Island Park Union Free School District, NY

Original Research by School Decision on Island Park Union Free School District

Island Park Union Free School District serves prekindergarten through eighth grade across a modest enrollment in Nassau County. The district operates two schools: Francis X. Hegarty Elementary and Island Park Lincoln Orens Middle School.

Academic performance shows a mixed picture across the tested grades. In mathematics, proficiency varies significantly by grade level. Third and fourth graders show moderate performance in the mid to upper range, while fifth graders drop noticeably lower. Sixth grade rebounds to stronger results, then seventh and eighth grades decline again. English language arts follows a similar pattern: solid early elementary work in third and fourth grades, a dip in fifth, recovery in sixth, then declining results in seventh and eighth. Science data is limited; the district reports results only for fifth grade, where about half of tested students reach proficiency. Science testing for eighth grade shows no reported results. Overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades places the district in the bottom quartile among Nassau County districts.

Participation rates decline notably in the upper grades, particularly in seventh and eighth grade testing, which may reflect students transitioning out of the district or other enrollment shifts. This pattern warrants a closer look with the school directly to understand the dynamics.

The student body is diverse. White students represent roughly half the enrollment, while Hispanic students make up a substantial share at more than a third. Asian and Black students each account for a small share of the population. The specific counts for free-and-reduced-price lunch eligibility, English learners, and students with IEPs were not available in the reporting data.

Chronic absenteeism runs slightly above the midpoint for Nassau County districts at around one-fifth of students, suggesting attendance may be an area the district monitors.

The district's per-pupil current spending is in the upper range among county districts, reflecting significant investment in school operations.

Island Park itself is a residential community in Nassau County on Long Island. Housing values are substantial, placing the area in an upper-middle market segment for the region. Rental costs are correspondingly high. Both home prices and rents have seen modest year-over-year increases. The housing market shows moderate supply but weaker demand compared to recent years.

A major context for families considering moving into Island Park is the resolution of a long-standing property tax issue. A 2022 settlement between LIPA and Nassau County phased down the property taxes the E.F. Barrett Power Station pays to the district over a defined span. Historically, the plant funded close to half the district budget. As those payments decline, the tax burden has shifted substantially to local homeowners. However, the district has managed recent budgets by holding the tax levy flat for two consecutive years, aided by a state-aid increase tied to a lowered combined wealth ratio following a separate property-assessment settlement. Parents should understand that long-term property tax pressure remains likely unless state aid formulas shift again.

The district has invested in a curriculum overhaul for kindergarten through third grade centered on science-of-reading approaches, including updated decodable texts, universal screening tools, and aligned professional development. This is a direct change in how the youngest students are taught foundational literacy skills.

See more original research from School Decision →

District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

739

Grades

PK–08

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 38%

Black 4%

White 51%

Asian 4%

Two+ 4%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

35%

58%

Gr 4

50%

71%

Gr 5

52%

62%

Gr 6

64%

57%

Gr 7

38%

48%

Gr 8

41%

35%

Math

Gr EOC

100%

—

Gr 3

40%

74%

Gr 4

35%

76%

Gr 5

18%

63%

Gr 6

58%

83%

Gr 7

31%

50%

Gr 8

25%

33%

Science

Gr EOC

65%

—

Gr 5

46%

55%

Schools in this District

2 schools are officially reported under this district.

FRANCIS X HEGARTY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

ISLAND PARK LINCOLN ORENS MIDDLE SCHOOL

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

57%

Grade 3

60%

Grade 4

43%

Grade 5

76%

Grade 6

44%

Grade 7

30%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

46%

Grade 3

63%

Grade 4

57%

Grade 5

59%

Grade 6

45%

Grade 7

37%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

51%

Grade 5

Grade 8

Social Studies

2 grades reported

100%

Grade 5

93%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$747,474

Year-over-year change+3.6%

vs. state typical1.46x

vs. national typical2.03x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (1 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
11558	Island Park	$747K	+3.6%	100.0%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$3,800/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (1 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
11558	Island Park	$3,800	—	100.0%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$3,772/mo

Home price / national median income8.9x

Annual rent / national median income54.5%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$28/mo

Market Activity: Nassau County

Median listing price$949,995

Median listing price YoY+5.7%

Median price per sq ft$549

Median price per sq ft YoY+6.0%

Median days on market38.0 days

Median days on market YoY-8.4%

Active listings2,454

Active listings YoY+5.8%

New listings1,564

New listings YoY-1.3%

Pending listings1,616

Pending listings YoY-36.8%

Hotness: median listing price$934,000

Hotness: median listing price YoY+3.9%

Supply score81.9

Supply score YoY+19.1%

Demand score35.3

Demand score YoY+15.1%

Median listing price (12 months)

Median price per sq ft (12 months)

Median days on market (12 months)

Active listings (12 months)

New listings (12 months)

Pending listings (12 months)

Hotness: median listing price (12 months)

Supply score (12 months)

Demand score (12 months)

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.