Jericho Named Best School District In NY; Syosset Is No. 4: Niche

SYOSSET, NY — The public school districts in Jericho and Syosset are both among the top five in the state, according to a new report.

Niche, a school search platform that ranks K-12 schools and colleges, last week released its "best schools" rankings for 2021. The site ranked the Jericho Union Free School District No. 1 in the state. The Syosset Central School District was ranked fourth in the state.

Jericho Senior High School was ranked the No. 5 best public high school in the state, while Syosset Senior High School was ranked No. 10.

Best School Districts In New York

1. Jericho Union Free School District
2. Great Neck Public Schools
3. Scarsdale Union Free School District
4. Syosset Central School District
5. Roslyn Union Free School District
6. Herricks Union Free School District
7. Manhasset Union Free School District
8. Byram Hills Central School District
9. Bronxville Union Free School District
10. Pelham Union Free School District

Best Public High Schools In New York

1. Stuyvesant High School
2. Staten Island Technical High School
3. Bronx High School of Science
4. Townsend Harris High School
5. Jericho Senior High School
6. Great Neck South High School
7. High School for Math Science & Engineering at The City College of New York
8. Scarsdale Senior High School
9. High School of American Studies at Lehman College
10. Syosset Senior High School

Niche said it ranks school districts based on a rigorous analysis of academic and student life data from the U.S. Department of Education. It also includes test scores, college data, and ratings from the sites users.

With updated data for 94,710 public schools, 24,099 private schools and 11,822 school districts nationwide, Niche’s rankings provide an in-depth analysis of the quality of a given school, allowing parents and students to find the best fit for their individual needs with ease.

The site gives more weight to certain metrics, such as a 50 percent weight based on academics, including state assessment proficiency, SAT and ACT scores, and survey responses on academics from students and parents. A 15-ercent weight is also given to teachers, including salary, absenteeism, state rest results, and survey responses on teachers from students and parents.

This year, Bergen County Academies in Hackensack, New Jersey, was ranked the best public school in America, rising from No. 5 last year and No. 12 the year before.

2021 Best Public High Schools

1. Bergen County Academies (Hackensack, NJ)
2. Massachusetts Academy of Math & Science (Worcester, MA)
3. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology (Alexandria, VA)
4. North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (Durham, NC)
5. Maggie Walker Governor's School (Richmond, VA)

"2020 has been an unprecedented year on multiple fronts and yet people are making big life decisions, like moving somewhere new or adjusting to a different work situation. A lot of times, those changes are tied into choosing a school for their kids," Luke Skurman, Founder and CEO at Niche, said in a news release.

Click here to see the full list of the 2021 Best Schools rankings.