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#1534 of 2,466 schools in NJ

Jefferson Elementary School

Elementary School · Caldwell-west School District · West Caldwell, NJ

A Caldwell-west School District elementary school where students score 6 points below what's typical for similar communities.

85 PROSPECT ST, West Caldwell, NJ 07006

  • Math 58% vs NJ 47% (2025)
  • Reading 55% vs NJ 50% (2025)
  • 11.1:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress5.0Average50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data16
Annual Change-1.22 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics6.5Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency58.2% (2025 NJSLA)
Reading/ELA Proficiency54.9% (2025 NJSLA)
Math vs. State Avg+10.3 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+11 pts
Overall Proficiency57% (2025 NJSLA, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)63% (model expectation from 2025 NJSLA)
vs. Expected-6.2 pts
Adjusted Percentile50th
Resources & Environment7.4Very Good20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio11.1:1
District spending per student$24,479
Chronic Absenteeism10.9%

Students at Jefferson Elementary School score 57% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 63%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NJSLA proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NJ average.

Math Proficiency58%(2025 NJSLA)
School
State
47%(2025 NJSLA)
ELA Proficiency55%(2025 NJSLA)
School
State
50%(2025 NJSLA)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 12 points since 2021, reaching 57% in 2025.

Show all 16 years
2009
Math
87%
ELA
82%
2010
Math
82%
ELA
77%
2011
Math
87%
ELA
77%
2012
Math
92%
ELA
82%
2013
Math
87%
ELA
87%
2014
Math
57%
ELA
77%
2015
Math
57%
ELA
67%
2016
Math
62%
ELA
77%
2017
Math
62%
ELA
72%
2018
Math
62%
ELA
72%
2019
Math
62%
ELA
72%
2020*
Math
42%
ELA
47%
2021*
Math
42%
ELA
47%
2022
Math
47%
ELA
57%
2024
Math
55%
ELA
61%
2025
Math
58%
ELA
55%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 63% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 67% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 41 test records from NJ state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

10.2%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Jefferson Elementary School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the New York map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 48Car-Dependent
  • Bike 30Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Low18/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. A newer release may be available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$148,645

Median home value

$667,300

Median rent

$1,973/mo

College educated

64.9%

Homeownership

73.5%

Poverty rate

3.5%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 07006; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Harrison SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.2PK–10.7 mi37Compare →
Essex Fells Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified7.2PK–60.8 mi247Compare →
Wilson Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified8.1K–50.8 mi226Compare →
Lincoln Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified7.9K–51.0 mi265Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Caldwell-west School District

Schools in district
7
Rank in district
#5 of 7
District spending per student
$24,479NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
3.5%Census SAIPE · 2024

Jefferson Elementary School is listed in Caldwell-West School District; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Jefferson Elementary School

Jefferson Elementary School is a public elementary school in West Caldwell, NJ, part of Caldwell-west School District, serving approximately 256 students in grades Kindergarten-5th with a 11.1:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.9 out of 10 and ranks #1,534 of 2,466 schools in NJ. State assessment records show 63% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 67% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Jefferson Elementary School

What grades does Jefferson Elementary School serve?

Jefferson Elementary School serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.

How many students attend Jefferson Elementary School?

Jefferson Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 256 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Jefferson Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at Jefferson Elementary School is 11.1:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Jefferson Elementary School rank in NJ?

Jefferson Elementary School ranks #1,534 of 2,466 schools in NJ.

What is Jefferson Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Jefferson Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.9 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Jefferson Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Jefferson Elementary School has 63% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 67% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Jefferson Elementary School a charter school?

No, Jefferson Elementary School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Jefferson Elementary School a Title I school?

No, Jefferson Elementary School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Jefferson Elementary School?

10.2% of students at Jefferson Elementary School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Kindergarten – 5th
Enrollment
256
Student-Teacher Ratio
11.1:1
Teachers (FTE)
23
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Essex County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
10.9%
Area population (ZIP 07006)
26,417
Area average commute
27.6 min
Area median age
42.8
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 NJSLA · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 NJSLA. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 NJSLA · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 NJSLA. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
State assessments · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 07006; this does not measure the attendance area.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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