The top reported proficiency rate is 59% in Math. The lowest is 36% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Jefferson Elementary School
Jefferson Elementary School sits in one of the densest urban environments in the country, Union City, a place where the street grid is packed tight with multi-family housing and small businesses and the municipal footprint is small enough that the city is entirely landlocked. The school itself serves grades PK through four, making it a neighborhood entry point for families. The student body is heavily Hispanic, reflecting the dominant cultural character of the community, and a substantial share of students qualify for free- or reduced-price lunch. This is a school where economic need is widespread.
State testing data is available for grades three and four in the most recent year. In math, the picture is uneven. Third-grade proficiency landed well below the district and state averages, a soft spot that a parent may want to look into further with the school. Fourth-grade math, by contrast, hit a notably higher proficiency rate, suggesting that the school may be equipping students better by that grade. In English language arts, the pattern was similar but lower overall. Third-grade ELA proficiency was well below the midpoint, and while fourth-grade results improved, they still fell short of what a parent might hope for. The overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grades placed Jefferson above the midpoint among districts in Hudson County, a mixed signal that reflects the sharp grade-level swings.
Because the school ends at fourth grade, it has no graduation rate to report. That is simply a function of the grade band, not a missing figure. The same applies to any high-school-level metrics. The school also lacks a graduation rate comparison for the same reason. No chronic absenteeism data was provided, so a parent might ask the school directly about attendance patterns.
Union City is a place in motion. The school district is building the Esther Salas Academy, a major capital project for grades seven through nine, set to open soon, and the José Martí STEM Academy earned National Blue Ribbon recognition. These developments speak to a district investing in its academic infrastructure and raising its profile. But Jefferson, as an early-elementary building, operates before those pathways begin. It feeds into the larger district system, which includes a STEM magnet option and a new middle-grade academy, giving families a defined progression once their child leaves Jefferson after fourth grade.
Housing in Union City is expensive. Home values have climbed, and rents have risen in line with the broader Hudson County market. For a family considering this school, the housing context is a key factor: the area is densely built, largely rental, with very limited land for new development, so choice in the neighborhood is constrained to redevelopment of existing parcels. Commuting patterns matter here, as a large number of residents work in New York City, reachable via the Lincoln Tunnel.
This is a school that fits a family looking for a neighborhood elementary within a dense urban district that is actively building new facilities and expanding options at the middle and high school levels. The early-grade test scores show a school with room to grow, particularly in ELA. A parent comfortable with a high-density, transit-connected, majority-Hispanic community with a strong Cuban cultural influence and a district that is investing heavily in its upper grades would find this a logical starting point. Anyone focused narrowly on third-grade proficiency numbers would want to probe further.
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