The top reported proficiency rate is 69% in English language arts. The lowest is 44% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on William Mason School
William Mason School is one of five elementary schools in the Montville Township School District, serving students in kindergarten through fifth grade. As a regular public school for the primary grades, it does not have a graduation rate, and the data does not include information on chronic absenteeism. The school sits in Montville Township, a primarily residential suburban community in Morris County that is made up of three distinct sections: Montville, Pine Brook, and Towaco. The area has been recognized repeatedly for its desirability as a place to live and has a population that has grown steadily over recent decades. The township is car-dependent, with a layout of winding roads and separated campuses rather than a single walkable downtown; the school district’s seven buildings are spread across the community.
The student body at William Mason School is small for an elementary school. The racial and ethnic composition is predominantly white, with a substantial Asian student population, a smaller Hispanic cohort, and very low numbers of Black and multiracial students, as well as a negligible number of Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students. A very small share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is a marker of economic advantage relative to many other schools. Data on the share of students with Individualized Education Programs and those classified as English learners were not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the extent of special education and language support services.
State testing results from the New Jersey Student Learning Assessments cover grades three through five for English language arts and math, and grade five for science. In English language arts, proficiency rates are solid, with a majority of students meeting or exceeding expectations at every tested grade level. Math results show a wider range. Proficiency in third-grade math is strong, with a large majority of students scoring proficient. By fourth grade, the share drops to a smaller majority, and in fifth grade, just over half of students meet the bar. In fifth-grade science, proficiency is lower, with a sizable portion of students not reaching the state’s standard. A parent may want to look into the math and science results further, particularly to see how the school supports students as content demands ramp up through the elementary years. Against the backdrop of all districts in Morris County, the school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades sits above the midpoint, meaning it performs better than a typical district in the county but is not at the very top.
Program offerings, course access data, and staffing ratios were not provided in the available information, so there is little to say about what enrichment, intervention, or elective options exist within the building. The district brief turned up no recent major changes such as referendums or curriculum overhauls that would alter the school’s trajectory, but that also means the academic context has been stable in recent years.
For a family considering this school, the picture is one of a small, economically comfortable elementary school in a highly sought-after suburban township, with academic performance that is above the local average but shows some unevenness by subject and grade level. The strong English language arts results are a clear asset. The math and science numbers are areas where a parent should probably ask about curriculum, targeted supports, and how the school addresses students who are not yet proficient. The absence of detailed information on special populations and programming means a visit or conversation with the school would be useful to fill in those gaps.
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