Middle Schools in Riverhead Central School District

The Riverhead Central School District in New York operates two middle schools: Riverhead Middle School and Pulaski Street Elementary School. Both schools serve students in grades 5-8 and face significant challenges in providing a high-quality education to their students.

Based on the available data, neither Riverhead Middle School nor Pulaski Street Elementary School are performing at a high level. Both schools have consistently lower proficiency rates on the New York State Assessments compared to the state averages, particularly in English Language Arts and Math. For example, Riverhead Middle School's 7th grade ELA proficiency rate was just 21.2% in 2024-2025, compared to the state average of 50.99%. Additionally, both schools have high percentages of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a relatively high-need student population.

Despite the higher spending per student and smaller class sizes at both schools, the academic performance has not shown significant improvement over the past two years. This suggests that the Riverhead Central School District is struggling to effectively allocate resources and implement instructional practices that can support student learning and close the achievement gaps. The persistent underperformance of these schools raises concerns about the equity of educational opportunities available to the district's students.