Summary:
The Hillside Public School District in New Jersey is home to 4 elementary schools serving students from early childhood through 6th grade. While the district as a whole appears to be underperforming, a few schools stand out within the group.
Hurden Looker School is the highest-ranked elementary school in the district, outperforming the district and state averages in English Language Arts and Mathematics proficiency. It also has the lowest student-teacher ratio, suggesting more individualized attention for students. Ola Edwards Community School also shows strong performance in English Language Arts, with 6th grade proficiency rates exceeding the district and state averages.
However, the district faces some challenges, including high chronic absenteeism rates across all 4 schools and significant populations of economically disadvantaged students, as indicated by the varying free and reduced lunch rates. Additionally, the wide range in spending per student, from $5,766 to $13,412, raises questions about the equity of resource allocation and its potential impact on student outcomes. The district will need to address these issues to improve the overall performance of its elementary schools and ensure all students have access to the resources and support they need to succeed.
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