The top reported proficiency rate is 19% in English language arts. The lowest is 7% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on James a Cotten Intermediate School
James A Cotten Intermediate School in Willingboro, New Jersey, serves a specific and narrow grade band, fifth and sixth grade only. It is a regular public school within the Willingboro Public School District. For a family considering this school, the most immediate takeaway from the available data is the academic performance picture, which is a significant soft spot.
State assessment results from the New Jersey Student Learning Assessments show that the share of students scoring proficient or above is low. In mathematics, for both fifth and sixth grade, the proficiency rate is below ten percent. In English language arts, the rates are higher but still modest, with roughly a sixth of fifth graders and a fifth of sixth graders meeting the bar. Science assessment results for fifth grade are similarly low. These numbers place the school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in Burlington County. A parent should look into this further with the school to understand what instructional supports are in place and how the school is working to raise these outcomes.
The student body is relatively homogenous in its demographic makeup. The enrollment is of a moderate size for a two-grade intermediate school. A substantial majority of students are Black, and a significant share of students are Hispanic. White, Asian, and multiracial students make up much smaller portions of the population. A large majority of students come from low-income households, as measured by eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on the share of students with disabilities and English learners was not provided, so it is not possible to assess those specific dimensions of the student population from this record. There is no graduation rate to report, as the school does not serve high school grades.
Because this is an intermediate school, parents should understand the feeder pattern context. The district underwent a major reorganization, a change that was publicly reported: in 2024, the board voted to close one of its middle schools, with plans to relocate middle school students into the high school building. This shift alters the pathway a student at Cotten will follow after sixth grade. Families should confirm the current feeder arrangement with the district, as the transition point after sixth grade may now be different than in prior years.
The school is located in Willingboro, a community with a distinct history. It was developed in the mid-twentieth century as a planned suburb by Levitt & Sons, one of the largest Levittowns. The township is laid out in twelve sections called parks, with curvilinear streets and a suburban, auto-oriented feel. Commercial activity is centered along a main route and at a Town Center rather than in a walkable downtown. The community has a generous amount of park space, including several named parks, a nature preserve, and a recreational and cultural center. The population is predominantly African American, and the housing stock, originally almost all single-family homes, has been diversified in recent years with the addition of new apartment complexes.
The housing context shows a market that is somewhat pricey relative to national benchmarks but less expensive than the New Jersey state average. For families looking to move into the area, this positions Willingboro as a potentially more affordable entry point into the broader suburban Philadelphia market, though the school’s academic profile is one that families will want to weigh carefully. The broader economic context shows a stable but not booming local market.
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