The top reported proficiency rate is 75% in English language arts. The lowest is 40% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Lincoln School
Lincoln School serves students from preschool through fifth grade in Pompton Lakes, a compact outer-ring suburb of New York City. The borough sits where three rivers converge, giving it a valley geography that has shaped both its history and its present. Pompton Lakes was once a local shopping destination but lost that role as regional malls opened in the 1970s and 1980s, and it has since settled into a primarily residential character. Population growth has been very slow, constrained by the borough’s small land area and a flood-prone valley floor. Schools in a place this size are integrated into the community rather than isolated, and Lincoln School fits that pattern as a neighborhood elementary building.
The student body is diverse. White students make up just over half of enrollment, Hispanic students account for about three in ten, and smaller shares identify as Asian, Black, multiracial, or Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. About one in five students qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, a rate that positions the school on the lower end of economic need compared to many other Passaic County elementary schools. The school’s overall enrollment is moderate for an elementary building serving these grades.
State testing results from the New Jersey Student Learning Assessments show a pattern that varies by subject and grade. In English language arts, proficiency rates climb notably from third grade through fifth grade, with the fifth-grade cohort reaching a strong share of students scoring at or above the proficient level. In math, the pattern is similar but less steep, with each grade level performing at a solid level and fifth graders again showing the highest rate. Science, which is tested only in fifth grade, shows a markedly lower proficiency rate. The gap between the language arts and math results on one hand and the science result on the other is wide enough that a parent may want to ask the school how science instruction is structured and whether there are particular areas where students are encountering difficulty.
When compared against other districts in Passaic County, Lincoln School’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades sits in the top quartile. That is a strong position relative to the county as a whole, though a parent should keep in mind that this is a single elementary school within a single district, not a district-wide measure. The high proficiency rate in fifth-grade language arts drives much of that standing.
A few important pieces of information are missing from the available data. The school’s rate of chronic absenteeism is not reported, and neither is the share of students with disabilities or English learners, so it is not possible to assess whether specific groups receive targeted support or how equitably the school serves its population. Discipline data is also absent. These gaps may reflect reporting limitations rather than a lack of programming, but a parent interested in those aspects of school climate should raise them directly with the school. No high school is present in this building, so there is no graduation rate or advanced coursework data to consider; those apply to the district’s upper schools, not to Lincoln.
The broader Pompton Lakes school district appears stable. A search for recent district changes such as budget votes, boundary adjustments, or program overhauls turned up little of lasting impact, which suggests a period of continuity rather than upheaval.
For a family considering Pompton Lakes, the housing market reflects the borough’s suburban character and location. Home values in the area are high relative to national benchmarks, and the county housing market shows active demand with homes spending a relatively short time on the market. The borough’s slow population growth and constrained geography mean that new housing stock is limited, so families moving into the area are most likely buying or renting in an established neighborhood. The commute to New York City is a realistic one for many residents, which is typical of this corner of Passaic County.
Lincoln School offers a solid academic foundation with the strongest results appearing in upper elementary language arts. The school’s size and community setting give it a familiar, neighborhood feel. The softest spot in the academic picture is the science result, and the absence of data on student subgroups and discipline limits a full evaluation of how the school serves all its students. A parent would do well to visit, ask about science instruction and support structures, and compare experiences with other local families before forming a final judgment.
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