Long Island School Performance & Rankings

Key findings show Long Island has over 125 school districts with a combined enrollment of about 460,000 students. Nassau’s average graduation rate is 92%, Suffolk’s is 89%, both above the state average. Spending per student ranges widely, with districts like Great Neck and Manhasset investing over $33,000 per pupil, while other districts spend closer to statewide averages. File photo: Gorodenkoff, licensed.

Long Island is home to some of New York State’s top-performing schools, making education a key factor for families deciding where to live. With 125+ school districts across Nassau and Suffolk Counties, performance levels vary, and official data helps provide clarity.

This page presents the latest school performance statistics using data from the New York State Education Department (NYSED) report cards and the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The tables below summarize graduation rates, test scores, per-pupil spending, and enrollment by district, offering parents and residents a fact-based overview of how schools measure up across Long Island.

Long Island Schools (Most Recent Year Available)

Category	Nassau County	Suffolk County	Long Island Total
School Districts	56	69	125
Total Enrollment	~200,000	~260,000	~460,000
Graduation Rate	92%	89%	90%
Avg. Per-Pupil Spending	$29,500	$27,800	$28,600

Source: NYSED School Report Cards; NCES Common Core of Data.

Graduation Rates by District (Selected Examples)

District	Graduation Rate (%)	Statewide Avg (%)
Jericho UFSD (Nassau)	99%	87%
Syosset CSD (Nassau)	98%	87%
Half Hollow Hills CSD (Suffolk)	96%	87%
Smithtown CSD (Suffolk)	94%	87%
Brentwood UFSD (Suffolk)	78%	87%

Per-Pupil Spending by District (Selected Examples)

District	Spending per Pupil	Statewide Avg
Great Neck UFSD (Nassau)	$34,200	$27,200
Manhasset UFSD (Nassau)	$33,100	$27,200
Huntington UFSD (Suffolk)	$28,900	$27,200
Riverhead CSD (Suffolk)	$25,800	$27,200

Enrollment by District (Selected Examples)

District	Enrollment	Notes
Brentwood UFSD (Suffolk)	17,000	Largest district on LI
Sachem CSD (Suffolk)	13,000	2nd largest
Hempstead UFSD (Nassau)	7,000	Large urban district
Jericho UFSD (Nassau)	3,000	Small but high-performing

Methodology

Data Sources: NYSED School Report Cards, NCES Common Core of Data.
Graduation Rate: Percent of students completing high school in four years.
Per-Pupil Spending: Total district expenditures divided by student enrollment.
Test Scores: Based on state assessments in ELA, Math, and Regents exams.
Scope: Public school districts in Nassau and Suffolk Counties.

FAQ

Q: What makes one district “better” than another?
A: This page presents official performance statistics, not rankings. Families may weigh graduation rates, test scores, or spending differently.

Q: Why are spending levels so different across districts?
A: School funding comes largely from local property taxes, creating significant variation.

Q: Are private schools included?
A: No — data reflects only public school districts reported to NYSED/NCES.

Q: How current is this data?
A: NYSED report cards are typically released annually in the spring for the prior school year.