Mario Drago School No. 3, Passaic NJ

Original Research by School Decision on Mario Drago School No. 3

Mario Drago School No. 3 is a regular public school serving students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade in Passaic, New Jersey. It is part of the Passaic City School District, the only district in the city. The school’s enrollment is sizable for its grade band, and the student body is overwhelmingly Hispanic, with a very large share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the high-poverty character of the surrounding community.

State test results from the New Jersey Student Learning Assessment show that academic performance across tested grades and subjects is weak. In math, the proportion of students reaching proficiency standards is low at every grade level, with particularly small shares in the middle grades. English language arts results are somewhat higher but still well below a majority in every grade. In science, the share of students meeting proficiency is low, especially at the eighth-grade level where it is very small. Overall, the school’s combined proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile relative to districts in Passaic County, meaning its test outcomes are among the lowest in the county.

The school serves only through eighth grade, so there is no graduation rate to report. Data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, staffing, and course access were not available; a parent may want to ask the school directly about these areas.

Passaic, where the school is located, is a densely built, compact city with a history rooted in Dutch settlement and 19th-century textile and metalworking industry. Its commercial spine runs along Main Avenue, and the city is home to a growing Orthodox Jewish community that operates numerous yeshivas and kosher establishments, adding a distinct cultural layer. The city is also part of an Urban Enterprise Zone, which offers a reduced sales tax rate to encourage local commerce. A major redevelopment effort has been underway to convert a former industrial site into a retail mall. Passaic’s population has grown over recent decades, though it dipped slightly in a recent estimate.

Housing in the area reflects the urban and diverse character. Typical home values are moderately above the national figure but slightly below the state average. Rents have been rising, and the overall affordability picture shows that mortgage costs relative to income are elevated, with rents also taking a significant share of income. The housing market in the county has seen a notable increase in active listings, and homes tend to sell quickly.

Mario Drago School No. 3 sits within this dense urban fabric, and its students come from a deeply diverse and economically challenged community. Academic outcomes are a clear area of concern, and the school’s overall performance places it well below the typical benchmark among its county peers. For a parent considering this school, the test results are a significant factor to weigh. The school’s location in a walkable, transit-connected city with strong community institutions and ongoing redevelopment may appeal to families who value an urban setting.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 335%

School 35% · District 19% · ▲ 16 pts above district

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 5 pts below county median

Grade 424%

School 24% · District 23% · ▲ 1 pts above district

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

Grade 519%

School 19% · District 21% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 24 pts below state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

Grade 65%

School 5% · District 18% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▼ 29 pts below state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

Grade 78%

School 8% · District 15% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▼ 27 pts below state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 324%

School 24% · District 22% · ▲ 2 pts above district

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

Grade 424%

School 24% · District 25% · ▼ 1 pts below district

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

Grade 531%

School 31% · District 30% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▼ 23 pts below state median · ▼ 6 pts below county median

Grade 634%

School 34% · District 37% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

Grade 720%

School 20% · District 39% · ▼ 19 pts below district

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

Grade 825%

School 25% · District 41% · ▼ 17 pts below district

▼ 33 pts below state median · ▼ 24 pts below county median

Science

Grade 520%

School 20% · District 14% · ▲ 6 pts above district

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

Grade 84%

School 4% · District 6% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

This schoolPassaic City 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.