There’s more to New York than its largest city, yet the Big Apple is home to a lion’s share of the state’s public school students as the City School District of New York, with its 1.1 million plus students enrolled in over 1,800 schools, is the largest school system in the United States. However, the state’s best school districts are in service to smaller communities.

New York’s top school system is Manhasset Union Free School District, administering two kindergarten through 6th grade schools and one 7th through 12th grade school located in Manhasset on the North Shore of Long Island. According to U.S. News & World Report, the district boasts a whopping 98% graduation rate and students have achieved an English proficiency of 99%.

Rye City School District, comprising five schools in affluent Westchester County, ranks second on the list. Three of the elite district’s schools have earned National Blue Ribbon award honors, and the system has been ranked among the nation’s best by Newsweek, and other national publications.

Another Westchester County district, Byram Hills Central School District of Armonk, NY, ranks #3. 97% of Byram Hills students go on to college after graduating, according to the 2017-2018 profile.

We return to Nassau County, Long Island for #4 in the ranking, Jericho Union Free School District, a high achieving system of three elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school.

Closing out the top five is yet another Westchester County district, Irvington Union Free School District. Both Irvington Middle School and Irvington High School have been recognized in the past as schools of excellence.

Top School Districts in New York, 2018

State RankSchool DistrictState
1Manhasset Union Free School DistrictNew York
2Rye City School DistrictNew York
3Byram Hills Central School DistrictNew York
4Jericho Union Free School DistrictNew York
5Irvington Union Free School DistrictNew York
6Blind Brook-Rye Union Free School DistrictNew York
7Scarsdale Union Free School DistrictNew York
8Bronxville Union Free School DistrictNew York
9Garden City Union Free School DistrictNew York
10Chappaqua Central School DistrictNew York
11Ardsley Union Free School DistrictNew York
12Briarcliff Manor Union Free School DistrictNew York
13Syosset Central School DistrictNew York
14Fayetteville-Manlius Central School DistrictNew York
15Herricks Union Free School DistrictNew York
16East Williston Union Free School DistrictNew York
17Pelham Union Free School DistrictNew York
18Mamaroneck Union Free School DistrictNew York
19Katonah-Lewisboro Union Free School DistrictNew York
20Pittsford Central School DistrictNew York
21North Shore Central School DistrictNew York
22Eastchester Union Free School DistrictNew York
23Great Neck Union Free School DistrictNew York
24Locust Valley Central School DistrictNew York
25Tuckahoe Union Free School DistrictNew York
26Rye Neck Union Free School DistrictNew York
27Bolton Central School DistrictNew York
28Port Jefferson Union Free School DistrictNew York
29Nanuet Union Free School DistrictNew York
30Massapequa Union Free School DistrictNew York
31Penfield Central School DistrictNew York
32Hastings-On-Hudson Union Free School DistrictNew York
33Pleasantville Union Free School DistrictNew York
34Roslyn Union Free School DistrictNew York
35Williamsville Central School DistrictNew York
36Croton-Harmon Union Free School DistrictNew York
37Edgemont Union Free School DistrictNew York
38Half Hollow Hills Central School DistrictNew York
39Mount Pleasant Central School DistrictNew York
40Port Washington Union Free School DistrictNew York
41Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School DistrictNew York
42Smithtown Central School DistrictNew York
43Cold Spring Harbor Central School DistrictNew York
44Harborfields Central School DistrictNew York
45Brighton Central School DistrictNew York
46Harrison Central School DistrictNew York
47Sag Harbor Union Free School DistrictNew York
48North Salem Central School DistrictNew York
49Lynbrook Union Free School DistrictNew York
50Bethpage Union Free School DistrictNew York
51Niskayuna Central School DistrictNew York
52Wantagh Union Free School DistrictNew York
53Somers Central School DistrictNew York
54Three Village Central School DistrictNew York
55Bedford Central School DistrictNew York
56Jamesville-Dewitt Central School DistrictNew York
57Cazenovia Central School DistrictNew York
58Ramapo Central School District (Suffern)New York
59Voorheesville Central School DistrictNew York
60East Meadow Union Free School DistrictNew York
61Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Central School DistrictNew York
62Yorktown Central School DistrictNew York
63Seaford Union Free School DistrictNew York
64Oyster Bay-East Norwich Central School DistrictNew York
65Clarence Central School DistrictNew York
66Westhampton Beach Union Free School DistrictNew York
67Bethlehem Central School DistrictNew York
68Plainedge Union Free School DistrictNew York
69Bellmore-Merrick Central High School DistrictNew York
70Pearl River Union Free School DistrictNew York
71Northport-East Northport Union Free School DistrictNew York
72Guilderland Central School DistrictNew York
73Chazy Union Free School DistrictNew York
74Kings Park Central School DistrictNew York
75Dobbs Ferry Union Free School DistrictNew York
76Saratoga Springs City School DistrictNew York
77Commack Union Free School DistrictNew York
78Elwood Union Free School DistrictNew York
79Shenendehowa Central School DistrictNew York
80Skaneateles Central School DistrictNew York
81Bayport-Blue Point Union Free School DistrictNew York
82Carle Place Union Free School DistrictNew York
83Rockville Centre Union Free School DistrictNew York
84Cornwall Central School DistrictNew York
85Haldane Central School DistrictNew York
86South Orangetown Central School DistrictNew York
87Hewlett-Woodmere Union Free School DistrictNew York
88Mineola Union Free School DistrictNew York
89Hauppauge Union Free School DistrictNew York
90Westhill Central School DistrictNew York
91Red Hook Central School DistrictNew York
92West Irondequoit Central School DistrictNew York
93Clarkstown Central School DistrictNew York
94Shoreham-Wading River Central School DistrictNew York
95Victor Central School DistrictNew York
96Oceanside Union Free School DistrictNew York
97Sayville Union Free School DistrictNew York
98Mount Sinai Union Free School DistrictNew York
99Orchard Park Central School DistrictNew York
100Frontier Central School DistrictNew York

Methodology

The following contributed to the ranking: student performance (math and reading test scores), dropout rates, school funding, and area poverty rates. Data was collected from a total of 9,577 school districts.

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