Lyme Central School District, NY

Original Research by School Decision on Lyme Central School District

Lyme Central School District serves a small, pre-kindergarten through twelfth-grade population in Jefferson County in the North Country region of New York. The district operates a single building in Chaumont that houses all grade levels.

The district's academic profile is uneven. In the most recent state testing cycle, overall proficiency across tested subjects and grade levels sits slightly above the midpoint when compared to other Jefferson County districts. In elementary grades, fourth grade shows relative strength in both English language arts and math. Performance weakens in fifth grade and through the middle grades, particularly in sixth-grade English language arts. By eighth grade, proficiency in English language arts improves again, while math and science show modest but comparable performance. Across tested grades, participation rates are generally high, suggesting good test-taking engagement. A parent considering this district should recognize that proficiency is mixed: some grades and subjects perform respectably, while others fall below half of students meeting grade-level standards.

The district has taken steps to address aging infrastructure. In October 2023, voters approved a capital improvement project funded through district reserves and state building aid to upgrade heating, plumbing, electrical systems, and boilers in the building. This modernization directly affects the physical environment in which students and staff work every day.

A significant financial management issue surfaced in an October 2024 New York State Comptroller audit. The district overestimated its budget appropriations by substantial annual amounts from 2020 through 2023, leading to fund balance accumulating well above the state statutory limit. This meant local property taxes were higher than operationally necessary. The district has committed to corrective action. For a family considering relocation to the area, this matters directly: school tax bills were affected, and the management practices underlying that situation merit understanding the district's current financial discipline and transparency.

Chronic absenteeism is a concern. The district's rate falls in the bottom quartile among county districts, suggesting attendance challenges that may reflect transportation, economic, or community factors. Per-pupil spending is in the upper range for the county, indicating the district allocates substantial resources per student, though that spending has not translated into uniformly strong test results.

The enrollment is small, with roughly equal numbers of students across the high school grades and somewhat larger cohorts in the middle and upper elementary grades. The student body is predominantly white, with modest representation of Hispanic and multiracial students and very small numbers of Asian and Black students. Free-and-reduced-price lunch data was not available, so household economic need cannot be directly assessed.

A parent evaluating Lyme Central should view this as a small, rural district managing both academic performance that varies by grade and subject, and recent financial practices that drew state scrutiny. The infrastructure investment is concrete and welcome. The academic results warrant direct conversation with the school about what support and remediation are available in the weaker-performing grades and subjects.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

353

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 5%

Black 2%

White 89%

Asian 0%

Two+ 3%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr EOC

73%

—

Gr 3

42%

50%

Gr 4

71%

69%

Gr 5

60%

63%

Gr 6

22%

58%

Gr 7

38%

40%

Gr 8

43%

88%

Math

Gr EOC

38%

—

Gr 3

17%

50%

Gr 4

57%

77%

Gr 5

40%

38%

Gr 6

67%

72%

Gr 7

50%

60%

Gr 8

50%

67%

Science

Gr EOC

18%

—

Gr 5

47%

25%

Gr 8

50%

75%

Social studies

Gr EOC

100%

—

Schools in this District

1 schools are officially reported under this district.

LYME CENTRAL SCHOOL

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

33%

Grade 3

70%

Grade 4

39%

Grade 5

69%

Grade 6

56%

Grade 7

56%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

46%

Grade 3

70%

Grade 4

61%

Grade 5

41%

Grade 6

39%

Grade 7

59%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

39%

Grade 5

60%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$251,437

Year-over-year change+7.8%

Range across 5 ZIP codes$234K to $318K

vs. state typical0.49x

vs. national typical0.68x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (5 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
13622	Chaumont	$246K	+6.1%	54.1%
13693	Three Mile Bay	$254K	+11.1%	35.3%
13624	Clayton	$318K	+5.1%	4.2%
13618	Cape Vincent	$243K	+5.7%	3.6%
13634	Dexter	$234K	+4.1%	2.8%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,269/mo

Home price / national median income3.0x

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.