The top reported proficiency rate is 30% in English language arts. The lowest is 3% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Brilla New Jersey Charter School
Brilla New Jersey Charter School is a very new public charter school in Paterson, and that newness defines much of what a family will encounter. It opened for the 2023-2024 school year, serving kindergarten, first grade, and fifth grade, and the enrollment grew noticeably in its second year as word spread. Because it currently serves only kindergarten through fifth grade, there are no high school outcomes to consider: no graduation rate, no college-going data, nothing beyond elementary and early middle school. A family choosing Brilla is committing on a year-by-year basis and will need to plan for what comes after fifth grade, since the school does not yet have a track record of moving students through a full K-12 arc.
The school sits in a dense, historically industrial city that remains one of New Jersey's poorest. Paterson's economy has shifted from its Silk City manufacturing heyday to a mix of smaller-scale manufacturing, immigrant-owned commerce, and public-sector employment. The city is a major destination for Hispanic, Turkish, Arab, and South Asian immigrants, and that diversity is reflected in Brilla's student body. Nearly all students are Hispanic or Black, and a very large share of families qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a school serving a population with high economic need, in a city where the poverty rate has been persistently elevated.
The state assessment results are the clearest signal of where the school stands academically, and they point to substantial challenges. Proficiency rates in math and science were very low for the tested grades, well below what most families would consider on track. English language arts proficiency was higher but still below half of tested students. On the New Jersey Student Learning Assessments, the school's overall proficiency index across all tested subjects and grades placed it in the bottom quarter of districts in Passaic County when compared to its peers. A parent reviewing these results will want to have a direct conversation with the school about what specific interventions and supports are in place, particularly in math and science, and how the school plans to move students toward grade-level mastery as it matures.
Because the school is so new, many of the standard categories a family might check are simply not yet available. Civil rights data such as discipline rates and special education identification rates were not reported. Chronic absenteeism and staffing ratios were also absent. The school itself offers no data on course access or extracurricular programming, likely because the elementary grade band limits what is offered. A child at Brilla will be in a small, young charter school where the academic program is still being established and where the track record is thin.
Paterson is a walkable urban environment, though the school's location on Degrasse Street places it in a dense neighborhood with active street life. The city's civic anchors—the Great Falls National Historical Park, the Paterson Museum, Garret Mountain Reservation—are within reach, but the economic realities of the city mean that the school environment is one of high need. Housing in Paterson is relatively affordable compared to much of northern New Jersey, another factor for families weighing the school against other options.
Brilla is a school for a family that wants a new, small charter option in the heart of a diverse, economically challenged city and is willing to engage actively with the school around academic support. It is not a school with a proven track record of strong test outcomes or a wide array of programs. A parent considering it should visit, ask about the math and science curriculum in specific terms, and understand what growth the school's leadership expects as it adds grades and experience. The data as it stands tells a story of a school in its earliest phase, with a long road ahead.
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