Summary:
Zip code 07024 has one middle school, Lewis F. Cole Middle School, serving grades 5–8 with 1,227 students in the Fort Lee School District; with only one school listed, there is no local school-to-school comparison. In 2025–2026, Cole was above state results in nearly every reported subject and grade, and its averages were about 21 points above the state in ELA, 20 points in Mathematics, and 23 points in Science. The most important exception is 8th-grade Mathematics, which was below the state for a second consecutive year.
Cole’s strongest results were in Geometry and Algebra I, while 8th-grade Mathematics was the clearest weakness. Geometry was 100%, compared with 52% statewide, and Algebra I end-of-course testing was 87% versus 40% statewide. In contrast, 8th-grade Mathematics was 21% compared with 23% statewide, a 2-point deficit; it was also below the state the previous year. Across grades, ELA was consistently strong, with Cole’s results averaging 74% versus 53% statewide. Mathematics was much less even: results ranged from 78% in grade 6 to 21% in grade 8. These subject- and grade-specific differences matter more than a single overall label for the school.
Results changed unevenly from 2024–2025 to 2025–2026: 7th-grade Mathematics fell 10 points, while 8th-grade Mathematics rose 5 points but remained below the state; ELA also declined in grades 5 and 6 but rose slightly in grade 8. Across the matched grade-and-subject results, Cole’s average advantage over the state was essentially unchanged at about 21 points. SchoolDigger ranked Cole 97th of 743 schools (87th percentile) in 2025–2026, up 21 places and 3 percentile points from the prior year. For context, its 2024–2025 student-teacher ratio was 12.5:1, 25% of students were free/reduced lunch eligible, and chronic absenteeism was 1 point below the district and 2 points below the state.
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