Newburgh City School District, NY

Original Research by School Decision on Newburgh City School District

Newburgh City School District serves a mid-sized enrollment across pre-K through 12 in Orange County, with a student body that is predominantly Hispanic and Black, reflecting the demographics of the mid-Hudson Valley communities it covers. The district spans multiple towns and neighborhoods, from the city of Newburgh itself to surrounding areas like New Windsor, creating a mixed urban and suburban context.

State test results show students in the district cluster below the midpoint in proficiency across tested grades and subjects. In the earliest tested grades (third and fourth), math and English language arts proficiency rates are in the low-to-mid range. Fifth grade represents a modest peak, particularly in reading and math, where proficiency approaches a near-majority of students tested. From sixth grade onward, performance declines noticeably, with sixth and eighth grade math and reading proficiency dipping to roughly a quarter or third of students meeting standards. Science proficiency, tested in fifth and eighth grades, sits around a third of students. Across the district's Orange County peer group, Newburgh ranks in the bottom quartile for overall proficiency. Chronic absenteeism is also notably high, placing the district in the bottom quartile among its county neighbors and suggesting attendance challenges that may compound academic pressures.

A major capital investment is underway that will reshape the district's high school pathways. A new Career and Technical Education Center, voter-approved and under construction adjacent to Newburgh Free Academy, is expected to open in summer 2026 and will house roughly twenty CTE programs spanning areas like automotive technology, engineering, criminal justice, and design. This represents a significant expansion of hands-on, credential-bearing alternatives to traditional college prep, and is a lasting structural change families considering the district would want to know about.

Housing in the district's core area is moderately priced relative to New York State and the nation, with home values in the lower-to-middle range for the region. Rents are similarly moderate. Property tax levies have remained relatively flat or contained for several recent years, a pattern that continues into the district's current fiscal planning, making the tax burden more predictable than many districts statewide.

The district faces significant fiscal and operational headwinds. A state comptroller audit completed in early 2026 found substantial weaknesses in financial management, including unrealistic budgeting and roughly nine-figure variances between taxpayer-facing budgets and actual spending over a two-year period. The district adopted a corrective action plan in response. Separately, staff reductions have accelerated: sixty-six positions were cut for 2024-25, and thirty-seven more positions, including nine teaching jobs and an assistant superintendent post overseeing early elementary, are slated for elimination in 2026-27. These reductions occur even as the district tries to hold tax levies flat, suggesting ongoing resource constraints that may affect class size, program breadth, and support staffing at individual schools.

A parent considering Newburgh would be weighing a district with depressed academic proficiency, high absenteeism, and shrinking staffing against the opening of a substantial new CTE facility and relatively stable property taxes. Families drawn to career pathways and technical training would find real new opportunity; those prioritizing small class sizes or abundant elective offerings may find the staffing environment challenging to navigate. The fiscal audit findings merit follow-up conversation with the district about whether corrective measures have taken root. This is a district in transition, with both expansion and contraction happening simultaneously.

See more original research from School Decision →

District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

11,227

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 61%

Black 19%

White 13%

Asian 2%

Two+ 5%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr EOC

57%

—

Gr 3

27%

44%

Gr 4

36%

45%

Gr 5

42%

54%

Gr 6

27%

34%

Gr 7

31%

38%

Gr 8

32%

39%

Math

Gr EOC

29%

—

Gr 3

31%

48%

Gr 4

38%

47%

Gr 5

43%

53%

Gr 6

20%

32%

Gr 7

34%

49%

Gr 8

23%

29%

Science

Gr EOC

40%

—

Gr 5

26%

43%

Gr 8

25%

39%

Social studies

Gr EOC

49%

—

Schools in this District

12 schools are officially reported under this district.

BALMVILLE SCHOOL

FOSTERTOWN SCHOOL

GARDNERTOWN LEADERSHIP ACADEMY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

GIDNEY AVENUE MEMORIAL SCHOOL

MEADOW HILL SCHOOL

HORIZON-ON-THE-HUDSON SCHOOL

NEW WINDSOR SCHOOL

NEWBURGH FREE ACADEMY

SOUTH MIDDLE SCHOOL

TEMPLE HILL SCHOOL

VAILS GATE STEAM ACADEMY

HERITAGE MIDDLE SCHOOL

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

39%

Grade 3

42%

Grade 4

48%

Grade 5

26%

Grade 6

41%

Grade 7

26%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

34%

Grade 3

40%

Grade 4

48%

Grade 5

31%

Grade 6

35%

Grade 7

36%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

34%

Grade 5

32%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$409,047

Year-over-year change+3.9%

Range across 4 ZIP codes$395K to $472K

vs. state typical0.80x

vs. national typical1.11x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (4 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
12550	Newburgh	$395K	+3.7%	64.9%
12553	New Windsor	$435K	+4.4%	31.7%
12586	Walden	$415K	+3.0%	2.1%
12589	Wallkill	$472K	+4.6%	1.2%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$2,225/mo

Year-over-year change+2.0%

Range across 2 ZIP codes$1,963 to $2,763/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (2 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
12550	Newburgh	$1,963	+2.0%	64.9%
12553	New Windsor	$2,763	—	31.7%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$2,064/mo

Home price / national median income4.9x

Annual rent / national median income31.9%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$161/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.