The top reported proficiency rate is 66% in English language arts. The lowest is 45% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Clinton Elementary School
Clinton Elementary School is a regular public school in Maplewood, New Jersey, serving students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It is part of the South Orange-Maplewood School District, a unified district that covers both Maplewood and the neighboring community of South Orange. The school is located on a residential street in Maplewood, a township that functions as an inner-ring suburban bedroom community of New York City, with a compact downtown area known as “the village” that has remained largely unchanged since the 1950s.
On state assessments, Clinton’s students perform above the midpoint among districts in Essex County when looking at overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades. In English language arts, the school shows solid results, with the share of students meeting proficiency standards rising from third grade to fourth grade and then holding at a similar level in fifth grade. Math proficiency is more varied: third graders achieve at a healthy rate, but the share meeting the bar declines in fourth and fifth grades. In science, which is tested in fifth grade, about half of students reach the proficiency threshold. A parent considering this school may want to explore the math trajectory in the upper elementary grades and how the school supports students who are not yet meeting the standard.
The student body is diverse. White students make up a majority, followed by Black, Hispanic, Asian, and multiracial children. A modest share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the school serves a mix of economic backgrounds. Enrollment is spread relatively evenly across kindergarten through fifth grade, with the largest single grade being fourth. The school is one of several elementary schools in the district, and the district operates an Intentional Integration Initiative that redistributes elementary school boundaries and buses students across neighborhoods so that the socioeconomic makeup at each school mirrors the district as a whole. This means that for families moving into the area, the school a child is assigned to will not necessarily be the closest one geographically.
Maplewood itself is a family-oriented community with a walkable downtown anchored by Memorial Park, a large Olmsted Brothers-designed green space adjacent to the train station. The township has a rush-hour jitney service to the station, and NJ Transit provides rail service to Newark, Secaucus, and New York Penn Station. The housing market is expensive, with home values well above national and state medians, and rents are also high. The market is tight, with limited inventory and homes selling relatively quickly. This is a community where housing costs are a major factor for any family considering a move.
The district has seen some notable fiscal and policy developments. Voters rejected a school facilities bond referendum in 2022 that would have funded major renovations, and the district has since shifted to a more modest facilities master plan focused on essential maintenance. The school board has approved budgets with above-trend tax levy increases in consecutive years, reflecting rising costs for staffing, special education, and facility upkeep. These property tax increases directly affect the cost of living for district residents.
Clinton Elementary offers a regular instructional program consistent with a traditional public elementary school. No data was available on specific course offerings, extracurricular programs, or staffing ratios. The school’s academic profile is strongest in English language arts, with room for improvement in upper-elementary math and science. The overall proficiency index places the school above the midpoint among its county peers, which is a solid position but not at the top of the field. For families who value a diverse, integrated school environment in a walkable transit-oriented suburb with high housing costs, Clinton Elementary fits that profile. The district’s intentional integration policy means that the school’s demographics are deliberately balanced, which may appeal to families who prioritize socioeconomic diversity but also means that assignment is not based solely on proximity. The combination of a strong commuter location, a family-friendly community, and a district that has taken active steps to address equity makes this a school worth a close look for parents who can afford the area’s housing market.
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