Rondout Valley Central School District, NY

Original Research by School Decision on Rondout Valley Central School District

Rondout Valley Central School District serves communities across Ulster County, New York, spanning from the Hudson Valley town of Kingston to more rural areas including Stone Ridge, High Falls, Kerhonkson, and surrounding hamlets. The district enrolls roughly mid-sized cohorts across a full PreK-12 span in five schools: two elementary buildings, an intermediate school, a junior high, and a high school.

The student body is predominantly white, with smaller proportions of Hispanic, Black, Asian, and multiracial students. Free-and-reduced-price lunch eligibility data was not available, so a parent would want to ask the district directly about economic diversity within the communities served. The district did not report special education enrollment or English learner counts in the available data.

On state assessments administered in 2024-25, Rondout Valley's results show a pattern of weakness in mathematics and moderate performance in English language arts. In third grade, where proficiency tends to be strongest across districts, about seven in ten students met standards in math, but that figure dropped sharply through the elementary years. By fourth grade, fewer than half proficient in either subject. Middle grades (sixth through eighth) saw proficiency rates ranging from roughly one-third to just under one-half in math, and similar or slightly lower in ELA. Science results in fifth and eighth grades likewise fell below the midline. When positioned against the other districts in Ulster County, Rondout Valley's overall proficiency index sits below the county's midpoint. A parent may want to explore with the district what instructional supports or interventions are in place to address this pattern, particularly in the transition to upper elementary and middle school grades.

Graduation rate data was not available in the provided information; a parent should request that directly from the district.

The district faces real fiscal headwinds. Enrollment has declined, pushing operating budgets under pressure. For the 2026-2027 school year, the district proposed staffing cuts that would have increased class sizes across most buildings, with elementary classes in some grades growing substantially. Although a teacher retirement incentive and unfilled positions ultimately allowed the district to soften those cuts, a property tax levy increase was still adopted. Housing values in the district's service area are moderate for the Hudson Valley region, with considerable variation by neighborhood and zip code. Rents are climbing annually at notably higher rates than home prices, which may reflect shifts in the rental market. A family weighing affordability should factor in ongoing fiscal uncertainty and likely future tax pressures as enrollment pressures continue.

On the positive side, the district held a capital referendum in December 2024 that voters approved. The project targets security, safety, and arts facilities, including a complete auditorium and music suite overhaul at the high school, as well as aging-infrastructure repairs and recreational field improvements. The district structured the financing to leverage existing reserves and phase bond repayment, limiting immediate tax impact. This work will shape the physical learning environment for years.

Beginning September 2025, the high school implemented a "bell-to-bell" personal device policy, requiring students to store phones and smartwatches in locking pouches for the full school day. This aligns with recent New York State law and changes daily routines for both students and parents seeking to reach their children.

Program offerings at the secondary level, staffing data, course access including Advanced Placement or career and technical pathways, and attendance patterns were not available in the provided information. A parent exploring the district should request details on those dimensions directly, as they shape the academic pathway and day-to-day experience considerably.

See more original research from School Decision →

District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

1,732

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 9%

Black 4%

White 81%

Asian 2%

Two+ 3%

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

53%

—

Gr 3

38%

73%

Gr 4

33%

56%

Gr 5

26%

49%

Gr 6

21%

60%

Gr 7

27%

52%

Gr 8

24%

57%

Math

Gr EOC

93%

—

Gr 3

58%

84%

Gr 4

34%

54%

Gr 5

29%

58%

Gr 6

26%

66%

Gr 7

19%

38%

Gr 8

24%

45%

Science

Gr EOC

60%

—

Gr 5

30%

54%

Gr 8

43%

49%

Social studies

Gr EOC

56%

—

Schools in this District

5 schools are officially reported under this district.

KERHONKSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

MARBLETOWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

RONDOUT VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL

RONDOUT VALLEY JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL

RONDOUT VALLEY INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

72%

Grade 3

45%

Grade 4

45%

Grade 5

50%

Grade 6

31%

Grade 7

35%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

57%

Grade 3

46%

Grade 4

39%

Grade 5

45%

Grade 6

42%

Grade 7

43%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

43%

Grade 5

47%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$461,323

Year-over-year change+2.9%

Range across 13 ZIP codes$286K to $577K

vs. state typical0.90x

vs. national typical1.25x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (13 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
12446	Kerhonkson	$401K	+3.1%	31.8%
12404	Accord	$526K	+2.9%	22.1%
12484	Stone Ridge	$577K	+3.3%	15.7%
12401	Kingston	$386K	+2.4%	11.0%
12440	High Falls	$492K	+2.1%	10.5%
12458	Napanoch	$286K	+3.9%	4.7%
12419	Cottekill	$495K	+3.2%	1.6%
12472	Rosendale	$401K	+3.1%	1.3%
12561	New Paltz	$529K	+2.3%	0.5%
12491		$467K	+1.9%	0.4%
12443	Hurley	$438K	+4.3%	0.3%
12486	Tillson	$413K	+0.7%	0.1%
12461	Olivebridge	$543K	+5.3%	0.0%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$2,070/mo

Year-over-year change+12.9%

Range across 2 ZIP codes$2,013 to $3,200/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (2 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
12401	Kingston	$2,013	+12.9%	11.0%
12561	New Paltz	$3,200	—	0.5%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$2,328/mo

Home price / national median income5.5x

Annual rent / national median income29.7%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$258/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.