Best Public Schools in Chester, NY

The city of Chester, New York is home to two schools: Chester Academy-Middle/High School and Chester Elementary School, both part of the Chester Union Free School District. Chester Academy-Middle/High School consistently ranks in the top half of New York high schools and outperforms the district and state on several key metrics, including graduation rates, Regents exam scores, and student-teacher ratios. In contrast, Chester Elementary School's performance has been more variable, with its statewide ranking fluctuating over the past three years.

Chester Academy-Middle/High School serves grades 6-12 and has a total enrollment of 570 students. It boasts a four-year graduation rate of 84.3% and a low dropout rate of 4.9%. The school's Regents exam scores are particularly impressive, with 95% proficiency in Algebra II, 93.51% in English Language Arts, and 86.02% in Global History and Geography. In comparison, Chester Elementary School serves grades PK-5 with an enrollment of 387 students, and its performance on state assessments is more mixed, sometimes meeting or exceeding the district average but often falling short of the state average.

Both schools have relatively high spending per student, with Chester Elementary School spending $19,330 per student and Chester Academy-Middle/High School spending $17,931 per student. Additionally, both schools have low student-teacher ratios, with Chester Elementary School at 11.5 and Chester Academy-Middle/High School at 11.3. These factors may contribute to the schools' academic performance, though the high rates of free and reduced lunch recipients (over 40% at both schools) suggest that the Chester community faces socioeconomic challenges that could impact student learning and achievement.