The top reported proficiency rate is 39% in Science. The lowest is 29% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Newman School
Newman School is a pre-kindergarten through sixth grade public elementary school in Salt Lake City, part of the Salt Lake District. It serves a student population that is majority Hispanic, with white students making up the next largest share, and smaller groups of students who are Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, multiracial, Asian, Black, and American Indian or Alaska Native. A substantial share of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch. The school is located in the 84116 zip code, an area in the northwestern part of the city near the Jordan River.
In terms of academics, state testing scores are available for math, English language arts, and science. On the Utah RISE assessments, the data shows that roughly three in ten students scored proficient or above in math, about the same share reached that level in English language arts, and just under four in ten did so in science. These results place the school’s overall proficiency level below the midpoint among elementary schools in Salt Lake County districts. A parent might consider this a soft spot and would likely want to discuss with the school what kinds of instructional supports and interventions are in place for students who are not yet meeting grade-level benchmarks.
The school offers a full pre-kindergarten program, which is a notable resource for families with young children in the neighborhood, as early childhood education can help build a foundation before kindergarten. Because Newman School serves only through sixth grade, there is no graduation rate or high school academic data to consider. The school environment data, including discipline rates, staffing ratios, and chronic absenteeism, was not available in the source materials for this profile, so a parent might want to ask the school directly about class sizes, staff stability, and school climate.
The surrounding community context shows a typical Salt Lake City housing market. Home values in the zip code are generally high, and the estimated monthly mortgage payment on a median-value home is more than double the estimated rent, making homeownership a stretch for many renters. The area has seen a modest recent decline in home values and a slight dip in rents, but the overall affordability picture remains tight relative to national norms. The unemployment rate nationally has been stable and low, which is a reasonably favorable economic backdrop.
For the district overall, there are two recent developments that affect families. Voters approved a bond for a significant sum to fund major construction projects throughout the Salt Lake District. This includes full replacements of West High School and Highland High School, additions at Hillside and Glendale middle schools, and renovations at Bryant and Clayton middle schools. The tax impact works out to a moderate annual increase on a median-value home. Separately, the Board of Education approved new high school boundaries in early 2025 to better align feeder patterns, which directly changes which high school students in various parts of the district will attend. Families living within Newman’s attendance zone should check the district’s boundary maps to see which middle and high school their child would be assigned to under the new plan.
The school’s location in Salt Lake City means families have access to the city’s civic anchors, including parks, the public library system, and the Jordan River trail network. The downtown area and TRAX light rail are a short drive away, providing connections to major employers in the region. Newman School itself sits in a residential neighborhood where street life and walkability vary block to block, and a parent driving to the school would find it on a main street in a mixed residential and light-industrial stretch of the city.
Overall, Newman School is a neighborhood elementary with a diverse student body and a sizable number of families eligible for economic assistance. Its state testing results are below the midpoint for the county, which is a fact a parent should weigh alongside the school’s own plans for academic improvement, the availability of early childhood programming, and the broader district changes that will affect the school buildings and attendance boundaries over the coming years.
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