Edgemont School District

September 18, 2026

Dear Edgemont Families,

As we settle into the new school year, we want to take a moment to share some outstanding news regarding our students' academic performance. The New York State Education Department recently released the preliminary data for the 2025-2026 Grades 3-8 assessments in English Language Arts (ELA), Mathematics, and Science. When comparing Edgemont Schools’ performance to that of the rest of New York State, the disparity is drastic, and it is one we are incredibly proud of.

Across every grade level and subject area, our students continue to significantly outperform state averages. While the state average for proficiency hovers around 48% in ELA, 57% in Math, and 47% in Science, Edgemont students are consistently achieving proficiency rates between 75% and 96%. In many of our cohorts, our students are outperforming the state average by 30 to 45 percentage points.

Furthermore, examining this data longitudinally provides a clear picture of our students' trajectory toward excellence. Comparing our results from the 2024-2025 school year to those from the 2025-2026 school year shows that this is not a one-time achievement but a sustained standard of high performance.

A few longitudinal and comparative highlights include:

• Exceptional Math Mastery: Our 3rd- and 4th-grade students achieved an incredible 95.9% and 93.6% proficiency in Mathematics, respectively. To put this in perspective, the state average is 57%. We also saw a massive 25% year-over-year increase in proficiency in our 8th-grade standard math cohort.
• Consistent ELA Excellence: Despite significant, well-documented drops in elementary ELA proficiency across New York State this past year (including a 14-point drop statewide for 5th grade), our instructional foundation held remarkably strong. Our students navigated these state-level fluctuations with resilience, maintaining ELA proficiency rates that are 30 to 37 percentage points higher than the state averages.
• Standout Science Achievement: Our 8th-grade science proficiency grew to 92.1% this year, soaring a full 45 percentage points higher than the New York State average.

This significant, positive disparity between Edgemont Schools and the rest of the state is not accidental. It is the direct result of the hard work and curiosity of our students, the exceptional dedication and expertise of our educators at Greenville, Seely Place, and Edgemont Junior/Senior High School, and the unwavering support and partnership of you, our parents.

While the standards established by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) provide an important public benchmark, they are not the ceiling for what we expect of ourselves in Edgemont. We aspire to standards of excellence that extend well beyond proficiency on a state assessment.

Nevertheless, these measures provide important context for understanding the results presented in public-facing reports and offer one lens through which we can assess our students’ performance and our continued progress. In releasing these figures, the state has been transparent about the systemic challenges seen across New York this year. Acknowledging the statewide drop in ELA scores, NYSED Department Spokesperson JP O’Hare stated:

“These preliminary results show a significant decline in statewide English Language Arts performance for some grade levels compared with the prior year. The Department takes this decline seriously and will conduct a detailed analysis to better understand where students are experiencing challenges... We will not minimize or attempt to explain away what the data tell us. When scores increase, we report that progress. When they decline, we report that as well... We report them transparently, whether they reflect progress or setbacks, and we use them to improve teaching and learning.”

The statewide decline in Grade 5 ELA performance warrants careful consideration when interpreting these results. Given the consistency of the trend across the state, it may reflect factors related to the assessment itself, including the alignment of the measures with Grade 5 learning standards, rather than a corresponding decline in students’ mastery of Grade 5 ELA content and skills. We will continue to review our local data alongside other measures of student performance and await further guidance from the State regarding its analysis of the Grade 5 results.

At Edgemont, we appreciate and share the Department’s commitment to transparency and continuous improvement. We remain committed to supporting every student's growth and will continue to use this data to refine our instruction and ensure that our trajectory of excellence continues for years to come. You will hear from the principal of the respective elementary schools about individual student NYSED Assessment Results.

Thank you for your continued partnership in making Edgemont Schools a place where students truly thrive.

Yours for the sake of ALL children,

Dr. Kenneth R. Hamilton

Superintendent of Schools