Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Birchwood School

Q: Is Birchwood School a good school?

Birchwood School ranks 366 th of 1234 New York alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public, Alternative Grades K-12

366^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,234 New York Alternative Schools

Better than 70% of New York alternative schools

Summary

Birchwood School is an alternative public school located in West Nyack, NY, serving grades K-12 with a total enrollment of 77 students. It is part of the Clarkstown Central School District, which is ranked 225 out of 874 school districts in New York and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Birchwood School has consistently high 4-year graduation rates, ranging from 81.8% to 93.8% over the past few years, which are generally higher than the state average. The school also has relatively low dropout rates, ranging from 0.0% to 4.9% over the past few years, which are lower than the state average. However, the school's test scores are mixed compared to the state and district averages, with strong performance in some subjects like English Language Arts and U.S. History, but lagging behind in others like Algebra I and Earth Science. Birchwood School has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 26.87% to 42.86% over the past few years, which is higher than the state average. The school has also seen a significant increase in spending per student, from $64,885 in 2020-2021 to $108,407 in 2022-2023, which is much higher than the state average.

When comparing Birchwood School to nearby alternative schools, such as PS 168, PS 723, and Mount Pleasant-Cottage School, these schools have even higher percentages of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 82.14% to 93.63%. The nearby Atmosphere Academy Public Charter School has higher test scores in some subjects but lower scores in others compared to Birchwood School. Overall, Birchwood School appears to be a unique and specialized alternative school that is effectively supporting its students, as evidenced by its high graduation rates and low dropout rates, but may need to focus on improving its test scores in certain subject areas.

Students ?

3.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$10,056

Per pupil spending ?

42.4%

Free/discounted lunch ?

214 Sickletown Rd
West Nyack, NY 10994-2996

(845) 639-6480

District: Clarkstown Central School District

Racial breakdown:

White:

50.0%

Hispanic:

27.3%

Two or more races:

12.1%

See top rated New York elementary schools

Compare Birchwood School to nearby alternative schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 3rd percentile in 2014 → 70th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the New York average (79% vs 69% meeting standards)

✓Ranking is trending up — up 67 percentile points since 2014

✓Above the New York median (70th percentile)

Worth a look

!High chronic absenteeism (62% vs 31% New York)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school79%

District avg88%

New York avg69%

366^th of 1,234

New York public high schools ?

Top 30%▲ up 31 pts since 2015

From bottom 40% (2015) to top 30% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of New York High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

225^th of 874Clarkstown Central School District among New York districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New York percentile	Rating
2014	27.1	1793 of 2345	23.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	49.9	1323 of 2320	43.0%	★★☆☆☆
2011	42.7	1468 of 2286	35.8%	★★☆☆☆
2010	44.9	1423 of 2263	37.1%	★★☆☆☆
2009	24.9	1901 of 2257	15.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	16.6	1924 of 2219	13.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	32.8	1683 of 2206	23.7%	★☆☆☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New York percentile	Rating
2014	10.2	1359 of 1401	3.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	14.2	1223 of 1373	10.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	15.7	1141 of 1337	14.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	49.1	748 of 1295	42.2%	★★☆☆☆
2010	36.6	870 of 1243	30.0%	★★☆☆☆
2009	27.8	962 of 1224	21.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	27.3	868 of 1123	22.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	26.1	856 of 1095	21.8%	★☆☆☆☆

High school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New York percentile	Rating
2025	68.2	366 of 1234	70.3%	★★★★☆
2023	64.5	431 of 1228	64.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	27.3	847 of 1190	28.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	69.9	338 of 1207	72.0%	★★★★☆
2018	58.9	551 of 1210	54.5%	★★★☆☆
2017	32.6	807 of 1221	33.9%	★★☆☆☆
2016	49.5	659 of 1255	47.5%	★★☆☆☆
2015	42.3	759 of 1255	39.5%	★★☆☆☆
2014	26.4	894 of 1237	27.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	45.6	734 of 1217	39.7%	★★☆☆☆
2012	22.7	916 of 1198	23.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	35.4	789 of 1165	32.3%	★★☆☆☆
2010	51.3	617 of 1117	44.8%	★★☆☆☆
2009	50.0	628 of 1086	42.2%	★★☆☆☆
2008	23.0	827 of 1027	19.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	25.3	799 of 1002	20.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	27.5	765 of 986	22.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	51.4	572 of 935	38.8%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New York percentile	Rating
2025	92.8	33 of 1149	97.1%	★★★★★
2023	80.2	135 of 1130	88.1%	★★★★☆
2022	52.7	402 of 1038	61.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	96.6	2 of 1132	99.8%	★★★★★
2018	85.6	84 of 1095	92.3%	★★★★★

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

High school

Special Education (2025)97th percentile+27 vs school

By subject vs New York (2024-2025) ?

Common Core English Language Arts88%+12 vs state

U.S. History and Government88%+12 vs state

Earth and Space Sciences78%+22 vs state

Global History and Geography75%~ state avg

Algebra I60%+4 vs state

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate Birchwood School and help other families decide.

Rate Birchwood School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near Birchwood School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Immunizations Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking ()				Ranking ()				Regents Chemistry (2025)	Regents Common Core Algebra II (2025)	Regents Common Core English Language Arts (2025)	Regents Common Core Geometry (2025)	Regents Earth Science (2025)	Regents Global History and Geography (2025)	Regents Living Environment (2025)	Regents U.S. History and Government (2025)	Regents Algebra I (2025)	Regents Life Science Biology (2025)	Regents Geometry (2025)	Regents Earth and Space Sciences (2025)	NY State Assessments English Language Arts (2025)						NY State Assessments Math (2025)						NY State Assessments Science (2025)		% Completely Immunized (2020)	% Polio (2020)	% Measles (2020)	% Mumps (2020)	% Rubella (2020)	% Diphtheria (2020)	% Hepatitis B (2020)	% Varicella (2020)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	SchoolDigger Rating ()	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	Rank Change from Previous Year	Regents Chemistry End of Course	Regents Common Core Algebra II End of Course	Regents Common Core English Language Arts End of Course	Regents Common Core Geometry End of Course	Regents Earth Science End of Course	Regents Global History and Geography End of Course	Regents Living Environment End of Course	Regents U.S. History and Government End of Course	Regents Algebra I End of Course	Regents Life Science Biology End of Course	Regents Geometry End of Course	Regents Earth and Space Sciences End of Course	NY State Assessments English Language Arts 3rd Grade	NY State Assessments English Language Arts 4th Grade	NY State Assessments English Language Arts 5th Grade	NY State Assessments English Language Arts 6th Grade	NY State Assessments English Language Arts 7th Grade	NY State Assessments English Language Arts 8th Grade	NY State Assessments Math 3rd Grade	NY State Assessments Math 4th Grade	NY State Assessments Math 5th Grade	NY State Assessments Math 6th Grade	NY State Assessments Math 7th Grade	NY State Assessments Math 8th Grade	NY State Assessments Science 5th Grade	NY State Assessments Science 8th Grade	% Completely Immunized All Grades	% Polio All Grades	% Measles All Grades	% Mumps All Grades	% Rubella All Grades	% Diphtheria All Grades	% Hepatitis B All Grades	% Varicella All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Birchwood School	Public, Alternative	K-12	214 Sickletown Rd	West Nyack	10994	Rockland County	Clarkstown Central School District	No	No	No	No	(845) 639-6480	66	18	3.6	42.4%	33 (50.0%)	5 (7.6%)	18 (27.3%)	2 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (12.1%)								(n/a)			87.5			75.0		87.5	60.0			77.8															95.5	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	$10,056	$258	$9,799
Rockland Children's Psychiatric Center	Public, Alternative	6-11	2 First Ave-Bldg 129	Orangeburg	10962	Rockland County	New York State Office Mental Health (Omh)	No	No	No	No	(845) 680-4081	11				1 (9.1%)	5 (45.5%)	4 (36.4%)	1 (9.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Rockland BOCES	Public, Alternative	K-12	65 Parrott Rd	West Nyack	10994	Rockland County	Rockland BOCES	No	No	No	No	(845) 627-4701	1,115	162	6.8		374 (33.5%)	182 (16.3%)	449 (40.3%)	72 (6.5%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	34 (3.0%)								(n/a)																											97.0	99.2	99.5	99.6	99.6	99.2	99.6	99.1
Greenburgh Eleven Elementary School	Public, Alternative	K-11	1 Echo Hills - Bethune Bldg #	Dobbs Ferry	10522	Westchester County	Greenburgh Eleven Union Free School District	No	No	No	Yes	(914) 693-8500	17	7	2.5	41.2%	1 (5.9%)	6 (35.3%)	10 (58.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)																											82.8	93.1	93.1	93.1	93.1	93.1	93.1	93.1
Gerald F Neary Elementary School	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	20 George St	Haverstraw	10927	Rockland County	Haverstraw-Stony Point Central School District (North Rockl	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(845) 942-3450	122	12	9.9	41.8%	9 (7.4%)	26 (21.3%)	81 (66.4%)	4 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.6%)								(n/a)																																			$59,928	$1,709	$58,219
Martin Luther King Junior High School	Public, Alternative	8-12	1 S Broadway	Hastings On Hudson	10706	Westchester County	Greenburgh-Graham Union Free School District	No	No	No	Yes	(914) 478-1106	63	22	2.8	52.4%	6 (9.5%)	29 (46.0%)	27 (42.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.6%)								(n/a)																											89.6	99.2	99.2	99.2	99.2	99.2	99.2	99.2
Blythedale School	Public, Alternative	K-12	95 Bradhurst Ave	Valhalla	10595	Westchester County	Mount Pleasant-Blythedale Union Free School District	No	No	No	Yes	(914) 347-1800	133	21	6.1		41 (30.8%)	34 (25.6%)	53 (39.8%)	4 (3.0%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)						80.0																					94.1	96.6	95.8	95.8	95.8	98.3	97.5	95.8	$78,015	$424	$77,590
Cedar Knolls Academy	Public, Alternative	K-12	226 Linda Ave	Hawthorne	10532	Westchester County	Hawthorne-Cedar Knolls Union Free School District	No	No	No	Yes	(914) 749-2964	61	13	4.7	32.8%	11 (18.0%)	24 (39.3%)	19 (31.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (9.8%)								(n/a)																											98.8	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	$87,811	$1,375	$86,436
Charter School Of Educational Excellence	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	260 Warburton Ave	Yonkers	10701	Westchester County	Charter School Of Educational Excellence	Yes	No	No	Yes	(914) 476-5070	1,127	69	16.4	82.3%	14 (1.2%)	444 (39.4%)	620 (55.0%)	21 (1.9%)	3 (0.3%)	3 (0.3%)	22 (2.0%)								(n/a)	25.0	45.0	75.8	6.3	14.3	74.4	47.7	66.7	68.7	63.2	30.7	51.3	56.1	63.4	75.6	75.9	67.5	78.6	50.0	71.3	48.8	69.9	72.2		44.4										$18,523	$1,723	$16,800
Mount Pleasant-Cottage School	Public, Alternative	K-12	1075 Broadway	Pleasantville	10570	Westchester County	Mount Pleasant-Cottage Union Free School District	No	No	No	Yes	(914) 769-0456	122	10	11.6	86.9%	11 (9.0%)	65 (53.3%)	38 (31.1%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.8%)	6 (4.9%)								(n/a)			28.6			50.0	0.0	33.3									0.0	0.0					0.0	0.0		0.0	95.6	95.6	95.6	95.6	95.6	95.6	95.6	95.6	$77,555	$2,714	$74,841

Frequently Asked Questions about Birchwood School

What district is Birchwood School in?

Clarkstown Central School District

Is Birchwood School a good school?

Birchwood School ranks 366^th of 1234 New York alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Birchwood School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 66 students attended Birchwood School.

What is the racial makeup of Birchwood School?

Students at Birchwood School are 50% White, 27% Hispanic, 12% Two or more races, 8% African American, 3% Asian.

Rate Birchwood School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

NYNew York Alternative School Rankings

NYNew York District Rankings

Schools in West Nyack, NY

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Birchwood School!

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, the WNYC and the New York State Department of Health and the NY State Education Department.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.