Forest Street Community Elementary School, Orange NJ

Original Research by School Decision on Forest Street Community Elementary School

Forest Street Community Elementary School is a regular public school in Orange, New Jersey, serving students from pre-kindergarten through seventh grade. It is part of the Orange Board of Education School District in Essex County. The school sits in a densely populated urban township, one of the municipalities collectively known as the Oranges. The township has seen population growth in recent years and includes portions designated as an Urban Enterprise Zone, meant to encourage commercial activity. NJ Transit bus and rail service run through the area.

State testing results from the New Jersey Student Learning Assessment are available for math, English language arts, and science across several grade levels. Overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades falls below the midpoint when compared with districts in Essex County. In math, proficiency rates varied by grade, with some grades showing a moderate share of students meeting standards and others showing a smaller share. ELA results were generally stronger, with a majority of students reaching proficiency in several grades. Science performance at grade five was notably low. A parent may want to discuss with the school how academic support and curriculum are tailored to address these patterns.

The student body is predominantly Hispanic and Black, with a very small number of students from other racial backgrounds. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the school serves a high-needs population. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the provided information. Enrollment spans pre-K through seventh grade, with class sizes that vary by grade level.

The Orange Board of Education district has undergone a significant governance change in recent years. Voters approved a shift from a mayor-appointed board to an elected board, with the first elected board taking office shortly after. Board elections are now held as part of the November general election, giving residents direct control over school policy and fiscal decisions. The district is also designated as an SDA district, meaning the state of New Jersey covers all costs for school building and renovation projects through the Schools Development Authority. This arrangement has a lasting impact on facilities available to students and families. For high school, the district includes a specialized STEM academy that serves grades nine through twelve, offering a focused pathway for families seeking that option.

Housing in the area reflects a moderately priced market relative to the state. The county housing market shows a steady number of active listings and homes that spend a modest amount of time on the market. Rents in the zip code are at a level that may be a consideration for families evaluating their budgets.

Forest Street Community Elementary is a high-poverty urban school with academic results that vary by subject and grade. It serves a predominantly Hispanic and Black student population and operates within a district that has recently given residents more direct say in governance and benefits from state-funded facilities support. This is a neighborhood school in a densely built, transit-connected city. Families considering it will want to learn more about how the school addresses academic gaps in math and science and what supports are in place for students from low-income backgrounds.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 317%

School 17% · District 21% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 33 pts below state median · ▼ 21 pts below county median

Grade 437%

School 37% · District 27% · ▲ 10 pts above district

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

Grade 520%

School 20% · District 20%

▼ 23 pts below state median · ▼ 11 pts below county median

Grade 616%

School 16% · District 23% · ▼ 7 pts below district

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

Grade 741%

School 41% · District 28% · ▲ 12 pts above district

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▲ 18 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 326%

School 26% · District 27% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Grade 457%

School 57% · District 37% · ▲ 20 pts above district

▲ 1 pts above state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Grade 549%

School 49% · District 35% · ▲ 14 pts above district

▼ 5 pts below state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

Grade 651%

School 51% · District 45% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

Grade 763%

School 63% · District 49% · ▲ 14 pts above district

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

Science

Grade 58%

School 8% · District 11% · ▼ 2 pts below district

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

This schoolORANGE BOARD OF EDUCATION 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 4Lower-income55%Higher-income62%7 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income47%Higher-income62%14 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 4Lower-income33%Higher-income46%13 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income16%Higher-income15%1 pp gap