The top reported proficiency rate is 12% in Math. The lowest is 5% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Ellen Ochoa School Number 22
Ellen Ochoa School Number 22 is a regular public school in Passaic, New Jersey, serving grades four through six. It is part of the Passaic City School District. The school occupies a space on Dayton Avenue in this densely packed, mixed-use urban city, which sits roughly a short trip from New York City and has a deep industrial and commercial history.
The student body is nearly uniformly Hispanic, with a vastly predominant share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The school’s enrollment is moderate for an upper-elementary and middle-grade school. The overwhelming share of families here are navigating economic challenges, and the peer environment is one of considerable demographic consistency.
State assessment data places the school’s academic performance in a challenging position. In the most recent testing year, the share of students scoring proficient across math, English language arts, and science was low. In fourth-grade English, for instance, roughly one in about a dozen students reached the proficient bar. Fifth-grade math and sixth-grade math each showed about one in roughly eight students proficient. Science results for fifth-graders were particularly thin. When compared to other districts in Passaic County, Ellen Ochoa School Number 22 fell in the lowest tier. A parent should know that these proficiency numbers are a clear signal that the school is serving a population with significant academic needs.
Because the school serves only grades four through six, it does not have a graduation rate to report. Other data points that are often available for schools, such as chronic absenteeism rates, staffing ratios, and detailed course access information, were not present in the records reviewed. This is common for schools of this type and grade band, but a family may want to ask the school directly about class sizes, teacher stability, and the range of supports available for students working below grade level.
The neighborhood context is urban and dense. Passaic itself is a city of intense density built on a tight street grid. The historic commercial corridor has been Main Avenue, and the city hosts an Urban Enterprise Zone that lowers the sales tax at participating merchants to encourage local business. A growing Orthodox Jewish community has established a network of yeshivas and kosher establishments, adding a distinct cultural layer to parts of the city. Housing in the area is expensive relative to national norms, with home values and rents reflecting the broader Passaic County market, which has seen active listing counts rise. Housing affordability relative to income is tight, and the typical monthly rent overshoots the cost of a mortgage for those who can manage a down payment.
The district itself, Passaic City School District, covers the city’s public schools from elementary through high school. No information about recent district-level referenda or major strategic changes was available in the research consulted, so that context is omitted rather than guessed.
For a family considering this school, the picture is straightforward. Ellen Ochoa School Number 22 serves a high-poverty, predominantly Hispanic student population in a dense urban setting and posts state test results that are low by county norms. A parent exploring this school should expect to talk with the school about its intervention programs, how it supports English learners and students performing below grade level, and what enrichment or elective offerings exist for middle-grade students during these pivotal years. The school likely plays a central community role in its neighborhood, but the academic data indicates a steep climb that would benefit from attentive support both in school and at home.
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