Ironbound Academy Elementary School, Newark NJ

Original Research by School Decision on Ironbound Academy Elementary School

Ironbound Academy Elementary School is a regular public school in the Newark Public School District, serving kindergarten through fifth grade. Located on East Kinney Street, it sits within the Ironbound section of Newark, a dense, mixed-use ward of the city known for its strong residential character and proximity to the city's industrial and port infrastructure. The school's grade band is elementary, so there is no graduation rate to report. Enrollment is small for its grade span.

The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a much smaller share of White students and a very small share of Black students; Asian students and students of two or more races each make up a negligible share of the population. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker that places the school in a high-poverty context. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about its special education and English language support programs.

State testing results on the NJSLA assessments show that across grades three through six, the share of students reaching proficiency (Levels 4 and 5) in both English language arts and math is low compared to statewide averages. In English language arts, proficiency rates range from roughly a fifth of students in third grade to just under three-tenths in fourth grade. In math, the pattern is similar, with the highest proficiency rate appearing in fifth grade, where more than a third of students scored proficient, and the lowest in third and sixth grades. In fifth-grade science, fewer than one in six students scored at the proficient level, using the state's science proficiency criteria of Levels 3 and 4. When compared to all other districts in Essex County on a combined proficiency index for this school, Ironbound Academy falls in the bottom quartile. This is a significant soft spot, and a parent considering this school will want to understand what academic support and intervention programs are in place.

The school offers no data on chronic absenteeism. Discipline data, course access, and staffing information were also not available in the data provided.

The Ironbound area is a walkable, transit-connected neighborhood within a city that is the state's largest employment center. Newark has seen significant revitalization and population growth in recent decades, including a high-performing district designation from the state in 2026 that signals a broader improvement in the district's academic and operational standing. Newark Public Schools has also been launching career-themed high schools and new Career and Technical Education pathways, which may be relevant for a family looking ahead to middle and high school options, but as an elementary school Ironbound Academy itself is not directly part of those new programs.

For a family, this is a small elementary school in a dense urban neighborhood serving a predominantly Hispanic and low-income student population. The academic attainment numbers are well below state averages, and the school's position relative to others in Essex County is in the lowest tier. A parent should inquire directly about the school's approach to instruction, intervention, and student support to gauge whether the fit matches a child's needs.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 316%

School 16% · District 28% · ▼ 12 pts below district

▼ 34 pts below state median · ▼ 23 pts below county median

Grade 429%

School 29% · District 23% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

Grade 538%

School 38% · District 22% · ▲ 16 pts above district

▼ 5 pts below state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

Grade 617%

School 17% · District 18% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 319%

School 19% · District 28% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 26 pts below state median · ▼ 22 pts below county median

Grade 430%

School 30% · District 30% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 26 pts below state median · ▼ 23 pts below county median

Grade 526%

School 26% · District 31% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 28 pts below state median · ▼ 22 pts below county median

Grade 623%

School 23% · District 36% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▼ 31 pts below state median · ▼ 27 pts below county median

Science

Grade 515%

School 15% · District 10% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▼ 13 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

This schoolNewark Public School District, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 5Lower-income27%Higher-income21%6 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income9%Higher-income46%37 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 5Lower-income38%Higher-income36%2 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income13%Higher-income23%10 pp gap