The top reported proficiency rate is 53% in English language arts. The lowest is 28% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Marshall Hill Elementary School
Marshall Hill Elementary School is one of five elementary schools serving the West Milford Township Public School District, a regular public school in northern Passaic County, New Jersey, for students in prekindergarten through fifth grade. The school occupies a building on Marshall Hill Road in a township that is predominantly rural and residential, with large expanses of permanently protected open space, nearly forty lakes, and narrow two-lane roads winding through valleys and ridges. Most homes in West Milford surround lakes or sit in secluded valleys; many were originally seasonal bungalows converted to year-round residences, and newer homes on one- to four-acre lots have been added. Commercial activity is limited and concentrated along Route 23. The district’s elementary schools, middle school, and high school are distributed across the township on separate campuses rather than clustered in a central downtown.
The school enrolls about three hundred students, a size that allows for single-grade classes across kindergarten through fifth grade, plus a prekindergarten program. The student body is predominantly white, with a notable share of Hispanic students and very small numbers of Black, multiracial, and American Indian or Alaska Native students. Just over one in five students qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, a share that is modest relative to many schools in the region.
State testing through the New Jersey Student Learning Assessment provides a picture of academic performance across grades three through five. When measured against all districts in Passaic County, Marshall Hill Elementary’s combined proficiency across tested subjects and grades sits above the midpoint. That overall position is a strength, but the pattern inside the school shows some variation. In English language arts, fourth graders posted a strong result, with a large majority meeting proficiency standards. Third and fifth graders in ELA scored at a more moderate level, with just under half proficient. In mathematics, the fourth grade also performed relatively well, with half of students proficient, while third and fifth grade math proficiency was lower. Science, which is tested only in fifth grade, showed a smaller share of students reaching the proficient threshold, something a parent may want to explore further with the school to understand how science instruction and curriculum are delivered. Across all tested grades and subjects, the school’s performance is generally solid but uneven, with a clear bright spot in fourth grade ELA.
Because Marshall Hill is an elementary-only school, there is no graduation rate to report, and data on chronic absenteeism, special education, and English learner populations were not available in the record. No information on discipline rates, staffing ratios, or specific program offerings was provided, so this account cannot speak to those areas.
Housing in the area carries a high cost relative to national averages, reflecting the township’s desirable natural setting and limited developable land. The entire municipality sits within the NJ Highlands Protection Zone, and nearly two-thirds of West Milford is permanently protected open space, which heavily constrains new construction. The population has declined modestly in recent decades, and the district closed one elementary school at the start of the 2023-24 school year, consistent with falling enrollment. The local housing market shows active listings well above year-ago levels and median listing prices that have edged upward, though days on market remain short, indicating continued demand.
No recent parent-relevant changes within the district itself were identified from public sources beyond the school closure noted in the broader community context.
For families considering this school, the takeaway is an elementary building with a moderate enrollment, a largely white student body with a growing Hispanic segment, and overall academic results that sit comfortably above the midpoint of the county’s districts. The strongest performance appears in fourth grade reading, while math and science results at some grade levels are softer. The setting is distinctly rural and car-dependent, with ample outdoor recreation nearby and a high cost of entry for homebuyers. The school serves as a neighborhood anchor in a township where open space and environmental protections define the pace of growth.
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