U.S. News & World Report best elementary, middle schools in NYS: How Long Island schools ranked

Six Long Island schools were named among the state's top elementary and middle schools, down from 17 last year, according to rankings released Tuesday by U.S. News & World Report.

Of the schools highlighted, some generally high-performing schools saw their rankings slip down the list while others that previously lagged shot up, the U.S. News rankings show.

Quogue Elementary School rose from 181st place to 25th, Lakeville Elementary in Great Neck was ranked 35th, and A.P. Willits Elementary School in Syosset jumped from 183rd place to 40th.

Lakeville Elementary dropped from 12th place overall last year.

Jeffrey E. Ryvicker, the Quogue district superintendent, said in a statement it was an "extraordinary honor" to be recognized.

"A significant part of our success comes from our sustained investment in high quality professional development and our faculty's commitment to strengthening instructional practices," Ryvicker said. "We continually examine student performance data, refine our instructional approaches, and work collaboratively to ensure that we are meeting the diverse academic, social, and emotional needs of every student."

The Island’s top performing middle school was Cold Spring Harbor Jr./Sr. High School, which netted 26th place overall, an improvement from 70th place last year. Manhasset Middle School was in 39th place, dropping several spots from 35th place last year. Great Neck South Middle school secured 49th place, falling from 34th last year.

Cold Spring Harbor schools Superintendent Joe Monastero said in a statement, "We are incredibly proud of the Cold Spring Harbor School District and the extraordinary work taking place in our classrooms every day."

He added, "While national rankings provide one perspective, they cannot fully capture the exceptional opportunities, academic rigor, innovative programs, and outstanding achievements of our students and staff. Our success is defined by the experiences we create, the opportunities we provide, and the futures we help shape. We will continue to set high expectations, invest in excellence, and ensure that every student has the opportunity to thrive."

Kenneth R. Bossert, the Great Neck schools superintendent, also weighed in: "We’re proud that our schools continue to be recognized for academic excellence. ... Rankings may vary from year to year, but our community’s commitment to providing outstanding programs for every student remains consistent."

All three of the Jericho district’s elementary schools made the top 50 last year, but they fell to 58th (George A. Jackson), 71st (Jeffrey Ratner Robert Seaman) and 164th (Cantiague) this year.

No Long Island school was among the state’s top 20. Those spots were all secured by New York City public schools.

The schools were evaluated based on how students performed on math and reading/language arts state assessments, and those results were measured “alongside student demographic context,” a release by U.S. News states. The formula was applied to all grade levels.

Factors contributing to the reshuffling in rankings include a more nuanced picture of student performance due to a change in how data was collected this year and what the data now includes, according to Eric Brooks, director of education data analysis at U.S. News. This year, U.S. News, together with research group RTI International, culled data from state agencies that provided “more granular performance data,” versus what is available in the federal Education Department’s repository, Brooks said in an email.

Brooks said this year's rankings also included a greater number of small schools after the criteria dropped a requirement that previously limited participation to those with at least 30 test-takers.

The rankings have faced backlash from some academics, who have said the metrics system oversimplifies what schools truly offer.

U.S. News noted in its release that “updated rankings of public elementary and middle schools are one resource that can help you determine the best local schools for your children.”

More than 46,000 elementary schools and 24,756 middle schools were ranked across the country, according to U.S. News.

Charter school rankings

Charter schools, whose presence on Long Island has been growing, also were evaluated. No Long Island elementary charter school earned a spot in the top 50, but two middle schools secured places in their respective category.

Academy Charter School in Hempstead was ranked 33rd, and Riverhead Charter School in Calverton moved up to 42nd place from 57th last year.

This year's U.S. News' high schools rankings also saw some schools plunge due to a change in how the list was compiled. Among them were Jericho High School, which fell from 9th in New York last year to 41st; Great Neck South High School, which dropped from 21st to 43rd in the state; and Manhasset Secondary School, which placed 23rd in the state last year and 55th this year.