The top reported proficiency rate is 26% in English language arts. The lowest is 23% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Chatsworth Elementary School
Chatsworth Elementary School serves a small, rural community in the heart of the Pine Barrens of Burlington County. It is a single-school district for grades PK through 8, after which students attend Seneca High School in the Lenape Regional High School District. The school is the only public school in Woodland Township, and its enrollment is small, drawing from a dispersed population of older farmhouses, cranberry bogs, and forest. The setting is deeply rural and car-dependent, with no walkable downtown; the community's identity is tied to conservation, cranberry agriculture, and seasonal events like the Cranberry Festival.
The student body is overwhelmingly white, with a very small share of students from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. The share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch is low, well below typical levels in the county. This suggests a relatively homogeneous peer environment, both racially and economically. Because the school is small, class sizes are likely small, and families should expect a close-knit atmosphere where teachers and students know one another well.
State testing results for the most recent year are available for only a few grade levels, as results for many grades were suppressed due to small group sizes. For the grades where data was reported, proficiency rates in math, English language arts, and science were low. In third grade, about a quarter of students scored proficient on math and about a third on ELA. In fifth grade, the share was lower, around one in six students proficient in both subjects and in science. Eighth grade science results were slightly higher, with about three in ten students reaching proficiency. Overall, the school's proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile among Burlington County districts. A parent considering this school should look into these results further with the school and understand the academic support available, especially since the school serves students through eighth grade with no high school on site.
No data was available on chronic absenteeism, staffing ratios, course access, or discipline, so it is not possible to assess those aspects of the school environment from the provided information. The district did not have any recent parent-relevant changes reported, and no strategic priorities or improvement plans were found.
Housing in the Chatsworth ZIP code carries a value that is above the national benchmark but below the New Jersey state benchmark. The county housing market shows moderate activity, with median listing prices slightly below the ZIP's estimated home value, and homes selling in about a month on average. Mortgage rates and rental costs are typical for the region. This is a place where families often seek a rural, off-the-grid lifestyle, and the school fits that context rather than a high-growth or suburban one.
For a family that values a very small, rural school with a homogeneous peer group and a nature-oriented community, Chatsworth Elementary could be a comfortable fit. However, the academic performance is a clear soft spot, and the school has little in the way of visible program offerings or support services in the data provided. A parent moving into this area should ask the school directly about its approach to math and reading instruction, what interventions are in place for students who are not yet proficient, and how it prepares students for the transition to the regional high school.
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