Walter Stillman School, Tenafly NJ

Original Research by School Decision on Walter Stillman School

Walter Stillman School is a regular public elementary school in Tenafly, part of the Tenafly Public School District. It serves a relatively small enrollment from pre-kindergarten through grade five. The school’s academic performance on New Jersey state assessments stands out as a clear strength. Across tested grades, the share of students scoring at proficient or advanced levels is consistently high in both English language arts and math. Science proficiency in grade five, while somewhat lower than the results in the other two subjects, still reflects that a solid majority of students meet the state’s benchmark. When compared with other schools across Bergen County, Stillman’s overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile among its peers, a marker of the school’s academic standing.

The student body is composed predominantly of white and Asian students, with a smaller share of Hispanic students and a very small representation of Black and multiracial students. A very low share of the student population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, which aligns with Tenafly’s profile as a high-income community. Data on special education and English learner enrollment was not available from the records reviewed, so a parent looking into those supports may want to follow up directly with the school.

Tenafly itself is a primarily residential suburb of New York City, sitting in Bergen County along the Palisades. The borough’s hilly terrain shapes its street layout, with an East Hill section rising toward the Hudson River. Its downtown area is compact, and NJ Transit bus service provides express connections to Manhattan. The community is among New Jersey’s highest-income municipalities, and housing values in the area reflect that. Home prices in Tenafly’s ZIP code are considerably above national and state averages, and rental costs are also high. For families considering a move, this is an expensive market shaped by the desirability of the school district and the proximity to New York.

The Tenafly district has seen several recent developments relevant to parents. In the fall of 2022, voters approved a referendum for roof replacements and district-wide security upgrades. The district has also introduced a weighted grades policy for AP and honors courses at the high school, which will affect students starting with the Class of 2028. For the most recent school year, the board adopted a budget that kept the tax levy increase under the state cap while adding investments in mental health services and technology. These decisions affect the district’s financial trajectory and the academic environment students will encounter as they move up through the grades.

This is an elementary school serving a community where housing costs are high and the local economy is strong. The academic results are strong across the board. The student population reflects the surrounding town’s demographics, with low economic diversity relative to many districts. Because Stillman serves only through grade five, state testing data for high school outcomes, such as a graduation rate, does not apply here. For a family weighing Tenafly, the school offers a proven academic starting point in a well-resourced, commuter-oriented suburb.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 383%

School 83% · District 83%

▲ 33 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

Grade 488%

School 88% · District 77% · ▲ 11 pts above district

▲ 42 pts above state median · ▲ 23 pts above county median

Grade 580%

School 80% · District 80% · ▲ 1 pts above district

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

English language arts

Grade 381%

School 81% · District 72% · ▲ 9 pts above district

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

Grade 486%

School 86% · District 81% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▲ 31 pts above state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

Grade 587%

School 87% · District 83% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▲ 33 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

Science

Grade 575%

School 75% · District 71% · ▲ 5 pts above district

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

This schoolTenafly 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.