What Are the Best Schools in Fort Lee NJ? A 2026 Parent's Guide

If you are looking at Fort Lee for its commute and its dining, the schools are the part of the decision that takes the longest to understand. The good news is that the Fort Lee School District is a solidly above-average district on paper, with strong academics, a highly diverse student body, and standout college preparation at the high school level.

Here is a straight 2026 look at the district, from the elementary schools up to Fort Lee High School, plus the honest caveats about what the ratings do and do not tell you.

How Good Is the Fort Lee School District Overall?

The Fort Lee School District serves roughly 4,000 students across about six schools, from pre-K through grade 12. On Niche it earns an Overall Grade of A- with a 4.27 out of 5 user rating, ranking #63 among the best school districts in New Jersey. U.S. News profiles the district with a 12 to 1 student-teacher ratio.

The strongest sub-ratings are the ones parents care most about for college-bound kids: Academics earns an A, Teachers an A-, and College Prep an A+. Diversity also earns an A-, reflecting a genuinely multicultural student body that matches the borough itself.

The Elementary Schools: Four Neighborhood Schools

Fort Lee families feed into four neighborhood elementary schools: School No. 1, School No. 2, School No. 3, and School No. 4, each serving grades K through 4. Because the borough is compact, most kids can walk or take a very short ride to class, which is one of the quiet perks of living here.

Which school your address feeds into depends on your specific block, so I always tell buyers to confirm the boundary before falling in love with a particular home. A quick call to the district office settles it.

Lewis F. Cole Middle School: The Bridge to High School

Students come together at Lewis F. Cole Middle School, which serves grades 5 through 8. The consolidation into one middle school gives the district a shared academic program for the upper grades and makes the transition to high school a smaller, more predictable step.

It also means the district is small enough that teachers know students by name, a real advantage for families moving mid-year or for kids who need a little extra attention.

Fort Lee High School: Strong College Prep

Fort Lee High School serves grades 9 through 12 and is the district's flagship, with an A+ rating for college prep on Niche. For families whose goal is a competitive college application, that is the number that matters most.

The honest flip side: clubs, athletics, and some facilities rate lower, in the C range, so families who want a deep extracurricular roster or top-tier sports programs should weigh those priorities against the strong academics. It is a good school, and it is not trying to be everything to everyone.

How Do Fort Lee Schools Compare to Nearby Towns?

Fort Lee sits in the middle of the Bergen County pack. Districts like Tenafly and Englewood carry stronger reputations and higher price tags, while Fort Lee delivers very solid academics at a more accessible entry point. For a countywide ranking, see our guide to the best schools in Bergen County.

For specialized programs, Bergen County Academies in Hackensack is open to Fort Lee students through countywide admissions, and private and parochial options are close by in Tenafly, Englewood, and Leonia.

What the Ratings Do Not Tell You

A district grade is a snapshot, not a promise. Boundaries change, staffing changes, and the school your address feeds into today may not be the one it feeds into next year. I recommend touring the actual schools, reading recent test results and budgets, and talking to a few parents before you decide.

And remember that schools are part of a bigger trade-off. Fort Lee's draw is the housing market, the commute, and the things to do right outside the school doors.

The Bottom Line for Fort Lee Families

Fort Lee is a genuinely good school town: an A- district, strong academics and college prep, and a diverse community, all inside a borough where the commute to Manhattan is measured in minutes. If your priority is an elite athletics program or a sprawling set of after-school activities, you may want to look at higher-priced districts. For most families, Fort Lee schools are a real strength of the town.

If you are comparing Fort Lee with nearby towns and want to weigh schools against price, taxes, and commute, I would be glad to help. With 32+ years in this corridor, I know the districts and the blocks that feed them. Planning a move to or from New Jersey? You might also want to read our NJ to Florida relocation guide.