The top reported proficiency rate is 39% in Math. The lowest is 35% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Lincoln Elementary School
Lincoln Elementary School is a regular public school serving pre-kindergarten through third grade in Rockaway Borough, a historic Morris County town. Because it covers only the earliest grades, the school has no graduation rate to report and no data on chronic absenteeism or discipline; state assessment results are available only for third grade, the sole tested grade in this building. A parent looking at Lincoln is really looking at the start of a child’s academic path in a small, walkable community with a defined downtown and a mix of older homes and modest new development.
Rockaway Borough is a compact, densely built town of about the size of a small borough, with a Main Street corridor of shops, restaurants, and historic buildings. The Rockaway River and the Parks Lake walking trail are popular local features. Students in this district attend Lincoln Elementary for pre-K through grade 3, then move to Thomas Jefferson Middle School for grades 4 through 8, and for high school they attend Morris Hills High School as part of the Morris Hills Regional District, which also serves students from Wharton and some from Rockaway Township. The borough has modest but stable population growth, and the housing market in the area is competitive, with a median home value above the national norm; the area historically has a low supply of homes for sale and strong demand, which has kept prices elevated and homes selling quickly. Many homes in the borough date to the 1800s, and the town’s built environment is dense for a suburban setting.
The student body at Lincoln Elementary is diverse. The two largest groups are Hispanic and white students, who together make up a large majority of the enrollment, with a smaller but meaningful Asian student population and a small share of students who identify as two or more races. Black students make up only a tiny fraction of the school. A modest share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which falls below the typical level seen in many New Jersey schools serving elementary grades. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the source material, so a parent who needs information on special education or language support services would want to follow up directly with the district.
Academically, the school’s state assessment results for third grade show a mixed picture. In math, the share of students scoring proficient or above is below the midpoint among districts in Morris County, and in English language arts the share is similarly lower than many of its county neighbors. When placed on an overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grades, Lincoln Elementary sits in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in Morris County. This is a meaningful soft spot. A parent should note that these results come from a single grade and a single cohort, not a multi-year trend, but the current standing suggests that a family moving into the district may want to understand the specific literacy and math supports the school provides and how the new literacy curriculum, implemented for the 2024-2025 school year district-wide, is being received.
A recent voter-approved sinking fund will create a recurring annual funding stream for building repairs and improvements at both Lincoln Elementary and Thomas Jefferson Middle School. That money is designated for roof, HVAC, masonry, windows, doors, security, and site work. This is a concrete, near-term change that directly affects the physical condition of the school. Separately, the district’s proposed budget for the 2024-2025 school year was voted down by residents, leading the board to adopt a plan with no tax increase.
Lincoln Elementary is a small, early-elementary school in a historic, compact town with a competitive housing market and modest growth. The school’s test results are below the county median, and the available data does not show multi-year trends, special population counts, or program offerings like art, music, or physical education. A family considering this school will want to ask about academic supports, the new literacy curriculum, and how the school serves students who need extra help, all of which are questions the current public data does not fully answer.
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