The top reported proficiency rate is 71% in English language arts. The lowest is 49% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Edgemont Elementary School
Edgemont Elementary School serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Montclair, a township that functions as a residential commuter suburb of New York City with its own commercial and cultural life. The school is one of seven elementary schools in the Montclair Public School District, and it sits in a community where the built environment includes Victorian homes, walkable commercial nodes, and six NJ Transit train stations that connect residents to the city. The township has been described as a diverse bedroom community with a creative energy, and its population has seen modest growth in recent years.
Edgemont is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and it serves a student body that is predominantly white, with a substantial Hispanic minority and smaller shares of Black, Asian, and multiracial students. The share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch is modest, which places the school in a different economic context than many of its peers in Essex County. The school does not serve grades that take high school exit exams, so there is no graduation rate to report, and the school's grade band means that measures like chronic absenteeism and college readiness do not apply here.
On state assessments, Edgemont's students perform at a level that places the school in the top quartile among elementary schools in Essex County when looking at overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades. In English language arts, the share of students scoring proficient or above is solid across third, fourth, and fifth grades, with the strongest results in fifth grade. Math proficiency is also solid, with third and fifth graders posting stronger results than fourth graders. Science results for fifth graders, the only grade tested in that subject, are lower than the school's math and ELA numbers, and a parent may want to ask the school about science instruction and how it aligns with the state assessment.
The school's enrollment is moderate for an elementary school serving kindergarten through fifth grade. The student body is majority white, with a substantial Hispanic population and smaller shares of Black, Asian, and multiracial students. The share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch is modest, which distinguishes Edgemont from many other schools in Essex County. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the source material, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those programs and supports.
Montclair itself is a township with a strong sense of place. It is often described as a cultural and commercial hub within North Jersey, with a walkable layout that includes multiple commercial nodes rather than a single downtown. Six NJ Transit train stations serve the township, making it a practical choice for commuters to New York City. The housing market reflects that desirability: home values in the area are well above the national median, and rents are high. The township has a mix of Victorian homes, parks, and cultural institutions like the Montclair Art Museum. Montclair State University and Mountainside Medical Center are major local employers.
The district brief did not surface any recent changes to curriculum, boundaries, or facilities that would be of immediate note to a parent. The district operates seven elementary schools, three middle schools, and one high school, and Edgemont is one of those elementary schools. For a family considering Montclair, the school's academic performance is a clear strength relative to other elementary schools in Essex County, and the community context offers a walkable, transit-connected suburban environment with cultural amenities. The modest share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch and the high housing costs in the area mean that the school serves a relatively affluent population, which is consistent with the broader Montclair housing market. A family looking at Edgemont should feel confident in its academic results while also recognizing that the school's demographic and economic profile is not representative of the county as a whole.
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