Jefferson Elementary School, Summit NJ

Original Research by School Decision on Jefferson Elementary School

Jefferson Elementary School serves students in first through fifth grade as part of the Summit Public School District in Union County, New Jersey. The school sits in the city of Summit, a community that functions as a commuter town for New York City while also acting as a commercial hub for the surrounding area. Springfield Avenue forms the downtown core, with a walkable retail and dining district, and the NJ Transit station provides express rail access to Penn Station. Major employers include Overlook Medical Center and the biotechnology company Bristol Myers Squibb, which occupies a campus on the western side of the city. Housing in Summit spans a wide range, from historic estates to subsidized units for seniors and low- and middle-income families. The city’s population grew over recent decades and appears to have leveled off in the early 2020s.

The school itself is a regular public elementary school serving roughly 224 students across grades one through five, with enrollment roughly balanced across each grade level. About a quarter of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a measure that gives a sense of the economic diversity in the building. The student body is racially and ethnically mixed; white students make up the largest share, followed by Hispanic students, Asian students, Black students, and a smaller group of students who identify as two or more races. Data on the share of students with individualized education plans or English learner status was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about how it supports these populations.

Jefferson’s academic results on the New Jersey Student Learning Assessments place it in the top quartile for overall proficiency when compared with other districts in Union County. In English language arts, the school’s performance is a clear strength. Across tested grades, a strong majority of students met or exceeded the proficiency standard. Math results were solid as well, though they varied somewhat by grade level. Third and fourth graders posted strong proficiency rates, while fifth graders showed a softer result that a parent may want to look into further with the school. Science results for fifth graders were notably lower. On that state assessment, a smaller share of students reached the proficiency threshold. This is the only science testing point in elementary school, and the result stands apart from the otherwise strong pattern in literacy and math.

The district has undertaken a strategic planning process during the 2024-25 school year, engaging parents, students, teachers, and community members to set a new vision and identify priorities, with a first-year action plan to follow. That process will shape resource allocation and district direction for years to come. The district has also shifted to full-day kindergarten, a lasting change that matters for families with young children entering the system.

Jefferson Elementary does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. It is a neighborhood school within a district that has a reputation for strong academics and that draws families who value proximity to New York City and a walkable downtown. The housing market in Summit reflects that demand. Home values are well above state and national benchmarks, and rents are high relative to area income. The typical home sells for a premium, and the market moves quickly. For a family considering this school, the academic foundation in literacy and math is strong in the early grades, and the community context is one of an established, amenity-rich suburb with a competitive housing market. Anyone looking for detailed special education or English learner data will need to follow up directly with the school, as those figures were not reported in the available data.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 370%

School 70% · District 84% · ▼ 14 pts below district

▲ 20 pts above state median · ▲ 29 pts above county median

Grade 472%

School 72% · District 80% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▲ 26 pts above state median · ▲ 36 pts above county median

Grade 560%

School 60% · District 83% · ▼ 23 pts below district

▲ 17 pts above state median · ▲ 25 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 380%

School 80% · District 84% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▲ 34 pts above state median · ▲ 38 pts above county median

Grade 474%

School 74% · District 82% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▲ 26 pts above county median

Grade 578%

School 78% · District 88% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▲ 24 pts above state median · ▲ 28 pts above county median

Science

Grade 538%

School 38% · District 59% · ▼ 22 pts below district

▲ 10 pts above state median · ▲ 18 pts above county median

This schoolSummit Public School District, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 4Lower-income42%Higher-income85%44 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income47%Higher-income96%49 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 4Lower-income42%Higher-income82%41 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income20%Higher-income84%64 pp gap