The 6 Worst Schools In New York Today

According to the U.S. News and World Report, New York State is currently ranked as the 20th best state to live in the United States. The rankings are based on factors such as healthcare, economy, infrastructure, and, of course, public education. Overall, New York State performs well in public education. However, there are several underfunded school districts in the state where disadvantaged students are struggling to keep up with their peers. Today, we will examine the worst schools in New York State to understand the challenges they face.

New York State's Public Education: An Overview

According to Scholaroo, New York State is ranked sixth for having the best public schools in the United States. For 2023, WalletHub ranks New York as the 15th most educated state in the country. The criteria for a well-educated population include Bachelor's degree holders, education levels, the quality of the state's public education, and gender and race achievement gaps.

Despite the good news, there are still several schools in New York State that are not meeting performance standards. These schools have low graduation rates, low proficiency test scores, poor college preparation, and negative online reviews.

The Worst Performing School Districts in New York State

Many of the lowest-performing schools appear in the same school districts. These are the top three districts with the lowest scores in New York State today.

Greenburgh Eleven Union Free District

The Greenburgh Eleven Union Free School District is a public school district situated in Dobbs Ferry, New York. The district has a total of 69 students enrolled in grades K-12. State test scores indicate that only 15 percent of students in this district are proficient in math, and only 10 percent demonstrate proficiency in reading. Unfortunately, in 2022, the district's graduation rate was only 22 percent.

Mount Pleasant-Cottage Union Free District

This public school district is situated in Pleasantville and comprises just two schools with a total of 203 students from kindergarten to 12th grade. Despite the low student-teacher ratio of six to one, the state test scores indicate that only 25 percent of students are proficient in math and reading. Shockingly, the district's graduation rate is a mere 10 percent.

Poughkeepsie City School District

The Poughkeepsie City School District is a public school district located in Poughkeepsie, New York. It caters to a total of 4,226 students, ranging from Pre-K to grade 12. As per the state test scores, only 29 percent of its students are proficient in math, while only 42 percent are proficient in reading. Unfortunately, as of 2022, the graduation rate of the school district is as low as 60 percent.

The Worst Schools in New York State

All of these schools have low proficiency test scores, graduation rates, and poor ratings by credible sources like U.S. News and World Report and online school ranking websites like Niche. They also have high instances of absenteeism and poor reviews from parents and students. Here are the worst-performing junior high and high schools in New York State today.

George Junior Republic School

24 McDonald Rd., Freeville, NY 13068

George Junior Republic School is a public school situated in Freeville, NY. This school caters to 126 students from grades seven to 12 and has an impressive student-teacher ratio of four to one, which is much lower than the national average. However, the state test scores reveal that only 15 percent of students are proficient in both math and reading. The school's low student-to-teacher ratio should provide students with more individualized attention, but their test scores do not reflect this.

Greenburgh Eleven Middle School

1 Echo Hills – Bethune Building #36, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522

Greenburgh Eleven Middle School is a small school that serves only 11 students in grades seven through 11. Unfortunately, the school has not performed well on overall test scores and falls in the bottom 50 percent of all schools in New York. Less than fifty percent of students achieved proficiency in both math and reading for the 2020-21 school year. While it is a positive factor that there are only two students per teacher, the small class sizes are not helping students achieve basic measurements.

G.W. Krieger School

265 Hooker Avenue, Poughkeepsie, NY 12603

G.W. Krieger School is a public school located in Poughkeepsie, New York. The school provides education for students from kindergarten to ninth grade, catering to around 457 students. The school has a diverse student body that comprises students from different ethnicities, cultures, and backgrounds.

In terms of diversity, the school received an A grade from the school rankings website Niche. However, Niche only gave the school a C grade for academics and teachers. According to state test scores, the school performed poorly. Only 32 percent of students were proficient in reading and just 12 percent in math. Moreover, G.W. Krieger School's overall test scores put them in the bottom 50 percent of schools in New York State.

Math Science Technology Preparatory School

646 E Delavan Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14215

Math Science Technology Preparatory School, commonly referred to as P.S. 197, is a public school situated in Buffalo. The school currently has 493 students enrolled in grades six through twelve. While it boasts a low student-teacher ratio of eight to one and a name that suggests an emphasis on mathematics, only 32 percent of students demonstrate proficiency in math. Meanwhile, only 25 percent demonstrate proficiency in reading.

The Worst Colleges and Universities in New York State

New York State is home to several renowned colleges, including Cornell, Barnard, Juilliard, Vassar, and Columbia University. These institutions have set a lofty standard for higher education not only in New York but also across the country.

Unfortunately, not all colleges in the state reach these elevated heights. Some of the worst-performing colleges have a low graduation rate. They also tend to leave students with a significant amount of student debt. Graduates from these colleges often earn less than their counterparts who graduated from other colleges. Here are two of the worst-ranked colleges in New York State today.

Hartwick College

1 Hartwick Drive, Oneonta, NY 13820

Hartwick College is a private institution located in Oneonta, New York. Founded in 1797, the college has a total undergraduate enrollment of around 1,100 students. This rural college has an average tuition of $52,849 per year. However, its graduation rate is forty-four percent, which is extremely low for a school with such expensive tuition. The median starting salary for graduates is $30,689 per year, which is also quite low for an expensive school that will likely leave students with a significant amount of debt.

Furthermore, students at the school say in online reviews that the 475-acre campus is challenging to navigate due to its hilly terrain. The students also feel that the atmosphere is cliquey and that there are limited activities to participate in. Additionally, they express concerns about the state of the dormitories. Lastly, some students are worried about the cost of education at Hartwick and whether it will be feasible for them to complete their studies. All of these factors landed Hartwick College on the worst colleges list.

SUNY Adirondack Community College

640 Bay Road, Queensbury, NY 12804

SUNY Adirondack is a community college located in Queensbury, New York. It is a relatively small institution with an enrollment of only 1,349 undergraduate students. The acceptance rate of SUNY Adirondack is 100%, which means that anyone who applies will be accepted. However, only 36 percent of students graduate, which is well below the national average. On average, alums earn a starting salary of $26,400 after graduation, which is very low.

If these reasons are not enough, only 33 percent of students gave high rankings to the athletics, recreation, and dining facilities. Furthermore, students express dissatisfaction with the financial aid and career guidance departments. They also offer mixed reviews about the quality of the professors. Many state that the school does not offer enough advanced classes. After considering all these factors, it may be wise to reconsider applying to this school.

In Summary

New York State has some of the best and most renowned educational institutions in the country. However, there are still schools in the state that are not hitting their academic marks. According to proficiency test results, the students at these schools struggle in basic math and reading. As a result, they are not well-prepared for college, which puts them at a disadvantage.

Moreover, some of the colleges in the state have high tuition fees but low graduation rates and post-graduate salaries. When considering schools for your children, it is important to take rankings into account. Understanding school rankings and identifying better schools is essential for providing the best possible education for your child.

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