Summary:
Schools in ZIP code 08629 include three schools serving grades PK–6: Hedgepeth Williams Intermediate School (grades 4–6), Kuser Elementary School (PK–5) and Paul S. Robeson Elementary School (K–3), across two districts. In 2025–2026, every reported school result was below its same-grade state result: average proficiency was 17% in ELA versus 49% statewide, 12% in math versus 46%, and 5% in grade 5 science versus 27%. The most important finding is that even the strongest local results remain well below state levels.
Kuser stands out at the top of every same-grade comparison in 2025–2026. Its clearest lead was in grade 5 ELA, with 33% proficient compared with 10% at Hedgepeth Williams, a 23-point difference; both were below the state’s 52%. In grade 3 ELA, Kuser had 24% compared with 13% at Robeson, a 12-point lead. The lowest result varies by grade: Robeson was lower in grade 3, while Hedgepeth Williams was lower in shared grade 4 and 5 ELA comparisons. No other listed school shares grade 6 with Hedgepeth Williams.
Average gaps to the state narrowed in ELA and math over the two years, but science moved the other way: the ELA gap improved by 7 points and the math gap by 2, while grade 5 science fell farther behind by 2 points. Individual results varied: Kuser’s grade 5 ELA rose 15 points, while its grade 4 ELA fell 6 and grade 5 science fell 7. In 2024–2025, all three schools reported similar free/reduced lunch eligible shares—78% at Hedgepeth Williams, 80% at Kuser and 82% at Robeson—while student-teacher ratios were 16.2, 13.3 and 13.9, respectively. Chronic absenteeism was 34% at Hedgepeth Williams and 33% at Robeson, compared with 16% at Kuser. These figures offer context, not an explanation for score differences. Comparisons are limited to grades schools share, and test results cover two years.
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