The top reported proficiency rate is 22% in Math. The lowest is 1% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Benjamin C Gregory Elementary School
Benjamin C Gregory Elementary School serves kindergarten through third grade in Trenton, the state capital of New Jersey. Because it is an early-elementary school, there is no high school graduation data to report, and the only state test results available are for the grades it actually serves. This is a regular public school within the Trenton Public School District, and it draws its students from the surrounding Trenton neighborhood.
The student body is almost entirely Black, with a Hispanic minority and very small numbers of white or multiracial children. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is a measure of household economic need. The enrollment is modest for an urban elementary school, which can allow for more personal attention than a much larger building might offer.
On the New Jersey Student Learning Assessments, the school’s third graders recorded proficiency rates that are well below the median among schools in Mercer County, landing in the bottom quartile when compared to other schools serving the same grades in the county. In math, about one in five students scored at the proficient level or above in the most recent testing year, and in English language arts the rate was slightly lower. Because the school only goes through third grade, the science results that are available come from a previous year when a different group of students was in fifth grade at the school, and those results showed a very low rate of proficiency. A parent considering this school should be aware that these numbers reflect a challenging academic context and may want to discuss with the school what targeted supports are in place for early literacy and math.
The school is part of the Trenton Public School District, which has recently made a district-wide change that directly affects the daily experience of students and families. The district has adopted a Yondr Pouches program, meaning students’ cell phones are locked in pouches during the school day. This is a lasting pedagogy and discipline change that creates a phone-free environment and shapes how families communicate with their children during school hours. The district is also in the process of developing a new strategic plan, referred to as the 3R’s Strategic Plan, and as of spring 2026 it was actively seeking input from families, staff, and community members. For a parent, this means the district is in a period of rethinking its priorities, and it may be worth understanding what that plan will emphasize before it is finalized.
The housing context around the school reflects the broader Trenton market. Home values in the area are moderate relative to state benchmarks, and rents are also below the New Jersey average. A typical home purchase carries a monthly cost that is notably lower than the state median, and rent-to-income ratios suggest that housing is more affordable here than in many parts of New Jersey. For families moving into the area, this means the school serves a community where housing costs are not as steep as in the surrounding suburbs, though the economic context of the city itself includes a higher unemployment rate than the national average.
This is a small urban elementary school serving families in the capital city. It is not a school with strong test scores on state assessments, and a parent should look into what early intervention and literacy programs are available. The environment is early-elementary only, so families will need to plan for a transition to another school for fourth grade and beyond. The district is making active pedagogical changes around cell phone policy and is shaping a new strategic direction, both of which may affect the school in the years ahead.
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