Montauk Union Free School District, NY

Original Research by School Decision on Montauk Union Free School District

Montauk Union Free School District serves a small collection of early and middle grades in an affluent waterfront community on the eastern tip of Long Island. The district operates one school serving pre-K through eighth grade, with a student body of roughly three hundred students. The enrollment is predominantly white, with a substantial Hispanic population and a smaller representation of other racial groups. Free-or-reduced-price lunch data and English learner counts were not available, limiting visibility into economic need and language support.

The district's academic profile is mixed across recent state testing results. In English language arts, performance varies considerably by grade. Fourth grade showed stronger proficiency, while third and fifth grades fell below. Sixth grade recovered to solid performance. Seventh grade remained moderate, and eighth grade reached complete proficiency, though with a much smaller participation rate. In mathematics, the pattern is similar: fourth grade stood out, but fifth and sixth grades dipped to the lower end of the range, while seventh grade moved back to moderate levels. Eighth grade math results are suppressed due to very low participation. Science testing at fifth grade showed moderate proficiency, and eighth grade science involved only a small tested population. State testing data for social studies is available only from well over a decade ago and is no longer current. A parent may want to ask the district directly what academic supports are in place for the grades and subjects showing lower performance, and what drives the notably low participation rates in eighth grade math and science.

Among Suffolk County's seventy-three districts, Montauk's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile, a strength grounded in its generally solid performance across tested grades, despite the year-to-year variability. Chronic absenteeism, however, falls into the bottom quartile of the county comparison set, with a rate well above the county median. This pattern deserves scrutiny, as persistent absenteeism can undermine academic gains and school culture. Per-pupil spending in the district sits in the upper range for the county, reflecting a relatively high cost structure.

The community itself is a high-value residential enclave. Housing values are substantially above state and national medians, and rental costs are also elevated. The housing market has seen modest year-over-year appreciation, and the supply of listed homes is currently more available than demand, a shift from the tighter market conditions of prior years. This is a community of affluence, and the district's per-pupil spending aligns with that profile.

Two significant changes are reshaping the district's trajectory. In December 2025, voters approved a major renovation bond for the Montauk School alongside a capital project funded from existing reserves. The bond will carry a lasting property tax impact over several decades and fundamentally modernizes the district's aging single building. Additionally, after years of drawing down reserves, the district put forward its first-ever over-the-tax-cap budget for the 2023-24 school year, signaling a sustained shift in the district's fiscal posture and taxpayer burden. For incoming families, these changes mean higher school taxes going forward compared to the district's historical tax-cap approach.

One meaningful program shift is underway: Montauk, along with East Hampton, Amagansett, and Springs, is developing a shared regional special education program scheduled to open in 2026-27 on the Springs campus. This move allows local special-needs students to remain closer to home rather than traveling to the BOCES facility in Westhampton Beach, a service improvement for families with special education needs.

The district's small enrollment and single-building structure create both intimacy and constraints. With one school spanning pre-K through eighth grade, transitions between early and middle grades occur within the same building. The apparent engagement or attendance challenges flagged in the chronic absenteeism data suggest this is an issue worth exploring directly with school leadership. The variable proficiency results across grades and subjects, combined with low test participation in upper middle grades, warrant conversation about what the district sees as its academic priorities and how it supports students moving into high school elsewhere.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

298

Grades

PK–08

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 30%

Black 2%

White 65%

Asian 0%

Two+ 3%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

—

52%

Gr 4

—

78%

Gr 5

—

50%

Gr 6

—

74%

Gr 7

—

67%

Gr 8

—

100%

Math

Gr EOC

—

Gr 3

—

63%

Gr 4

—

75%

Gr 5

—

60%

Gr 6

—

50%

Gr 7

—

60%

Science

Gr EOC

—

Gr 5

—

64%

Gr 8

—

50%

Schools in this District

1 schools are officially reported under this district.

MONTAUK SCHOOL

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

5 grades reported

63%

Grade 3

75%

Grade 4

60%

Grade 5

50%

Grade 6

60%

Grade 7

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

52%

Grade 3

78%

Grade 4

50%

Grade 5

74%

Grade 6

67%

Grade 7

100%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

64%

Grade 5

50%

Grade 8

Social Studies

2 grades reported

100%

Grade 5

92%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$1.98M

Year-over-year change+3.1%

vs. state typical3.88x

vs. national typical5.38x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (1 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
11954	Montauk	$2.0M	+3.1%	100.0%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$31,583/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (1 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
11954	Montauk	$31,583	—	100.0%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$9,990/mo

Home price / national median income23.6x

Annual rent / national median income452.6%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$21,593/mo

Market Activity: Suffolk County

Median listing price$949,000

Median listing price YoY+2.0%

Median price per sq ft$507

Median price per sq ft YoY+2.2%

Median days on market47.0 days

Median days on market YoY-12.2%

Active listings3,712

Active listings YoY-0.7%

New listings2,016

New listings YoY+3.7%

Pending listings2,047

Pending listings YoY-34.2%

Hotness: median listing price$987,500

Hotness: median listing price YoY+4.0%

Supply score59.3

Supply score YoY+50.5%

Demand score36.0

Demand score YoY+26.3%

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.