The top reported proficiency rate is 68% in English language arts. The lowest is 41% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Shongum School
Shongum School serves students from kindergarten through fifth grade as one of four elementary schools in the Randolph Township School District, a regular public school set in a residential section of the township that shares its name. For a family evaluating elementary options in this part of Morris County, the school presents a clear academic picture, a distinctively affluent peer environment, and a community context that is suburban and car-dependent.
On state assessments, Shongum performs well relative to other districts in Morris County. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school’s overall proficiency index sits above the midpoint of the county’s districts. But individual grade-level results vary. In math, third graders showed a strong proficiency rate, while fourth and fifth graders were progressively lower. In English language arts, fifth graders posted the strongest results of any grade at the school, outpacing both third and fourth grade. Science results for fifth graders, tested once in elementary school, were lower than the ELA and math scores. A parent may want to ask the school about the dip in math proficiency between third and fifth grade and about science instruction, though the overall pattern is solidly above average for the county.
The student body is predominantly white, with smaller shares of students who are Hispanic, Asian, multiracial, or Black. A very small share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker of the community’s high-income profile. Housing values in the area are elevated, significantly above national benchmarks. The school’s enrollment is moderate in size for an elementary school, with roughly similar class sizes across grades K-5. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not provided in the available records, so a family with specific support needs should confirm those details directly with the school.
Randolph itself is a spread-out, low-density township of about 21 square miles, designated by state planners as half rural and half suburban. It lacks a walkable downtown; civic life centers on a municipal campus, and commercial activity is concentrated along Route 10. The township is known for good schools, parks, and historic districts, and it has been recognized in rankings for its job growth, home ownership, and safety. The district’s six schools are distributed across different sections of the township, so the commute to Shongum will depend on where a family lives.
Shongum is a regular public school with no charter or magnet status, and no Title I designation was reported. The district brief found no recent changes to note. The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate or college readiness data to report. Discipline, chronic absenteeism, and staffing data were also absent from the available information. These gaps are common for elementary schools that are not required to report the same metrics as secondary schools, but a parent may choose to ask the school directly about attendance patterns and staff stability.
For a family that values strong academic results in a setting where most students come from economically comfortable homes, Shongum offers a straightforward elementary option. The variation in grade-level proficiency suggests that the school’s instruction may be stronger in ELA than in math for older elementary students, though overall the school belongs to a district that performs well within its county. The peer environment is largely homogeneous, which may be a neutral characteristic or a point of preference depending on a family’s priorities. The community’s suburban, car-oriented layout and lack of a traditional town center mean that day-to-day life revolves around neighborhoods and the school campus itself. There is nothing flashy about Shongum; it is a solid, well-regarded elementary school in a community that invests in its schools and its quality of life.
See more original research from School Decision →