The top reported proficiency rate is 74% in English language arts. The lowest is 70% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Lincoln School
LincolnSchool is a public elementary school serving children from pre-kindergarten through third grade in Rutherford, an inner-ring suburb of Bergen County, New Jersey. Because the school covers only early elementary grades, there is no graduation rate or chronic absenteeism data to report — those metrics apply to high schools, not to a school that ends at third grade. What is available gives a clear picture of a primary school that is a strong entry point into the district.
The school enrolls a moderate-sized student body for its grade span. The student population is predominantly white, with a Hispanic student group that represents the next largest share, followed by Asian students, students who identify with two or more races, and a small Black student group. A very modest share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, well below what is typical for the county. Information on students with disabilities and English learners was not reported, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about how those populations are supported.
Academically, the data that exists focuses on third graders, who are tested in math and English language arts through the New Jersey Student Learning Assessment. Lincoln School placed in the top quartile for overall proficiency relative to all districts in Bergen County. In both subjects, a strong share of students met the state’s proficiency benchmarks. The school’s performance sits well above the midpoint among the county’s many districts, and its proficiency index is nearer the top of the range than the middle. Since testing covers only one grade, these results should be read as a snapshot of how students are doing at the end of the primary years, not as a measure of the full school.
Lincoln School feeds into the Rutherford School District, which serves students through high school. The district itself did not have publicly reported information about recent referendums, bond measures, or major strategic initiatives, so it is difficult to speak to any system-wide changes or investments in the pipeline. A parent may wish to attend a board meeting or check district communications for updates on facilities, curriculum, or budgeting.
Rutherford itself is a walkable, tree-lined borough with a pedestrian-focused downtown along Park Avenue, adjacent to a NJ Transit rail station that offers a direct connection to Midtown Manhattan. The borough is home to Felician University and the Williams Center for the Performing Arts, adding an institutional and cultural layer to the community. Housing values are well above the national median, and rents are similarly high, reflecting the area’s desirability as a commuter suburb. The housing stock includes historic Victorian and Edwardian homes, and the market has been active with a steady pace of listings. The borough’s growth has been modest in recent decades, and a large former redevelopment project on landfill sites was terminated by the Meadowlands Commission after the developer missed cleanup targets, leaving that land in an unresolved state.
For a family considering Lincoln School, the combination of strong early academic results, a small and relatively homogeneous student body, and a high-cost, amenity-rich town may appeal to those who can afford the housing and want a neighborhood-oriented primary school with solid foundations before children move on to the district’s upper elementary and secondary schools. A parent who wants a more diverse student population or needs information about special education supports and English learner services should probe further, since the available data does not cover those areas. The school’s strengths are clear: at the end of third grade, students are performing at a level that puts the school among the stronger primary schools in one of the state’s most competitive counties.
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