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Twenty-five years in education, and this week still gave me chills.
We spent hours analyzing every data point on the 2024 NJSLA results.
Not because we had to—because we needed to see if what we've been building in Fair Lawn is actually working.
Here's what the data revealed:
We compared Fair Lawn to 9 districts with comparable demographics and socioeconomic profiles—same household incomes, same challenges, same starting points.
Fair Lawn led that peer group in Mathematics, English Language Arts, and Science. Every subject. Every grade level.
Then we expanded the comparison to 12 wealthier districts—communities with higher property values, higher household incomes, and significantly more resources.
Fair Lawn outperformed that peer group in nearly every assessment.
The numbers tell the story:
✅ Fair Lawn leads in Mathematics at every grade level
✅ Fair Lawn leads in English Language Arts at every grade level
✅ Fair Lawn leads in Science at every grade level
✅ Fair Lawn outperforms wealthier districts in nearly every assessment
That's not chance.
That's what happens when teachers differentiate every lesson based on student need. When reading coaches work with young learners on phonemic awareness. When math coaches work closely with students and model strategies. When intervention specialists catch students before small gaps become permanent ones.
What's driving Fair Lawn's results?
It's the early literacy programs reaching our youngest learners, the math and reading coaches embedded in every elementary building, the data-driven instruction that responds to what students actually need, not what we assume they need. It's the multi-tiered systems of support that ensure no child falls through the cracks. And it's the 1,200 educators and staff who show up every day, believing every child can excel. Their dedication is what makes these results possible, and we couldn't be more proud and appreciative of their hard work.
In education, we debate endlessly about what works.
Excellence isn't determined by property values or demographics. It's built on rigorous curriculum, exceptional teaching, strategic support, and unwavering expectations.
Fair Lawn is proving it, and we're not stopping here. We're committed to continuous improvement, always striving to do better for our students.
These results belong to families who partner with us through challenging work. They belong to students who persist when problems get difficult. And they belong to educators who believe that every child—regardless of background—deserves our very best. But they also belong to our community, who play an integral role in our success. Their support and involvement are crucial, and we're grateful for their contribution.
Fair Lawn's 5,700 students are demonstrating what's possible when a community refuses to settle.
We're grateful to serve alongside them, and we're committed to continuing our pursuit of excellence. These results are just the beginning, and we're inspired and motivated to see what more we can achieve together.
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