The top reported proficiency rate is 33% in Math. The lowest is 32% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Dr. Charles C. Polk School
Dr. Charles C. Polk School serves first through fourth grades in Roselle, a densely built suburban borough in Union County. As a regular public elementary school within the Roselle Public School District, it sits on a residential street in a community where schools are woven into the neighborhood grid rather than isolated on separate campuses. The student body is diverse, drawing primarily from the surrounding borough.
The school is a mid-sized elementary for its grade band. The demographic composition is predominantly Black and Hispanic, with small numbers of students identifying as white, Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, and two or more races. A substantial share of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch.
State testing results from the New Jersey Student Learning Assessment show that the school's overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades places below the midpoint relative to other school districts in Union County. In both math and English language arts, the proficiency rates for third and fourth graders hover in a similar range, with slightly more students meeting the state's proficiency benchmark in reading than in math. The rates are consistent across the two tested grades, suggesting a steady but low level of performance by state standards rather than a sharp drop-off between grade levels. Parents may want to look into this further with the school to understand how the curriculum and instruction align with state expectations and what support is available for students working below grade level.
The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. Data on special populations, such as students with disabilities and English learners, was not available in the record. Chronic absenteeism data was also missing. These gaps often reflect the reporting practices of the state or district rather than the school itself, but a family considering the school may wish to ask the district for this information directly.
The broader community context matters. Roselle is a compact, walkable borough with a dense street grid and a population density that is among the highest in Union County. Its small geographic footprint means most neighborhoods are within a short distance of commercial corridors and civic spaces like Warinanco Park, a county park that straddles Roselle and neighboring Elizabeth. The borough saw modest population growth over the past decade followed by a slight estimated decline in recent years. Housing stock consists largely of modest single- and multi-family homes, and home values are lower than the state average but have been rising. Rent is similarly below the statewide benchmark, making the area relatively more affordable for Union County, though still above national averages.
The Roselle Public School District did not have any major parent-relevant changes publicly reported in the recent period that would alter a family's decision making. No curriculum overhauls, boundary adjustments, or facility investments surfaced in the search. The district operates seven schools, of which Polk is one elementary option. The absence of publicized changes is not unusual for a district of this size, but it leaves a family to evaluate the school based on its current academic profile and the fit of the community. For a parent weighing this school, the core question is whether the setting and peer environment align with what they want for the early elementary years and whether the academic support available meets their child's needs.
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