Outside the downtown core, much of the city is suburban or rural in character, and car travel is the norm. Route 55 provides highway access.
For a family considering R. M. Bacon Elementary School, the question is how the school’s academic profile fits their expectations. The enrollment is manageable in size, the student body is diverse, and the community has some cultural and recreational assets. The test results, however, are a soft spot that calls for a direct conversation with the school about instructional strategies, intervention programs, and how the school supports students who are behind grade level. The district brief turned up little publicly available news about recent changes or initiatives, so a parent may need to seek that information from the school or district office directly. The housing market in Millville is more affordable than the New Jersey state average, which is one factor a family weighing schools might factor into their decision, but the academic data is the central piece to investigate.
See more original research from School Decision →