Highland Falls Central School District, NY

Original Research by School Decision on Highland Falls Central School District

Highland Falls Central School District serves a mixed-income area of Orange County and enrolls students from pre-kindergarten through grade twelve across three buildings: Fort Montgomery Elementary, Highland Falls Intermediate School, and James I. O'Neill High School. The district population is diverse, with roughly half white students, a substantial share of Hispanic students, and meaningful Asian and Black enrollment. Economic data on free-or-reduced-price-lunch eligibility was not available, but housing values in the district's service areas are moderate to moderately high, with rental costs consuming a meaningful share of household income in some communities the district covers.

On state assessments administered in elementary and middle grades, the district shows mixed and uneven results. In grades three through five, proficiency in math ranges from roughly one-third to two-thirds of students meeting the proficiency threshold, with fourth grade notably stronger and third grade notably weaker. English language arts results in those grades run from about two-fifths in grade three to near two-thirds in grade four, then soften to roughly three-fifths in grade five. By grades six through eight, math proficiency centers around the low-to-mid fifties, with one reading comprehension result just above half. Science proficiency in the tested grades is lower overall, with one grade five result near two-fifths and one grade eight result near one-third. Across subjects and grades, the district sits above the median proficiency rate among Orange County's other districts, though participation rates in some grades dip to the low-to-mid forties, suggesting that some students did not sit for assessments. A parent may want to look into the district's approach to assessment participation and any academic support strategies in those grades where both proficiency and participation are below typical levels.

The district faces significant budget strain. Since 2021 it has lost a substantial sum in tuition-based revenue, and the adopted budget for 2025-26 included six position cuts and a tax levy increase. That revenue decline stems partly from shifts in the pool of students paying tuition to attend; the district does hold a long-term contract with the Department of Defense Education Activity to serve military dependents from West Point, and that contract was renewed in 2022 after competitive bidding, but the overall tuition base has shrunk. This ongoing fiscal pressure means families may see continued tightening in program offerings and staffing. On the positive side, in 2023 voters approved a major capital project that has funded facility upgrades across all three schools, including heating and cooling systems, classroom air conditioning, roof replacements, and kitchen and accessibility renovations. That modernization has been underway through fall 2025 and should create fresher, more functional learning and living spaces.

One operational disruption that directly affected elementary families occurred when Fort Montgomery Elementary was temporarily closed for the 2024-2025 school year to allow extensive renovations to proceed. Those families had their children reassigned to other buildings during that period. The district has also ended the installment payment plan for school taxes, requiring all bills to be paid in full by November, a change that affects how families budget property tax payments.

Chronic absenteeism in the district sits in the bottom quartile among county districts, suggesting that attendance is a concern relative to peer districts, which a parent may want to discuss directly with school leadership. Per-pupil spending is in the upper range among Orange County districts, reflecting the district's smaller enrollment relative to some neighbors and its capital investment activity.

The district operates as a traditional public district with no charter or magnet designation. Graduation rate data for the high school was not available. Information about program breadth, course offerings, or specialized pathways was not provided in accessible form. A parent investigating fit for their student should reach out to the district directly about specific program offerings, especially at the high school level, and about the district's academic support and intervention strategies in light of the proficiency and participation patterns evident in state testing results.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

1,022

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 32%

Black 10%

White 51%

Asian 2%

Two+ 5%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr EOC

74%

—

Gr 3

34%

48%

Gr 4

75%

59%

Gr 5

53%

68%

Gr 6

64%

42%

Gr 7

32%

56%

Gr 8

52%

61%

Math

Gr EOC

50%

—

Gr 3

29%

44%

Gr 4

65%

73%

Gr 5

52%

58%

Gr 6

44%

Gr 7

33%

67%

Gr 8

67%

Science

Gr EOC

—

Gr 5

33%

58%

Gr 8

32%

33%

Social studies

Gr EOC

68%

—

Schools in this District

3 schools are officially reported under this district.

HIGHLAND FALLS INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL

JAMES I O'NEILL HIGH SCHOOL

FORT MONTGOMERY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

36%

Grade 3

69%

Grade 4

54%

Grade 5

44%

Grade 6

55%

Grade 7

67%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

41%

Grade 3

67%

Grade 4

59%

Grade 5

55%

Grade 6

46%

Grade 7

56%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

43%

Grade 5

32%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$424,365

Year-over-year change+1.9%

Range across 4 ZIP codes$412K to $565K

vs. state typical0.83x

vs. national typical1.15x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (4 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
10928	Highland Falls	$412K	+1.5%	62.3%
10922	Fort Montgomery	$456K	+4.5%	9.6%
10930	Highland Mills	$533K	+2.8%	4.2%
10917	Central Valley	$565K	+1.4%	0.1%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$3,533/mo

ZIP code rents (1 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
10928	Highland Falls	$3,533	—	62.3%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$2,141/mo

Home price / national median income5.1x

Annual rent / national median income50.6%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$1,392/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$510,449 (+5.0% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.