State of the School District: Croton-Harmon, NY

Summary Perspective

The Croton-Harmon Union Free School District is a sustainability story. With 1,583 students enrolled across three schools in 2023-24, the district operates a single-feeder K-12 model in which one elementary school, one middle school, and one high school serve every student within its boundaries. This structural simplicity means that any residential address inside the district lines carries the same feeder certainty: Carrie E. Tompkins School for grades K-4, Pierre Van Cortlandt School for grades 5-8, and Croton-Harmon High School for grades 9-12. There are no internal attendance zones to redraw, no competing elementary schools to be reassigned among, and no alternative pathways within the district. A family buying a home anywhere within the district's boundaries faces the same school assignment outcome as a family buying anywhere else within those boundaries.

The district's fiscal position reinforces this stability. The New York State Office of the Comptroller scored the district at 0.0 on its fiscal monitoring system for 2025, designating it "No Designation," which indicates no identified fiscal stress. The adopted budget for 2026-27 totals $62,762,808, a 2.9% increase over the prior year, according to district budget materials. Revenue relies heavily on local sources, at 78.9% of the total mix in FY2023, with state aid contributing 19% and federal funds 2%. This revenue structure ties the district's fiscal health directly to the property tax base within its boundaries, a pattern typical of small Westchester County districts in high-property-value areas. The district carries $46,781,118 in outstanding debt as of May 2026 and a $56,699,896 other post-employment benefits liability as of June 2025, both of which represent long-term obligations that will shape future budget decisions.

Academically, the district's headline position is defined by AP proficiency rates from 2023-24 that range from 46.2% to 100% depending on subject and grade level, and a four-year graduation rate from 2019-20 reported in a suppressed range of 95 to 100% for a cohort of 113 students. The graduation data is several years old and reflects a cohort that was in its final year during the onset of the pandemic. The district's accountability designation for 2025-26 is Local Support and Improvement, the category for schools that do not meet thresholds for more intensive state or district intervention, with zero schools identified for Comprehensive Support and Improvement, Targeted Support and Improvement, or Additional Targeted Support and Improvement.

The district is simultaneously undertaking a deliberate reform in its mathematics pathways, implementing an "Algebra for All" model that removes selective screening for accelerated coursework. This detracking initiative, confirmed by district administration and teacher leaders, represents the most significant curricular change visible in the public record. It is an access-oriented reform layered onto an otherwise stable operational and fiscal foundation.

The single most decision-relevant contextual fact for a family evaluating this district is the deterministic feeder pattern. Because there is exactly one school at each level, the question of which school a child will attend is answered entirely by the district boundary, not by an internal assignment mechanism that could change. This report describes fit rather than issuing ratings. It presents what the available data establishes about how the district operates, what it spends, what its students achieve, and how its governance and boundaries are structured, so that families can assess whether these characteristics align with their own priorities.

Key takeaways for families

• The district operates a single-feeder model with one elementary, one middle, and one high school, meaning every address within district boundaries follows the same K-12 progression with no internal attendance zones or rezoning risk.
• No active boundary change, closure, or consolidation process was found in a review of board records, capital project materials, and budget documents current as of July 2026.
• AP proficiency rates for 2023-24 show 100% proficiency in Calculus AB and BC among 12th graders, with other subjects ranging from 46.2% to 76%, though the number of test-takers per exam is not reported in the computed data.
• The most recent graduation data on file is from 2019-20, showing a four-year rate of 95 to 100% for a cohort of 113 students; more recent graduation figures are not available in the computed data.
• The district's math pathway redesign implements an "Algebra for All" model that removes selective screening for accelerated coursework, representing a detracking initiative confirmed by district administration and teacher leaders.
• Chronic absenteeism for 2022-23 was 10.3%, meaning approximately one in ten students missed 10% or more of enrolled school days during that school year.
• The district's adopted budget for 2026-27 is $62,762,808, a 2.9% increase over the prior year, balanced with $2,716,925 of appropriated fund balance and $1,200,000 of reserves.
• The state comptroller's fiscal monitoring system scored the district at 0.0 for 2025, designated "No Designation," indicating no identified fiscal stress.
• The district carries $46,781,118 in outstanding debt as of May 2026 and a $56,699,896 OPEB liability as of June 2025, both representing long-term obligations that will affect future budget decisions.
• Revenue relies heavily on local sources at 78.9% of the total mix in FY2023, meaning the district's fiscal health is tied directly to the property tax base within its boundaries rather than to state aid fluctuations.
• The district serves the entirety of the Village of Croton-on-Hudson and portions of Cortlandt Manor and the Town of Yorktown, both shared with neighboring districts, so a specific address within those shared areas determines which district serves it.
• The district's accountability designation for 2025-26 is Local Support and Improvement, with zero schools identified for more intensive intervention categories under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act.

At a glance

The following table summarizes current-state signals for the Croton-Harmon Union Free School District across dimensions that families evaluating a housing decision typically consider. Numeric values come from computed data on file or from district budget materials as cited in the body sections. Where a dimension has no corresponding data in the computed dataset or body sections, the entry reads "Not available" rather than offering an estimate or inference.

The graduation rate figure carries the year 2019-20 because it is the most recent graduation data on file and is several years old. The AP proficiency figures are from 2023-24 and represent the performance of students who took each exam, not the entire student body. The per-pupil spending figure derives from the US Census Bureau's Annual Survey of School System Finances for FY2023, which counted 1,540 students in its membership figure, a slightly different count from the 1,583 enrollment reported by NCES for 2023-24. The difference reflects distinct data collection purposes and timelines between the two federal sources.

How to read New York accountability

New York State's school accountability system, established under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, assigns each school a designation based on performance indicators that include academic achievement, student growth, chronic absenteeism, and graduation rates. The designations operate on a tiered structure. Local Support and Improvement (LSI) is the designation for schools that do not meet the criteria for more intensive intervention. Schools identified for Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) are those with the lowest overall performance or low graduation rates. Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) applies to schools where specific student subgroups are consistently underperforming. Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI) is assigned when a particular subgroup's performance falls below a defined threshold. Schools with CSI, TSI, or ATSI designations receive state- or district-led support and are subject to improvement planning requirements, while LSI schools receive support locally and have access to state continuous-improvement planning tools.

New York also reports a Student Growth measure. This metric calculates a Student Growth Percentile (SGP) for each student by comparing their current performance to that of students with similar prior scores. The Student Growth Index is a weighted mean of individual SGPs, centered at 50 on the statewide scale. A value above 50 indicates that, on average, students in the district grew at a rate above the statewide average for students with comparable prior achievement. This measure complements proficiency data because it accounts for where students started, rather than only measuring whether they reached a fixed threshold.

New York's property tax levy limit, commonly called the tax cap, constrains the annual growth in a school district's tax levy to the lesser of 2% or the rate of inflation, with certain exceptions for capital projects and other specified expenditures. A school district can exceed this limit if 60% or more of voters approve the proposed budget, according to the state's property tax cap legislation summary. If a budget is defeated by voters and the board adopts a contingency budget under New York Education Law Section 2023, the levy cannot increase at all over the prior year's level, subject only to narrow statutory carve-outs.

New York authorizes charter schools under state law. Inter-district choice is limited, with students generally attending schools in the district where they reside.

For the Croton-Harmon Union Free School District specifically, the 2025-26 accountability designation is Local Support and Improvement, with zero schools identified for CSI, TSI, or ATSI. The district's Student Growth Index for 2024-25 is 50.7, indicating that students on average grew at a rate slightly above the statewide average for students with comparable prior achievement. The district's revenue mix, with 78.9% coming from local sources in FY2023, means the property tax levy limit directly shapes how much revenue the district can raise annually without seeking a 60% supermajority override. The district's adopted budget for 2026-27 represents a 2.9% increase over the prior year, and the state comptroller's fiscal monitoring system scored the district at 0.0 for 2025, indicating no identified fiscal stress.

What kind of district this is: governance and geography

Croton-Harmon Union Free School District is organized under New York Education Law Article 35, which governs union free school districts. Its statutory title is "Croton-Harmon Union Free School District," and it operates as an independent K-12 district, not as a component of a city school system or a dependent municipal subdivision. The district serves grades K-12 across three schools: Carrie E. Tompkins School (grades K-4), Pierre Van Cortlandt School (grades 5-8), and Croton-Harmon High School (grades 9-12). All three schools are listed as open in the NCES Common Core of Data, and the district's headquarters are located in Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520. The district's official website is https://www.chufsd.org.

Taxing authority

The Croton-Harmon Board of Education acts as the "school authorities" under New York Real Property Tax Law Article 13. The board adopts the school budget at the annual May vote and then certifies the school tax levy directly. Once the district certifies the levy, the receiver of taxes for the Town of Cortlandt (and for the Town of Yorktown, covering the small Yorktown portion of the district) bills and collects the school tax alongside the town and county levy. This means the district itself sets the levy amount, but the municipal tax receiver handles the actual billing and collection mechanics. The district does not operate its own tax collection office; it relies on the existing municipal infrastructure of the towns in which its territory sits.

Budget approval and the contingency mechanism

The district's annual budget is subject to a public vote. Voters in the district decide whether to approve the spending plan put forward by the board. If the proposed budget is defeated, the board has the option of putting a revised budget before voters a second time. If that second vote also fails, or if the board chooses not to hold a second vote, the board must adopt a contingency budget under New York Education Law Section 2023.

A contingency budget carries specific statutory constraints. The tax levy cannot be increased over the prior year's level, subject only to narrow statutory carve-outs. Most non-contingent categories of expenditure must be removed, including community use of facilities, certain capital items, and new equipment beyond what is needed for ordinary operations. The use of fund balance and reserves to support operations is also restricted under the contingency framework. These constraints are designed to limit spending to what the statute defines as essential when voters have twice rejected the proposed budget, or when the board opts to go directly to contingency after a single defeat.

Board composition and elections

The Croton-Harmon Board of Education consists of seven members, each elected to a three-year term. Elections are conducted at large, meaning all voters in the district vote for all board seats regardless of where within the district a candidate or voter resides. There are no sub-districts or geographic wards for board representation. Board members are elected rather than appointed. The next scheduled board election and budget vote is May 19, 2026, according to the district's published election information. Board meeting materials and agendas are accessible through the district's BoardDocs portal.

Municipalities served and shared territory

The district's boundary encompasses the entirety of the Village of Croton-on-Hudson. It also serves a portion of Cortlandt Manor, which is an unincorporated area within the Town of Cortlandt. Cortlandt Manor is not a single-district territory; it is also served by Hendrick Hudson CSD, Lakeland CSD, and Walter Panas UFSD. The district additionally serves a portion of the Town of Yorktown, which is similarly shared with Yorktown CSD and Lakeland CSD. This means that a given address within Cortlandt Manor or the Town of Yorktown may fall within Croton-Harmon's boundary or within one of several neighboring districts, depending on the specific location. The Village of Croton-on-Hudson, by contrast, is served in its entirety by Croton-Harmon.

Feeder structure

Croton-Harmon operates a fully in-district K-12 sequence. Students attend Carrie E. Tompkins School for kindergarten through grade 4, then move to Pierre Van Cortlandt School for grades 5 through 8, and finally to Croton-Harmon High School for grades 9 through 12. The district does not participate in a sending or receiving arrangement with any other district, and it does not tuition students out to other public schools for regular education. There is no feeder system in the tuition-student sense; all three schools in the chain are owned and operated by the district itself.

Boundary change mechanism

The district's boundaries cannot be changed by the board of education or by any municipal action alone. Under New York Education Law Article 31, specifically Sections 1507 and 1508, boundary alterations follow defined statutory paths. With the consent of voters in each affected district, an alteration can be effected under Section 1507. Without that consent, the process is initiated by petition to the New York State Commissioner of Education, who holds a hearing and may issue an order altering the boundaries under Section 1508. A broader reorganization, such as a merger into a central school district, would follow Sections 1801 through 1803 and requires a vote of qualified voters in the affected districts. A municipal boundary change, such as altering the Village of Croton-on-Hudson or the Town of Cortlandt lines, does not by itself move the school district boundary. The school district boundary changes only through the statutory processes described above, which are distinct from municipal incorporation or annexation proceedings.

Academic outcomes: the evidence base

The Croton-Harmon Union Free School District has 62 assessment data series on file spanning 2006 through 2025. These series draw from New York State's assessment infrastructure, which includes Regents examinations, grades 3-8 English Language Arts and Mathematics tests, and Advanced Placement proficiency rates. The available computed data for this profile centers on AP proficiency rates from the 2023-24 school year, graduation data from 2019-20, chronic absenteeism figures from 2022-23, and growth and accountability measures from 2024-25 and 2025-26. The district's total enrollment for 2023-24 was 1,583 students.

A gap in the assessment timeline appears around 2020. New York State cancelled its spring 2020 state assessments in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which means no proficiency data was collected for that testing window. This cancellation creates a discontinuity in any multi-year comparison that crosses the pre-pandemic and post-pandemic periods. Readers should treat year-over-year changes that span the 2020 boundary with caution, as they reflect both genuine shifts in student performance and the disruption of normal testing routines. The years array in the computed data runs from 2006 through 2017 for state assessment series, while the AP proficiency series carries data points from 2023-24.

Advanced Placement proficiency, 2023-24

The computed data reports AP proficiency rates for the 2023-24 school year across multiple subjects and grade levels. In New York's reporting framework, AP proficiency means the percentage of students who scored 3 or higher on the 5-point AP exam scale. A score of 3 is generally considered the threshold for potential college credit, though individual colleges and universities set their own credit policies and may require a 4 or 5.

The following results were reported for 2023-24:

• AP Biology: 70.0% proficiency among 10th graders, 70.0% among 11th graders, and 46.2% among 12th graders.
• AP Calculus AB: 100.0% proficiency among 12th graders.
• AP Calculus BC: 100.0% proficiency among 12th graders. Data for 11th graders is reported as missing.
• AP Chemistry: 76.0% proficiency among 10th graders.
• AP Comparative Government and Politics: 57.7% proficiency among 12th graders.
• AP Environmental Science: 50.0% proficiency among 11th graders and 62.5% among 12th graders.
• AP Computer Science A: Data for 12th graders is reported as missing.
• AP French Language and Culture: Data for 10th graders is reported as missing.

Missing data points can arise from several causes. Small numbers of test-takers may trigger privacy suppression, or no students in a particular grade may have sat for the exam. The computed data does not distinguish between these possibilities.

Several patterns warrant attention. The AP Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC results for 12th graders both show 100.0% proficiency, meaning every student who took those exams scored 3 or higher. AP Chemistry among 10th graders shows 76.0% proficiency. AP Biology shows identical proficiency rates for 10th and 11th graders at 70.0% but a lower rate for 12th graders at 46.2%, which may reflect differences in which students take the exam at each grade level rather than a decline in instructional effectiveness. The computed data does not include the number of test-takers for each exam, so proficiency rates alone cannot indicate how many students participated or how representative the test-taking population is of the student body as a whole.

Level versus trajectory

The 2023-24 AP proficiency data establishes a snapshot of current performance levels. Trajectory, or how these numbers are changing over time, is a separate question that the computed data on file can only partially address. The 62 series span 2006 through 2025, but the visible AP proficiency data points are from a single school year, 2023-24. Without comparable prior-year AP proficiency rates in the computed data, an independent multi-year trend cannot be constructed from the available figures alone.

The district offers its own characterization of trends. According to the district's data page, it reports "a clear three-year trend of increasing proficiency at the elementary level," "AP results show increasing average scores in several subject areas," "enrollment in AP coursework has been sustained and growing," and "a clear and affirming growth trajectory." These are self-reported claims. The computed data on file does not independently confirm or refute them, because the visible series lack prior-year comparison points for the same AP subjects and grade levels.

What AP proficiency measures and what it does not

AP proficiency rates measure the performance of students who actually took AP exams. They do not capture the performance of students who enrolled in an AP course but did not sit for the exam, nor do they reflect students who did not take AP courses at all. A high proficiency rate in a subject with few test-takers carries a different meaning than the same rate in a subject with many test-takers. Without enrollment and participation counts, proficiency rates alone provide an incomplete picture of academic access and outcomes across the student body. The district has redesigned its math pathways to reflect what it describes as attention to access, choice, and post-secondary planning, though the specific contents of that redesign are not summarized in the computed data.

State assessment and growth measures

New York State's assessment system serves multiple purposes. Grades 3-8 ELA and Mathematics tests measure whether students are meeting state learning standards at each grade level. Regents exams, typically taken in high school, measure mastery of specific subjects and serve as graduation requirements for most students. The state also reports a Student Growth measure, which compares each student's current performance to that of students with similar prior scores, producing a Student Growth Percentile (SGP). This growth measure captures progress regardless of starting point, whereas proficiency rates only indicate whether a student reached a fixed threshold.

For the 2024-25 school year, NYSED reports 1,036 student-growth percentiles for the district, a sum of SGPs of 52,551, and a Student Growth Index of 50.7, according to state data. The Student Growth Index is a weighted mean of individual SGPs, centered at 50 on the statewide scale. A value of 50.7 indicates that, on average, students in the district grew at a rate slightly above the statewide average for students with comparable prior achievement. This measure complements proficiency data because it accounts for where students started.

Accountability status

For the 2025-26 school year, the district carries an accountability designation of Local Support and Improvement (LSI), according to NYSED. LSI is the designation for schools that do not meet identified criteria for more intensive state- or district-led support. Schools with this designation receive support locally and have access to NYSED continuous-improvement planning tools. The district has zero schools identified for Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI), Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI), or Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI) in 2025-26. This means no school in the district triggered the thresholds for those more intensive intervention categories, which are typically tied to specific performance or subgroup criteria defined under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act.

Graduation rates

The most recent graduation data on file is from the 2019-20 school year. For a cohort of 113 students, the district's four-year graduation rate fell within a suppressed range of 95 to 100 percent. The U.S. Department of Education's EDFacts system suppresses exact rates above 95 percent to protect student privacy, reporting them as a range rather than a single figure. No midpoint should be inferred from this range. The 2019-20 graduation cohort was in its final year during the onset of the pandemic, and this data predates the full impact of disrupted instruction on subsequent cohorts. More recent graduation figures are not available in the computed data on file.

Chronic absenteeism

For the 2022-23 school year, the district's chronic absenteeism rate was 10.3 percent, according to federal data. Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10 percent or more of enrolled school days, whether excused or unexcused. A rate of 10.3 percent means that approximately one in ten students met this threshold during that school year. The district also reports chronic absenteeism data for 2024-25, according to the acquired research, though the computed data on file uses the 2022-23 figure.

Subgroup data

The computed assessment data provides results only for the all-students group. No subgroup breakdowns by race, ethnicity, economic status, disability status, or English learner status are available in the AP proficiency series on file. The enrollment data shows the district's demographic composition for 2023-24: of 1,583 total students, 1,081 were white (68.3 percent), 293 were Hispanic (18.5 percent), 85 were Asian (5.4 percent), 89 were two or more races (5.6 percent), 25 were Black (1.6 percent), 3 were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander (0.2 percent), and 0 were American Indian or Alaska Native. Free and reduced-price lunch counts and rates are reported as missing. IEP counts and rates are reported as missing. English learner counts and rates are reported as missing.

Without subgroup assessment results, it is not possible to determine from the available data whether proficiency rates are consistent across demographic groups or whether gaps exist. The absence of this data is a limitation of the evidence base.

What the data does not capture

Several categories of information are absent from the computed data. Course-taking patterns, including how many students enroll in AP courses relative to the total student body, are not reported in the visible series. SAT and ACT scores are not included. College matriculation and persistence rates are not included. Regents exam pass rates are not visible in the available computed series. Social-emotional learning measures, extracurricular participation, and other indicators of school climate are not part of the assessment data on file. The district's high school profile for 2025-26 and its proposed budget statement for 2026-27 may contain additional outcome data not captured in the computed series, but those documents are not part of the assessment data on file and their contents are not summarized here.

Inside the district: variation between schools

The Croton-Harmon Union Free School District operates three schools, all open according to the National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data. The three schools are Carrie E Tompkins School, Pierre Van Cortlandt School, and Croton-Harmon High School. Total enrollment across the district is 1,583 students in the 2023-24 school year, meaning the average school in this district serves approximately 528 students, though the actual distribution among the three buildings is not specified in the available computed data.

In a district with only three schools, variation between buildings differs in character from variation in a large district with many elementary schools serving the same grades. Here, each school serves a distinct segment of the K-12 continuum, so differences between schools are partly structural, reflecting different grade levels, different curricular requirements, and different developmental stages, rather than differences between institutions serving identical populations. The question of variation between schools is largely a question of what happens at each grade band rather than a choice between comparable options.

The computed assessment data available for this district is reported at the aggregate district level and is not disaggregated by individual school. This means that while the dataset includes 62 assessment series spanning 2006 through 2025, the school-level breakdown that would allow a direct comparison of outcomes between Carrie E Tompkins, Pierre Van Cortlandt, and Croton-Harmon High School is not present in the computed data. The most recent assessment results in the dataset are from the 2023-24 school year and consist entirely of Advanced Placement proficiency rates. These AP figures pertain specifically to Croton-Harmon High School, as AP courses are offered only at the high school level. No comparable assessment data for the elementary or middle grades is available in the computed dataset at the school-specific level.

For the 2023-24 school year, the AP results that are available show a range of outcomes across subjects. AP Calculus AB (grade 12) and AP Calculus BC (grade 12) both show 100.0% proficiency rates, while AP Biology proficiency ranges from 46.2% in grade 12 to 70.0% in grades 10 and 11. AP Chemistry (grade 10) shows a 76.0% proficiency rate, and AP Environmental Science shows 50.0% in grade 11 and 62.5% in grade 12. AP Comparative Government and Politics (grade 12) shows a 57.7% proficiency rate. Several AP subjects in the dataset, including AP Calculus BC (grade 11), AP Computer Science A (grade 12), and AP French Language and Culture (grade 10), are reported as missing for 2023-24. These figures represent the performance of students who took each exam, not the entire grade-level cohort, and the number of test-takers in each subject is not specified in the available data.

The New York State Education Department publishes school-level accountability indicators through its ESSA reporting system. These reports cover attendance rates, chronic absenteeism, academic growth, and overall accountability status for each institution. Four institution identifiers associated with this district are linked through the state's data portal. However, the specific values from those reports are not part of the computed dataset for this publication. Families seeking school-level accountability data can access these reports directly through the New York State Education Department data portal.

The district's demographic data is also reported only at the aggregate level. The 2023-24 enrollment shows a racial and ethnic composition of 68.3% white, 18.5% Hispanic, 5.6% two or more races, 5.4% Asian, 1.6% Black, and less than 1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, with no American Indian or Alaska Native students reported. How this composition is distributed across the three schools is not available in the computed data. Free and reduced-price lunch eligibility data, which would indicate the economic composition of each school's student body, is reported as missing for the entire district. Individualized Education Program counts and English learner counts are likewise missing.

Croton-Harmon High School has published a school profile for 2025-2026 that reports a 97% college enrollment rate for the Class of 2025, with 82% of graduates enrolling in four-year institutions. These figures are self-reported by the school. The high school also received a College Board AP School Honor Roll recognition at the Platinum level in 2025. No comparable outcome data, such as college enrollment or AP recognition, is available in the computed dataset for the other two schools, which serve younger grades and do not produce graduation or college-enrollment outcomes.

The district has also discussed a redesign of its mathematics pathways, as described on the Croton-Harmon High School website, focused on aligning course sequences with post-secondary planning. This kind of cross-grade pathway design is relevant to understanding how the three schools connect academically, as decisions about course sequencing at the high school level are influenced by preparation in the earlier grades. The specific details of the redesigned pathways are not captured in the computed data.

Advanced academics and pathway access

Croton-Harmon High School (CHHS) offers Advanced Placement (AP) courses as its primary mechanism for advanced academic coursework. The school's 2025-26 profile lists the AP offerings available to students. No International Baccalaureate (IB) programme appears on district or school sites reviewed, which means AP represents the highest level of externally credentialed acceleration available within the district's own schools.

According to the US Department of Education Civil Rights Data Collection for SY2021-22, AP enrollment across the district's three schools totaled 202 students by race and ethnicity. White students accounted for 142 of those enrollments (61 male, 81 female), Hispanic or Latino students accounted for 26 (15 male, 11 female), Asian students accounted for 16 (7 male, 9 female), students of two or more races accounted for 12 (7 male, 5 female), and Black students accounted for 6 (4 male, 2 female). The same data set records 5 AP enrollments among students with Individualized Education Programs (3 male, 2 female) and 11 among students with Section 504 plans (6 male, 5 female). No AP enrollments were recorded for English Learners. These figures reflect a single school year and represent course enrollment, not exam participation or performance.

The CRDC for SY2021-22 also collected Algebra I enrollment data and gifted and talented enrollment data across the district's three schools. Specific enrollment figures for these categories are not available in the data on file for this report.

Grade 8 Algebra I and math pathway redesign

The district reports an "Algebra for All" model as the centerpiece of its redesigned math pathways. According to the district's own description, the redesign emphasizes access, choice, and post-secondary planning rather than sorting students into separate tracks by perceived ability. The district does not cite a standardized test-in gate or teacher-recommendation requirement for placement into accelerated math coursework. Instead, the district's description focuses on flexibility in how students progress through the math sequence, allowing students to access higher-level mathematics without having to qualify through a selective screening process.

This redesign constitutes a detracking initiative. District administration, together with teacher leaders at Croton-Harmon High School and Pierre Van Cortlandt School, officially confirmed and implemented the changes. Communications associated with the redesign are dated February 11, 2026 and June 12, 2026. A district document provides additional detail on the pathway structure. The district frames the change as expanding access to higher-level mathematics by removing structural barriers that previously sorted students into different course tracks.

The positions of any opposing stakeholders are not documented in the sources available for this report. The district's own communications present the redesign as a response to concerns about equitable access, emphasizing that all students should have the opportunity to reach advanced mathematics regardless of their starting point in the pathway. The district's stated philosophy describes its broader educational approach, which aligns with the access-oriented framing of the math pathway changes.

The ceiling: dual enrollment and research programs

For students seeking coursework beyond standard AP offerings, the district provides dual enrollment opportunities through partnerships with SUNY Westchester Community College and the University at Albany (SUNY). For courses co-seated with AP, students may register for transcripted college credit through these partner programs while also taking the AP exam. This means a student enrolled in an AP course that has a dual-enrollment arrangement can potentially earn both college credit and AP exam credit for the same coursework.

Croton-Harmon High School also operates a Science Research Program described as a three-year sequence with a SUNY Albany college-credit option. Students in this program participate in the Westchester Science & Engineering Fair (WESEF), which provides a venue for presenting original scientific research to judges from scientific and engineering fields. The district has highlighted student work through a science research symposium, indicating that the program culminates in public presentation of student research projects.

The district does not appear to operate a separate selective or magnet program with entrance examination requirements. The advanced academic opportunities available to students consist of AP coursework, dual enrollment through the named partner institutions, and the Science Research Program. No additional selective programs, such as entrance-exam-based honors tracks or specialized magnet schools, are listed on the district or school sites reviewed.

Enrollment, capacity, and boundaries: how stable is what you are buying

The Croton-Harmon Union Free School District operates a single-feeder model: one elementary school, one middle school, and one high school. A residential address inside the district boundaries entitles a student to enroll, and once enrolled, the student progresses through a fixed sequence with no alternative attendance zones. This structural simplicity is the most important fact about school assignment stability in this district, and it shapes every other mechanism described below.

How an address becomes a school seat

The district uses a neighborhood-zoned assignment model. A family establishing residency within the district's boundaries registers through the district's registration process, which requires standard proofs of residency plus district-provided affidavits for situations such as shared housing or landlord-verified tenancy. These forms are available on the district's forms page. Once residency is established and documented, the student is assigned to the school corresponding to their grade level: Carrie E. Tompkins School for elementary grades, Pierre Van Cortlandt School for middle grades, and Croton-Harmon High School for grades nine through twelve. There is no school choice within the district, no magnet lottery, and no weighted lottery. The address determines the district; the grade level determines the building.

Feeder certainty and the absence of alternative zones

Because the district operates exactly one school at each level, the feeder pattern is deterministic. A student who attends Carrie E. Tompkins School will, upon completing the elementary grades, enroll at Pierre Van Cortlandt School, and then at Croton-Harmon High School. No alternative attendance zones are published, and the district's internal geography has no formal substructure that would create different elementary-to-middle or middle-to-high pathways. This means that a family buying a home anywhere within the district's boundaries can expect the same feeder sequence as a family buying anywhere else within those boundaries. The certainty of this progression is a structural feature of a small, single-feeder district. The district's three schools are all listed as open in the NCES Common Core of Data, and the district's official website confirms the current operating status of each building.

Capacity: what is and is not known

The district's reported enrollment for 2023-24 is 1,583 students across the three buildings, according to data from the NCES Common Core of Data. No school-by-school capacity or utilization study was located in the district's posted capital or budget materials. The district does maintain a future facilities capital projects page and has presented capital project updates to the board, including a June 2023 capital projects update and a 2022 board work session on facilities. These documents address building conditions and capital improvements rather than enrollment-driven capacity analysis. The absence of a published utilization study means there is no district-published document that compares current enrollment to building-by-building design capacity or functional capacity. Families seeking this information would need to request it directly from the district's buildings and grounds department. The 2026-27 proposed budget statement and related general operations and maintenance materials address fiscal planning without publishing per-building utilization rates.

Boundary and redistricting activity: explicit null finding

No active boundary change, rezoning, redistricting, closure, or consolidation process was found in a review of the district's BoardDocs repository from 2013 through the present, the district's future facilities capital projects page, or the 2026-27 proposed budget statement. This review was current as of July 2026. The district has no internal geographic substructure that would require redistricting among competing elementary zones, because there is only one elementary school. In a single-feeder district, the boundary question reduces to the district boundary itself, which is defined by the municipalities it serves rather than by internal attendance lines that can be redrawn.

How boundaries could change and what would signal it

In New York State, changes to school attendance boundaries, school closures, or consolidations require board of education action, typically preceded by public discussion and formal hearings. In a district with one school per level, the relevant boundary is the district line itself, which changes only through annexation, dissolution, or legislative action, not through internal rezoning. The more plausible scenario for disruption in a district of this structure is not redistricting but capacity-driven change: if enrollment were to grow beyond what the three buildings can accommodate, the district might need to add space, reconfigure grade spans, or in an extreme case, consider consolidation with another district. Signals to watch for include enrollment projection studies appearing on board meeting agendas, capital bond proposals referencing capacity rather than maintenance, and any public discussion of grade reconfiguration. None of these signals were present in the materials reviewed. The district's board policy portal and policy corner page are the appropriate places to monitor for formal policy changes.

Closure and consolidation exposure

No live closure or consolidation process appears in recent budget or capital materials or in the public board portal within the recency window. The district's three schools are all listed as open in the NCES Common Core of Data, and no board agenda item or budget document proposes closing or merging any building. An independent facilities update published in The Croton Chronicle discusses capital projects without indicating any closure or consolidation planning.

Grandfathering policy

In a district with a single feeder pattern and no internal attendance zones, grandfathering is not a relevant mechanism. Grandfathering policies typically arise when a redistricting event displaces students from one school to another within a multi-school district. Because Croton-Harmon has no alternative buildings to reassign students to, there is no published grandfathering policy and no scenario in which one would be triggered by internal boundary changes. If the district boundary itself were to change through annexation or dissolution, different legal frameworks would apply, and those are governed by New York State Education Law rather than by local district policy.

Transfer mechanics

The district does not offer intra-district transfers because there is only one school at each level; there is no alternative building to transfer to. For non-resident students, the district does allow tuition enrollment governed by Board Policy 5152, administered through a Non-Resident Student Tuition Application that requires administrative approval and payment of tuition. This is not an open-enrollment program. Admission of non-resident students is discretionary and subject to available capacity and board policy terms. There is no blanket right for non-residents to attend.

Residency verification

Registration requires standard proofs of residency, which may include deeds, leases, utility bills, and similar documents. The district also provides affidavit forms for families in shared-housing arrangements or whose residency is verified through a landlord, available on the district forms page. This is consistent with New York State Education Department expectations for residency determination. The district does not publish a dedicated residency investigation or fraud audit report, and no such document was located in the reviewed materials.

Universal Pre-Kindergarten as a demand signal

The district operates a Universal Pre-Kindergarten program with selection via lottery for the 2026-27 school year, with a defined application window published on the district's UPK page. The use of a lottery mechanism indicates that demand for pre-kindergarten seats may exceed available supply, though this applies only to the UPK program and does not directly indicate capacity pressure in the K-12 grades. A guest editorial in The Croton Chronicle discusses the UPK program in the local context. The lottery is a signal worth noting, but it is a program-specific mechanism rather than a district-wide enrollment trend indicator.

Enrollment data context

The district's 2023-24 enrollment of 1,583 students is distributed across the three buildings, but building-level enrollment breakdowns were not available in the computed data. A long-run enrollment series is not available on file, so it is not possible to describe a multi-year trend from the data provided. The district's data page may contain additional enrollment information that families can consult directly. The race and ethnicity composition of the student body, as reported in the NCES Common Core of Data for 2023-24, shows a student population that is 68.3 percent white, 18.5 percent Hispanic, 5.4 percent Asian, 1.6 percent Black, 5.6 percent two or more races, and 0.2 percent Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, with no American Indian or Alaska Native students reported. Free and reduced-price lunch data, Individualized Education Program counts, and English learner counts were not reported in the available dataset for this district.

Fiscal health and the tax picture

The US Census Bureau's Annual Survey of School System Finances for FY2023 records total revenue of $53,845,000 for the Croton-Harmon Union Free School District and total expenditures of $50,661,000. Current spending, which excludes capital outlay and debt service, totaled $45,980,000, or $29,857 per pupil across the 1,540 students counted in the F-33 membership figure for that year. Of that amount, $17,906 per pupil went to instruction. The revenue mix was 78.9% local, 19% state, and 2% federal, reflecting the district's heavy reliance on property taxes and comparatively modest state aid, a pattern typical of small Westchester County districts in high-property-value areas.

The district's adopted budget for 2026-27 totals $62,762,808, a 2.9% increase over the prior year, according to district budget materials. The budget balances using $2,716,925 of appropriated fund balance and $1,200,000 of reserves. Despite drawing on these one-time resources, the district ended FY2025 with a $258,210 increase in its General Fund balance. The New York State Office of the Comptroller's fiscal monitoring system scored the district at 0.0, designated "No Designation," indicating no identified fiscal stress, according to the OSC's 2025 fiscal monitoring report.

Federal pandemic relief and its wind-down

The district received federal pandemic relief through two ESSER allocations. District materials report CRRSA/ESSER funding of $251,128 with a September 30, 2023 spending deadline, and ARP ESSER funding of $564,407, according to the district's ESSER plan page. The documents reviewed do not specify which recurring positions funded by these grants were later cut, backfilled with local funds, or absorbed into the regular budget after the federal money expired. This gap means the public record does not reveal whether the end of ESSER created a structural gap that the district closed through spending reductions, local revenue increases, or some combination of both. The relatively small dollar amounts involved, roughly $815,000 in total across both allocations, limit the scale of any potential disruption, but the absence of documented transition planning means the mechanism by which the district adjusted to the loss of these funds is not transparent from available public materials.

Reserves and fund balance

New York limits unassigned General Fund balance to 4% of the ensuing year's budget. This is a cap, not a floor. The district reported $2,439,842 in unassigned General Fund balance as of June 30, 2025, approximately 4.0% of the ensuing year's budget, according to district financial statements. This figure rose slightly from $2,351,931 in FY2024. The district's proximity to the 4% statutory ceiling means it has limited room to accumulate additional unassigned reserves without exceeding state limits, which constrains how much of a future revenue shortfall could be absorbed from this category. The district also maintains appropriated fund balance and reserves as separate budget-balancing tools, as evidenced by the $2,716,925 and $1,200,000 drawn for the 2026-27 budget, but these represent assigned rather than unassigned balances.

Debt and long-term obligations

As of May 28, 2026, the district had $46,781,118 in outstanding debt, according to bond offering documents. Debt service in the 2026-27 budget totals $5,513,463, approximately 8.8% of the $62,762,808 budget. Moody's assigned a MIG 1 rating on June 11, 2026, for new short-term borrowing, and the district carries an underlying rating of Aa2, according to the same offering documents. These ratings reflect the agency's assessment of creditworthiness and affect the interest rates the district pays when borrowing. The district's most recent borrowing action was a 2026 Series A BAN, with bid results available through Capmark.

The district also carries significant post-employment benefit obligations. At June 30, 2025, the district reported a $56,699,896 total OPEB (other post-employment benefits) liability, a $2,828,453 ERS (Employee Retirement System) net pension liability, and a $3,241,737 TRS (Teachers' Retirement System) net pension asset, according to district financial statements. Retiree health benefits are funded on a pay-as-you-go basis, meaning the district pays current retiree health costs from annual operating revenue rather than pre-funding the obligation. The $56.7 million OPEB liability represents a future claim on district resources that is not currently funded, and the pay-as-you-go approach means this liability is not being reduced through systematic advance contributions.

Tax levy and the cap mechanism

For 2026-27, the district calculated a maximum allowable tax levy of $46,417,623 under New York's property tax cap and proposed exactly that amount, a 2.19% increase over the prior year, according to district budget materials. By proposing $0 above the cap, the district required only a simple majority of voters to approve the budget. Had the district proposed a levy exceeding the cap, state law would have required 60% voter approval, according to the OSC's property tax cap summary.

The tax levy has risen every year for the past five years, from $41,427,807 in 2021-22 to $45,422,572 in 2025-26, according to district financial documents. The district has not attempted to override the cap during this period; each year's proposed levy has stayed within the statutory limit, meaning no budget vote has required a 60% supermajority threshold.

How a household tax bill connects to the district levy

The mechanism works as follows. The district determines the total amount it will raise from property taxes, which is the levy. The levy is then apportioned among the municipalities within the district boundaries based on each municipality's share of total equalized assessed property value. Each municipality calculates a tax rate per $1,000 of taxable assessed value by dividing its apportioned share of the levy by the total taxable assessed value of property within its borders. An individual homeowner's school tax bill equals their property's assessed value divided by 1,000, multiplied by the applicable tax rate. A homeowner whose property is assessed at $500,000 in the Town of Cortlandt, for example, would multiply 500 by the Cortlandt rate to determine the school-tax portion of their bill.

Croton-Harmon spans two towns, which means two tax rates apply. For 2025-26, the rate for properties in the Town of Cortlandt is $1,341.139152 per $1,000 of taxable assessed value, and the rate for properties in the Town of Yorktown is $893.841413 per $1,000, according to Westchester County tax rate data. The difference between the two rates reflects differences in equalization rates and the composition of each town's tax base within the district. For comparison, the Town of Cortlandt portion of the Hendrick Hudson Central School District had a 2025-26 rate of $1,250.860481 per $1,000, and the Town of Yorktown portion of the Yorktown Central School District had a rate of $1,074.150206 per $1,000, according to the same county data.

Tax base composition

The district's tax base includes several large non-residential properties. The City of New York accounts for $5,546,110 in assessed value, or 16.09% of the total, likely reflecting watershed property. Consolidated Edison accounts for $2,011,897, or 5.84%. Together, these two entities represent nearly 22% of the district's assessed value, according to district financial documents. The remaining top taxpayers include Croton Enterprise LLC (0.57%), Sky View Nursing Realty (0.50%), and Hudson National Golf Club (0.48%). The concentration of taxable value in utility and municipal property means that changes in utility assessments or city property valuations can have outsized effects on the tax rate faced by residential homeowners, because a reduction in the assessed value of a large property shifts the levy burden onto all other taxpayers.

Voter history on money measures

Every school budget and capital proposition put before voters in the district from 2020 through 2026 has passed. The 2020-21 school budget of $49,400,000 passed with a margin of 1,200 votes (1,687 yes, 487 no). A $45,500,000 capital project for future facilities passed in 2022 with a margin of 593 votes (808 yes, 215 no), according to district capital project information. The 2023-24 budget of $56,170,000 passed by 610 votes, the 2024-25 budget of $58,798,307 passed by 430 votes, the 2025-26 budget of $60,996,050 passed by 1,121 votes, and the 2026-27 budget of $62,762,808 passed by 959 votes, according to Patch election coverage and district vote information.

Voters also approved several vehicle propositions during this period, including a 2020 transportation proposition for three vehicles at $225,000, a 2023 proposition for five vehicles including an electric bus and charging infrastructure, and a 2025 proposition for five vehicles that passed with a margin of 924 votes (1,366 yes, 442 no). A separate Croton Free Library levy has appeared on the ballot multiple times, passing each time: $937,822 in 2023 and $985,392 in 2025, the latter passing with a margin of 1,238 votes (1,532 yes, 294 no). The library levy for 2026-27 is $1,526,158, approved May 19, 2026, according to district budget materials.

No upcoming money measures beyond the 2026-27 budget cycle are identified in the available public materials. The 2026-27 budget, vehicle proposition, and library levy have all been approved, and the next regularly scheduled budget vote would occur in spring 2027 for the 2027-28 fiscal year.

The municipal and land-use context

The Croton-Harmon Union Free School District operates within a municipal landscape that includes the Village of Croton-on-Hudson and the Town of Cortlandt in Westchester County, New York. The district's governance and fiscal structure are independent of municipal government in a specific, mechanical sense: the Board of Education proposes an annual budget and qualified district voters approve or reject it at the ballot box. No municipal body, whether the Village Board of Trustees or the Town Board, sets or approves the school district budget. This separation means that most municipal-level actions, including land-use decisions, zoning changes, and administrative reorganizations, do not directly alter the district's boundaries, governance authority, or budget process.

Assessment-function consolidation between the Village and the Town

The most significant recent municipal change in the geographic area is the consolidation of the Village of Croton-on-Hudson's assessment function with the Town of Cortlandt's assessment roll. The actors involved include the Village of Croton-on-Hudson Board of Trustees, the Town of Cortlandt Assessor's Office, Village Manager Bryan Healy, Village Treasurer Daniel Tucker, and The Laberge Group, which provided the consolidation analysis.

The Village introduced Local Law Introductory No. 14 of 2024 to consolidate its property assessment administration with the Town of Cortlandt's existing roll. The timeline proceeded as follows. On November 20, 2024, the Village Board held a public hearing on Local Law No. 14 of 2024 regarding consolidation of the assessment function. On March 5, 2025, the Village presented an Assessment Consolidation webinar in which Village Manager Healy and Village Treasurer Tucker explained the proposal and its modeled impacts. On March 10, 2025, the Village published a public hearing notice for Local Law Introductory No. 14 of 2024. The change was subsequently adopted for use beginning with the 2026 tax year.

The fiscal positions of the parties, as attributed to each, are as follows. Executive Summary materials accompanying the consolidation analysis modeled ranges of approximate increases and decreases in Village tax bills under consolidation, acknowledging that some parcels would see higher Village tax bills and others lower. Village Manager Healy and Village Treasurer Tucker stated during the March 5, 2025 webinar that a consolidated assessment would simplify property taxes for taxpayers. Village materials described administrative efficiencies from consolidating assessment functions into a single office rather than maintaining separate Village and Town assessment operations.

For the school district, the relevance of this consolidation is limited to geographic context. Village and Town materials note that the Town of Cortlandt assessment roll has always been used to generate school taxes for the Croton-Harmon district. The consolidation concerns only the administration of Village tax assessments. No mechanism was identified that would change the district's tax base, enrollment, governance, or budget. In practical terms, the assessment roll underlying school taxes was already the Town of Cortlandt's roll before consolidation, and it remains the same roll after consolidation. The change eliminates the Village's separate assessment function but does not introduce a new or different roll for school tax purposes. The transmission mechanism is straightforward: district voters approve the school budget and levy, and the Town assessment roll already underlies school taxes, so the Village's consolidation of its assessment function with the Town does not change the roll used for school taxes.

Fiscal monitoring status

The New York State Office of the Comptroller's 2024 Fiscal Stress Monitoring System lists both the Village of Croton-on-Hudson and the Town of Cortlandt as "No Designation," meaning neither municipality was flagged for fiscal stress in that monitoring cycle. The Croton-Harmon Union Free School District was also listed as "No Designation" with a score of 0.0, the lowest possible stress indicator on the Comptroller's scale. This means that as of the 2024 monitoring cycle, the Comptroller's office identified no significant fiscal stress signals for the district or its surrounding municipalities. Municipal fiscal health, while relevant to the broader economic environment in which the district operates, does not flow through a municipal budget approval mechanism to the school district, because no such mechanism exists.

Housing and land-use activity

The Village of Croton-on-Hudson has pursued several housing and land-use initiatives that form part of the broader municipal context. The Village has considered accessory dwelling unit legislation, which would allow homeowners to create secondary dwelling units on their properties. The Village has also advanced a project at 41-51 Maple Street, for which it published frequently asked questions and project documentation. Additionally, the Village has proposed zoning code amendments, including Local Law Introductory No. 3 of 2026, and has a proposed laws page listing pending legislation. The Village's zoning map was finalized in 2023.

These housing and land-use initiatives occur within the broader context of Westchester County's affordable housing settlement. The County's affordable housing settlement, which originated from a federal lawsuit, was terminated, as announced by County Executive George Latimer. Coverage of the settlement's conclusion described the case as closed. The settlement had required the County to facilitate the development of affordable housing in certain communities, and a revised housing implementation plan was part of the compliance framework. A news article from 2024 reported on the possibility of affordable housing near the Croton-on-Hudson train station. The Croton Housing Council operates as a local housing organization in the village.

A petition on Change.org titled "Stop Croton's Urbanization Now" reflects public engagement with these development questions. The petition represents a segment of community opinion opposed to denser development. It is cited here as a public record of civic activity, not as an endorsement or rejection of its positions.

What would and would not affect this district

The research checked for district boundary changes, annexation, consolidation, or dissolution proposals and identified none. The research also checked County housing-settlement materials and Village affordable-housing project pages for any consent decrees or district implications and found no documented mechanism connecting these housing initiatives to changes in the district's boundaries, tax base, enrollment, or budget.

The mechanisms by which municipal changes could affect the Croton-Harmon school district are narrow and specific. A change to the assessment roll used for school taxes would affect the district's tax base, but no such change has occurred or been proposed; the Town of Cortlandt roll has been and remains the basis for school taxes. A change to district boundaries through annexation, consolidation, or dissolution would affect enrollment and governance, but no such proposal has been identified. A significant change in housing stock through new development could affect enrollment over time, but no specific development project has been documented as altering enrollment projections for the district. The district's budget process remains independent of municipal governance, with voters in the district approving or rejecting the school budget and levy directly.

Real estate and the price of admission

The housing market overlapping the Croton-Harmon Union Free School District can be approximated through ZIP-level indices. Zillow's Home Value Index for the three ZIP codes associated with the district (10520, 10562, and 10567) stood at $804,228 as of April 30, 2026. Zillow's Observed Rent Index for the same area was $3,618 as of the same date. These figures are ZIP-level approximations, allocation-weighted to the district through the NCES-ZCTA relationship file. ZIP boundaries do not align with district boundaries, so these numbers describe the broader postal areas that overlap the district rather than the district's exact catchment.

A separate historical data point appears in Village of Croton-on-Hudson records. The Village's Lot A request for proposals, citing 2021 data, reported a 0% rental-vacancy rate and 629 rental units, down from 842 in 2017. These are historical figures and do not represent current 2026 conditions.

Residential development pipeline

Seven residential projects were identified within the Village of Croton-on-Hudson, spanning approved, under-construction, under-review, and stalled stages. The largest approved project is 1 Croton Point Avenue (Lot A), with 100 units of affordable multifamily housing under an ownership tenure. The Village acknowledged the special permit application on July 17, 2024, and subsequent site plan and special permit approvals followed.

The Hudson Condos at 25 South Riverside Avenue, with 39 ownership condominiums including 4 affordable units, was under construction. The affordable lottery application period opened September 26, 2025, with a lottery date of December 9, 2025. Village communications projected a spring 2026 completion.

Three additional projects have received approval. The 1380 Albany Post Road multifamily development, with 29 units, had its special permit renewed on July 1, 2025, though no published construction schedule appeared on the cited page. The 352 South Riverside Avenue mixed-use building, with 5 residential units, received its special permit on September 26, 2023, but the Village's September 18, 2024 housing report indicated no building permit had been issued at that time.

Two projects remain under review. The 425 South Riverside Avenue multifamily development proposes 49 rental apartments with approximately 10% affordable units. Application materials have been posted and Planning Board presentation scheduling was noted, but no construction schedule has been published. The 325 South Riverside Avenue mixed-use building proposes 2 apartments within a three-story structure with ground-floor retail and second-floor office space. A public hearing was held on October 23, 2024, and further traffic-study materials were requested with review ongoing.

A seventh project, the 1 Half Moon Bay Drive petition, proposed 280 units at a conceptual stage. It was discussed in July 2024 coverage but was not advanced by the Board of Trustees thereafter within the research window.

Zoning changes

Local Law Introductory No. 5 of 2026, applying village-wide under Chapter 230, Section 230-48, was proposed with a public hearing held or scheduled for April 8, 2026. No later adoption action appears in the cited record. The law retains an affordable-housing requirement and enables discretionary waivers when an applicant provides more affordable units than required, potentially allowing additional dwelling units. No quantified enrollment or tax-base effect was identified.

Local Law 8 of 2025, adopted on May 21, 2025, moved authority to issue village-wide special permits from the Board of Trustees and Zoning Board of Appeals to the Planning Board. No enrollment or tax-base effect was quantified.

Commercial tax base

The 325 South Riverside Avenue project, described as a mixed-use redevelopment including Save-Mor Pharmacy retail, second-floor office space, and two apartments, was under review with a public hearing held on October 23, 2024, and traffic and other materials remaining outstanding.

Two risks to the commercial tax base were identified. First, district-wide taxable assessments are subject to pending tax-certiorari proceedings. The status is pending, and the possible refund amount cannot presently be determined. Second, existing commercial uses at 425 South Riverside Avenue are proposed for redevelopment to multifamily residential, with Planning Board review ongoing. A conversion from commercial to residential use can shift the composition of the tax base, though no quantified fiscal effect was published.

PILOT and revenue diversion

A payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement applies to the 41-51 Maple Street project, also known as Maple Commons. The agreement substitutes a first-year total PILOT of $70,000, escalating 3% annually, for County, Town, Village, and Croton-Harmon school taxes. The agreement does not state the district's dollar share or the amount of taxes abated. The PILOT expires thirty years after issuance of the project's temporary certificate of occupancy, or final certificate if no temporary certificate is issued. An exact calendar expiry was not published. No active dispute or default was documented.

Infrastructure

Two infrastructure projects were identified. The New York State Department of Transportation began milling and paving on Route 9A from Route 133 to Maiden Lane in June 2025, with the Village announcing overnight work, closures, and detours. The work affected local roadway access through Croton-on-Hudson. No enrollment effect or school-specific access effect was quantified. Separately, the Village issued a request for proposals for installation of solar canopies at the Croton-Harmon Train Station parking lot. This is an energy and parking-lot infrastructure project at the district's main commuter station. No enrollment or tax-base effect was quantified.

The choice ecosystem

Croton-Harmon Union Free School District does not operate any charter schools, nor does it serve as a charter school authorizer. In New York State, charter school applications are authorized by either the New York Board of Regents or the State University of New York (SUNY), not by local school districts. The New York State Education Department maintains a directory of charter schools and publishes policies and procedures governing their operation. No charter school is identified in the available research as operating within the district's boundaries, and no charter-related disputes, applications, or litigation involving Croton-Harmon appear in the acquired research.

The district does not operate a magnet or themed-school system. Its schools are organized by grade span: Carrie E. Tompkins Elementary School (CET) serves grades K through 4, Pierre Van Cortlandt Middle School (PVC) serves grades 5 through 8, and Croton-Harmon High School (CHHS) serves grades 9 through 12. Seat assignment is handled through standard residency registration. No magnet lottery, themed application, or intra-district school-choice mechanism is published.

Several private schools serve families in the broader region. Hackley School, a K-12 independent school, publishes 2026-2027 tuition of $52,880 for Lower School (grades K through 4), $58,260 for Middle School (grades 5 through 8), and $61,895 for Upper School (grades 9 through 12), with five-day boarding fees referenced but not fully captured in the available research. The Masters School, serving grades 5 through 12, publishes 2026-2027 day tuition of $65,800 for both middle and upper school, with five-day boarding at $77,200 and seven-day boarding at $83,350. Kennedy Catholic Preparatory School, serving grades 9 through 12, publishes 2026-2027 tuition of $12,425. These figures are as each school publishes them and do not include fees, financial aid adjustments, or other costs that may apply. The district provides transportation to nonpublic schools within statutory limits, with families submitting annual request forms to arrange service.

The district tracks homeschooling and provides home-schooling information through the superintendent's office. No microschool activity is specifically identified in the available research. Families pursuing home instruction follow established state and district protocols, which typically involve letters of intent, individualized home instruction plans, quarterly reports, and annual assessments.

New York has no voucher or education savings account program. A bill referenced as NY S388 remained in committee as of the available research, and no local uptake or district fiscal effect is published. A federal scholarship tax credit is scheduled to take effect January 1, 2027, but its practical impact on this district has not been documented in the available research.

Programs, logistics, and special populations

Special education

The district reports 239 students with disabilities, representing 15% of its 1,555 students, for the 2024-25 school year. The district operates a Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE) and a Committee on Special Education (CSE), which oversee identification, evaluation, and placement. A referral process is published for families seeking evaluation. The district also maintains Section 504 accommodations and a Response to Intervention (RtI) plan. At the high school level, the CHHS Flexible Support Program is listed as a notable offering. District materials describe an inclusive educational environment, but a single uniform co-teaching or placement model is not specified in the available research. Placement decisions may therefore vary by student and building, determined through the CSE process rather than through a standardized districtwide approach. Pupil personnel services resources are published to support families navigating these processes.

English learners

The district reports 50 English Language Learners, representing 3% of its 1,555 students, for the 2024-25 school year. The district provides English as a New Language (ENL) instruction. No dual language or bilingual program is identified in the available research. ENL is the sole English learner program listed, which means students receiving language support are served through this single instructional model rather than through a choice of program types.

Pre-kindergarten

The district offers free Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) with lottery-based placement. No published seat counts or detailed waitlist rules are available. UPK is delivered through community providers including Childrenspace North, located at 31 Glengary Road in Croton-on-Hudson, and A Rising Star. The lottery model means that placement is not guaranteed by residency alone. Families must enter the lottery, and seats are allocated through that process. The absence of published seat counts makes it difficult to assess the likelihood of obtaining a placement in any given year, and the absence of published waitlist rules means families cannot determine in advance how the district prioritizes applicants if demand exceeds supply.

Career and technical education

Croton-Harmon does not operate its own career and technical education (CTE) center. Students access CTE programming through the Tech Center at Yorktown, a part-day program operated by Putnam | Northern Westchester BOCES (PNW BOCES). The Tech Center offers programs across multiple industry areas, including arts and humanities, business, engineering, health, human and public services, and natural and agricultural sciences. Students who complete CTE programs may earn a Career and Technical Education Certificate and may be eligible for a Regents Diploma with a Technical Endorsement. Because this is a part-day program, students typically split their day between CHHS and the Tech Center in Yorktown, which has implications for scheduling, transportation, and the number of courses a student can take at the home campus.

Athletics and arts

The district offers interscholastic athletics as part of its programming. In the arts, the district features a three-level video production sequence known as CH-TV, taught in a dedicated studio that was recently revamped at Croton-Harmon High School. The district also participates in the Tri Town Orchestra Festival, a collaborative musical event involving multiple communities. These offerings represent specific programmatic commitments. The available research identifies these as signature or unusual offerings but does not provide a comprehensive catalog of all teams, clubs, or arts courses available across the three buildings.

Transportation and bell times

The district provides transportation for resident students in grades K through 4 and grades 5 through 12 per district transportation policy. Nonpublic school transportation requests are supported through annual forms and are available within statutory limits. No district-specific driver shortage or reliability issue is posted, though standard guidance notes that buses may arrive early or late and routes can change. Bell times are structured as follows: CET (elementary, K through 4) runs 8:00 AM to 2:25 PM; PVC (middle school, grades 5 through 8) runs 7:55 AM to 2:50 PM; CHHS (high school, grades 9 through 12) runs 7:50 AM to 2:50 PM. The high school and middle school start within five minutes of each other, while the elementary school starts ten minutes later. Families with children across multiple buildings may need to coordinate different start and end times, particularly if relying on a single adult for morning drop-off or afternoon pickup.

Before and after school care

Two providers serve families needing care outside school hours. Croton Academy of Arts offers after-school care from dismissal until 6:00 PM at CET and PVC, with monthly rates posted by number of days and number of children. The provider notes that registration is open and invites families to join a waitlist for filled days, indicating that capacity constraints exist for certain days of the week. Happy Hearts on the Hudson offers both before and after school care for children up to age 12 on weekdays. Its reviewed page lists services but does not publish prices, which makes direct cost comparison between the two providers difficult for families planning a budget. The difference in scope is also notable: Croton Academy serves only the after-school window at specific district buildings, while Happy Hearts covers both before and after school but serves children up to age 12, which may affect eligibility for older middle school students.

Calendar

The 2026-27 district calendar sets the first student day as September 1, 2026, and the last day as June 25, 2027. The district does not operate on a four-day school week schedule. The calendar governs not only instructional days but also the rhythm of breaks, holidays, and professional development days that shape family planning throughout the year.

Safety, climate, and community

What the state safety reporting actually counts

New York State requires districts to report school safety incidents through the School Safety and Educational Climate (SSEC) collection, which covers the period from July 1 to June 30 each year. The SSEC counts school-level violent or disruptive incidents that occur on school property, on school buses, or at school functions, as well as verified material incidents under the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA). The reporting categories include homicide, sexual offenses, assault, weapons possession, bomb threats, false alarms, drugs and alcohol, and DASA incidents. These categories are incident-reporting classifications, not a crime rate. A single serious incident and many minor ones can produce similar category entries, and the counts do not by themselves indicate whether a school is safe or unsafe. The New York State Education Department publishes SSEC data through its school safety and educational climate data portal, and the district maintains a draft safety and emergency management plan and a safety brochure describing local procedures for drills, training, and emergency response.

Federal discipline data for 2021-22

The US Department of Education's Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) for the 2021-22 school year provides the most recent available federal snapshot of exclusionary discipline in Croton-Harmon. The data, aggregated across the district's three schools, records the following for students without disabilities. Seven White male students and one Hispanic male student received in-school suspensions. No female students without disabilities received in-school suspensions that year. For out-of-school suspensions, the CRDC recorded single out-of-school suspensions for one Asian male student and two White male students. No students without disabilities received multiple out-of-school suspensions. The CRDC reported zero suspensions across all other disaggregated racial and ethnic categories for both in-school and out-of-school suspensions. Because the CRDC reports counts rather than rates and does not publish enrollment-by-subgroup for the same year in this dataset, the raw numbers cannot be converted to suspension rates from this source alone. The data also does not include students with disabilities in these particular fields, as the CRDC reports those figures separately.

Code of Conduct and discipline approach

The district's Code of Conduct, designated Policy 5300, frames student behavior under what the district describes as a culture of respect and progressive discipline. The policy was subject to a public hearing and second reading on June 12, 2025. It provides for restorative options applied with consideration for context and student needs. Progressive discipline means that responses to misconduct escalate based on the nature of the incident and the student's disciplinary history, rather than applying a fixed consequence for every infraction. Restorative practices, as referenced in the policy, typically involve structured dialogue between affected parties aimed at repairing harm rather than relying solely on exclusion from school.

School resource officer status

No official source identified a dedicated school resource officer (SRO) assignment in Croton-Harmon. The district's published safety materials describe training, drills, and safety procedures rather than an SRO program. The Village of Croton-on-Hudson Police Department maintains a school safety page that references coordination with schools, but the district's own emergency management plan and safety brochure do not describe a stationed officer. A petition on Change.org advocating for armed school resource officers in Croton-Harmon schools indicates that some community members have sought a different approach, though the petition reflects advocacy rather than official district policy.

Cell phone policy and New York's statewide requirement

The district revised Policy 5695 on August 21, 2025, to prohibit students' use of personal internet-enabled devices during the school day, subject to enumerated exceptions. The district communicated the policy to families on August 26, 2025, in advance of the 2025-26 school year. This local policy aligns with a statewide initiative: New York Governor Kathy Hochul launched a distraction-free schools initiative to support bell-to-bell restrictions on personal devices beginning in the 2025-26 school year. The statewide effort provides resources and guidance for districts implementing restrictions, though implementation specifics remain a local decision.

Climate survey

The district administered a school-climate survey in Fall 2025 and presented results to the Board of Education on January 22, 2026. The Board agenda for that date includes an attachment with the presentation. A letter to parents dated February 2026 references the survey results. The district has stated on its official social media channels that climate data shows positive and consistent results across schools, though the detailed findings are contained in the Board presentation rather than in a publicly summarized standalone report.

DEI policy litigation

In July 2024, the organization Parents Defending Education filed a federal lawsuit challenging Croton-Harmon's diversity, equity, and inclusion policies and anti-discrimination framework. The plaintiffs alleged that the district's DEI policies compelled or restricted speech; the district did not accept that characterization of its programs. The district court case was dismissed, and Parents Defending Education pursued an appeal in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals (CA2 No. 24-1900). That appeal was terminated on April 22, 2025, with the district-court dismissal remaining in place. No further appellate relief appears on the cited dockets as of the available records. The litigation touched on questions about how public school districts may structure DEI programming under constitutional speech protections, an area of ongoing legal development nationally. The district's DEI policies remain in effect absent a court order requiring changes.

Leadership, governance, and labor

Stephen Walker has served as Superintendent of Schools since January 4, 2022, when he succeeded Deborah O'Connell following her retirement effective January 3, 2022. Walker was initially appointed on an interim basis before being elevated to the permanent role. According to a contract amendment dated June 12, 2025, the Board of Education extended Walker's employment agreement through June 11, 2030. The amendment provides that compensation adjustments after that date are at the Board's discretion following evaluation. Walker previously served as superintendent of Sullivan West Central School District and held earlier leadership and instructional roles, according to a district communication introducing him to the community.

Over the past decade, the district has had three superintendents. Edward Fuhrman retired, with his departure reported by the Journal News in July 2017; his exact tenure end date is not specified in the available record, and the retirement is characterized as multiply corroborated but unconfirmed in official district sources. Deborah O'Connell's tenure ended on January 3, 2022, upon her retirement, a transition officially confirmed by the district. Walker succeeded her the following day. The district thus experienced superintendent transitions roughly every five years over this period, with the most recent change occurring in early 2022. No additional interim or acting superintendent appointments between these three individuals were identified in the available record.

The Board of Education comprises seven members. Omar Mayyasi serves as President, first elected in 2024, with a term expiring in 2027. The remaining trustees are Anamika Bhatnagar (first elected 2023, term expires 2029), Theo Oshiro (first elected 2022, term expires 2028), Allison Samuels (first elected 2025), Ana Teague (term expires 2027), Jacob Day, and Elizabeth Laird. Term expiration dates for Samuels, Day, and Laird were not included in the available record, so their renewal cycles cannot be dated from the information on file.

The district held its most recent annual school board election and budget vote on May 19, 2026, at Croton-Harmon High School. The budget passed, according to the district's own reporting. Official sources did not publish a voter turnout rate. The prior election on May 21, 2024 similarly decided the budget and board seats without a published turnout figure. The absence of published turnout data means no comparison of voter engagement across years can be made from the available record.

The district's central administration includes three assistant superintendents: Laura Dubak as Assistant Superintendent, Denise Harrington-Cohen as Assistant Superintendent for Business, and Rachel DePaul as Assistant Superintendent of Pupil Personnel Services. Dubak's appointment was announced by the district through its high school news page.

Labor relations

As of May 28, 2026, all six bargaining units in the district were operating under active agreements, with none identified as at impasse or actively negotiating. The nearest contract expiration was the transportation unit on June 30, 2026. The six units, their membership, and expiration dates are as follows:

• The Croton-Harmon Teachers Association represents 163 members under a contract expiring June 30, 2028.
• The Amalgamated Transit Union, representing transportation workers, has 49 members under a contract expiring June 30, 2026, the nearest expiration among all units.
• The Aides of Croton United represents 63 members under a contract expiring June 30, 2027.
• The CSEA Clerical Unit has 16 members under a contract expiring June 30, 2029.
• The Croton Custodial Unit (CSEA) represents 22 members under a contract expiring June 30, 2028. A memorandum of agreement between the district and this unit is on file in Board documents.
• The Croton Administrators Association has 6 members under a contract expiring June 30, 2030.

No work stoppage, strike, or labor dispute history was identified in the available record for this district. The absence of such records means no historical pattern of labor disruption can be reported.

State oversight and fiscal stress

The district is not listed among New York State districts with a state monitor, and no current state intervention was identified. The New York State Education Department's roster of districts under state monitoring does not include Croton-Harmon. The district also did not appear among the 31 school districts designated for fiscal stress in the State Comptroller's January 2026 release.

Litigation

The district is a defendant in an active civil rights matter, Parents Defending Education v. Croton-Harmon Union Free School District, currently on appeal in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (No. 24-1900). The district court dismissed the action on July 11, 2024. Plaintiffs noticed an appeal, which was docketed in the Second Circuit on July 15, 2024. The case remains pending on appeal. If the district prevails, current policies remain unaffected by this case. If plaintiffs ultimately succeed, aspects of the challenged policies could be enjoined or revised. The allegations remain pending and have not been adjudicated as findings.

Class size guidelines

The district's 2026-27 proposed budget includes class size guidelines by grade level. These are planning guidelines rather than statutory or contractual caps. No legal cap on class size was identified for this district, and the compliance status is not applicable because no such legal cap exists.

Risks and watch items: the forward calendar

This section tracks scheduled events with specific dates or windows drawn from the available record. Each item is a confirmed scheduling fact, not a prediction. Where a date has not been set, that is stated plainly.

Labor contract expirations

The nearest labor contract expiration is the Amalgamated Transit Union, representing 49 transportation workers, which expires on June 30, 2026. As of May 28, 2026, this unit was not identified as at impasse or actively negotiating, but the expiration creates a negotiation window in the weeks following that date.

The Aides of Croton United, representing 63 members, has a contract expiring June 30, 2027. The Croton-Harmon Teachers Association (163 members) and the Croton Custodial Unit CSEA (22 members) both have contracts expiring June 30, 2028. The CSEA Clerical Unit (16 members) has a contract expiring June 30, 2029. The Croton Administrators Association (6 members) has a contract expiring June 30, 2030.

Superintendent Stephen Walker's contract, as amended on June 12, 2025, runs through June 11, 2030. No renegotiation or extension timeline has been announced beyond that date.

Board elections and budget votes

The district holds its annual school board election and budget vote in May. The most recent vote occurred on May 19, 2026, at Croton-Harmon High School, with the budget passing. Based on this established pattern, the next annual vote is expected in May 2027, though the specific date had not been published in the available record as of the latest information.

Board terms expiring in 2027 include those of President Omar Mayyasi and Trustee Ana Teague. Trustee Theo Oshiro's term expires in 2028. Trustee Anamika Bhatnagar's term expires in 2029. Terms for Trustees Allison Samuels, Jacob Day, and Elizabeth Laird did not include expiration dates in the available record, so their renewal cycles cannot be dated from the available information.

Pending litigation

The appeal in Parents Defending Education v. Croton-Harmon Union Free School District (2d Cir. No. 24-1900) remains pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. The appeal was docketed on July 15, 2024, following the district court's dismissal on July 11, 2024. No oral argument date, briefing deadline, or decision timeline was identified in the available record. The case remains unresolved, and no scheduled court date is available to report.

Safety plan adoption

The district posted its proposed 2026-27 District-Wide Safety and Emergency Management Plan on June 1, 2026, opening a 30-day public comment period via a linked form. The retrieved source did not state the final adoption date. Based on the 30-day comment window, adoption would follow the close of that period, but the specific date remains unscheduled in the available record.

School climate reporting

The Board of Education received the district's Winter 2026 school-climate presentation on January 22, 2026, reflecting Fall 2025 survey results. The district has indicated that school-climate data collection is an ongoing process. No next scheduled presentation date was identified in the available record, so the timing of the next climate report cannot be stated.

Surprising insights

Several findings in this report are not immediately apparent from the district's public-facing materials or from a casual review of its website. Each is drawn from the body sections above.

The district's retiree health benefit liability exceeds its annual revenue. As of June 30, 2025, the district reported a total OPEB (other post-employment benefits) liability of $56,699,896, according to district financial statements. For comparison, the district's total revenue in FY2023 was $53,845,000. This means the unfunded obligation for retiree health benefits is larger than an entire year of revenue from all sources. The district funds these benefits on a pay-as-you-go basis rather than through a pre-funded trust, which means the liability is not being reduced through investment returns. This long-term structural obligation does not appear in the annual budget discussion but is documented in the district's audited financial statements.

The district's unassigned fund balance is at the statutory ceiling. New York State limits unassigned General Fund balance to 4% of the ensuing year's budget. The district reported $2,439,842 in unassigned fund balance as of June 30, 2025, approximately 4.0% of the ensuing year's budget. This means the district is essentially at the legal maximum and has almost no capacity to accumulate additional unassigned reserves. In practical terms, the district cannot build a larger financial cushion from this category to absorb future revenue shortfalls or unexpected expenditures without exceeding state limits.

An address in Cortlandt Manor does not automatically mean assignment to Croton-Harmon. The district serves the entirety of the Village of Croton-on-Hudson, but it also serves portions of Cortlandt Manor and the Town of Yorktown. These unincorporated areas are shared with multiple other school districts, including Hendrick Hudson CSD, Lakeland CSD, Walter Panas UFSD, and Yorktown CSD. A specific address in Cortlandt Manor could fall within any of these districts depending on its exact location. Families considering a home in these areas cannot determine school assignment from the municipality name alone and must verify the specific address against district boundary maps.

The most recent graduation rate on file is from the 2019-20 school year. The district's four-year graduation rate for a cohort of 113 students was between 95 and 100 percent in 2019-20. This cohort was in its final year when the COVID-19 pandemic began. No more recent graduation data is available in the computed dataset. Any assessment of current graduation outcomes must rely on the district's own self-reported figures, such as the high school profile's claim of a 97% college enrollment rate for the Class of 2025, rather than independently verified federal data.

AP proficiency rates of 100% do not indicate universal proficiency among all students. The district reported 100.0% proficiency on AP Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC among 12th graders in 2023-24. However, the computed data does not include the number of test-takers for each exam. A 100% proficiency rate among a small number of students who self-selected into the exam carries a different meaning than the same rate among a large cohort. Without participation counts, these rates cannot be interpreted as a measure of how many students in the grade reached that level of achievement.

Best fit: who this district serves well

This section describes the educational and logistical needs that the Croton-Harmon Union Free School District is structured to meet, as well as needs it does not currently address. The analysis is based on the programs, data, and structural features documented in the body sections above. It does not assess who a family is, only what the district offers and what it lacks.

Needs the district is structured to meet

Small-school scale across a full K-12 sequence. The district enrolls 1,583 students across three buildings, averaging approximately 528 students per school. A family that values a small-school environment, where the number of students per building is modest and the same cohort progresses together from kindergarten through graduation, will find that structure here. The single-feeder model means that students are not sorted into different buildings based on address within the district, and there is no risk of internal redistricting because there is only one school at each level.

Deterministic feeder certainty. A family for whom school assignment stability is a priority will find that this district offers a high degree of certainty. A student who attends Carrie E. Tompkins School will progress to Pierre Van Cortlandt School and then to Croton-Harmon High School. There are no alternative attendance zones, no magnet lotteries for K-12, and no intra-district transfer options. The only boundary that matters is the district boundary itself, which changes only through statutory processes under New York Education Law. No active boundary change, closure, or consolidation process was found in a review of district materials through July 2026.

Advanced Placement coursework with broad subject coverage. A student seeking externally credentialed acceleration will find AP courses in biology, calculus (AB and BC), chemistry, comparative government and politics, environmental science, computer science, and French language, among others, according to the high school profile for 2025-26. The district also offers dual enrollment through partnerships with SUNY Westchester Community College and the University at Albany, allowing students to earn transcripted college credit for courses co-seated with AP. A three-year Science Research Program provides an additional pathway for students interested in original research, culminating in participation in the Westchester Science and Engineering Fair.

A detracked mathematics pathway. A family that values an access-oriented approach to mathematics, where students are not sorted into separate tracks by perceived ability, will find that the district has implemented an "Algebra for All" model. The district describes this redesign as emphasizing access, choice, and post-secondary planning rather than selective screening, according to the district's description. The district does not cite a standardized test-in gate or teacher-recommendation requirement for placement into accelerated math coursework.

Fiscal stability as documented by the state. The New York State Office of the Comptroller scored the district at 0.0, designated "No Designation," indicating no identified fiscal stress, according to the OSC's 2025 fiscal monitoring report. A family concerned about the district's near-term fiscal health will find that the state's monitoring system does not flag this district for stress.

Needs the district does not currently meet

No International Baccalaureate programme. The district does not offer the IB Diploma Programme or any IB coursework. AP represents the highest level of externally credentialed acceleration available within the district's own schools. A student specifically seeking an IB curriculum would need to look outside the district.

No selective or magnet programs with entrance examinations. The district does not operate a selective school, magnet program, or honors track that requires an entrance exam or competitive application. Advanced academic opportunities consist of AP coursework, dual enrollment, and the Science Research Program. A family seeking a highly selective academic environment with competitive admission will not find one here.

No published building capacity data. The district does not publish a building-by-building capacity or utilization study. A family concerned about whether enrollment growth is creating space pressure in specific buildings will not find that analysis in the district's posted capital or budget materials. The district maintains a future facilities capital projects page and has presented capital project updates, but these address building conditions and improvements rather than enrollment-driven capacity analysis.

Missing data on special education, English learner, and economic disadvantage populations. IEP counts and rates are reported as missing. English learner counts and rates are reported as missing. Free and reduced-price lunch counts and rates are reported as missing. A family needing to evaluate the quality and scope of special education services, English language support, or programming for economically disadvantaged students will not find the quantitative data to do so in the available dataset. The district's pupil personnel services office would be the appropriate point of contact for this information.

No subgroup assessment breakdowns. The computed assessment data provides results only for the all-students group. No breakdowns by race, ethnicity, economic status, disability status, or English learner status are available. A family seeking to understand whether proficiency rates are consistent across demographic groups, or whether gaps exist, will not find that data in the available series.

Stale graduation and enrollment trend data. The most recent graduation data on file is from 2019-20. No long-run enrollment series is available. A family seeking to understand whether outcomes are improving or declining over time, or whether enrollment is growing or shrinking, will not find multi-year trend data in the computed dataset.

Questions parents should ask

The following questions arise from specific findings in this report. Each is tied to a gap, limitation, or structural feature documented in the body sections above.

1. How many students took each AP exam in 2023-24? Proficiency rates without participation counts cannot indicate how many students reached a given level of achievement. Ask the Croton-Harmon High School administration.

2. What is the district's current four-year graduation rate? The most recent graduation data on file is from 2019-20, when the cohort was in its final year during the onset of the pandemic. More recent figures are not available in the computed dataset. Ask the district's data office or consult the district's data page.

3. What is the building-by-building enrollment compared to functional capacity? No published utilization study was located in the district's capital or budget materials. The district maintains a future facilities capital projects page, but the documents reviewed address building conditions rather than capacity analysis. Ask the buildings and grounds department.

4. How does the district plan to address its $56.7 million OPEB liability? This retiree health obligation exceeds the district's FY2023 total revenue and is funded on a pay-as-you-go basis, according to district financial statements. The long-term fiscal implications are not discussed in the annual budget materials. Ask the business office or the board of education.

5. What positions or programs funded by ESSER grants were retained, cut, or absorbed after the federal money expired? The district received approximately $815,000 in total ESSER funding, but no documented transition plan was found in the public materials reviewed. Ask the business office or consult the district's ESSER plan page.

6. How are special education services structured across the three schools? IEP counts and rates are reported as missing in the available data. Without this information, the scope and distribution of special education programming cannot be assessed from the data on file. Ask the pupil personnel services office.

7. What English learner programs are available, and how many students participate? English learner counts and rates are reported as missing. The district's approach to English language support cannot be evaluated from the computed dataset. Ask the pupil personnel services office.

8. How does the redesigned math pathway affect placement into advanced high school courses? The district describes an "Algebra for All" detracking model, according to the district's description, but the specific mechanics of how students access higher-level mathematics under the new system are not fully detailed in the available materials. Ask the curriculum office or the high school administration.

9. What are the terms and availability of non-resident tuition enrollment under Policy 5152? The district allows discretionary non-resident admission subject to administrative approval and tuition payment, according to the Non-Resident Student Tuition Application, but the criteria for acceptance and the number of non-resident students currently enrolled are not published. Ask the district office.

10. How are assessment results disaggregated by subgroup? No subgroup breakdowns by race, ethnicity, economic status, disability status, or English learner status are available in the computed assessment data. Without this information, it is not possible to determine whether proficiency rates are consistent across groups or whether gaps exist. Ask the district's data office.

11. What is the UPK lottery waitlist situation? The use of a lottery for Universal Pre-Kindergarten suggests that demand may exceed available supply, but the number of applicants, the number of available seats, and the waitlist size are not specified in the materials reviewed. Ask the pupil personnel services office or consult the district's UPK page.

12. What is the district's enrollment trend over the past five to ten years? No long-run enrollment series is available on file, so it is not possible to describe whether enrollment is growing, shrinking, or stable from the computed data. Ask the district's registration office or consult the district's data page.

Scope, method, and sourcing notes

This report covers the Croton-Harmon Union Free School District (NCES LEA ID 3608580), a K-12 union free school district in Westchester County, New York. It draws on computed data from government sources and acquired research from district-published materials, state education department reports, and other public documents. The report describes what is true based on the available evidence and does not rate, rank, or recommend the district.

Data sources and vintages

Enrollment data comes from the NCES Common Core of Data for the 2023-24 school year, reporting 1,583 students across three schools. Race and ethnicity composition is reported for the same year. Free and reduced-price lunch counts and rates are reported as missing. Individualized Education Program counts and rates are reported as missing. English learner counts and rates are reported as missing.

Assessment data includes 62 series spanning 2006 through 2025, sourced from New York State's assessment infrastructure. The visible AP proficiency data is from the 2023-24 school year. State assessment series run from 2006 through 2017. No AP proficiency data from prior years is available in the computed dataset for comparison, which means an independent multi-year trend cannot be constructed from the available figures alone.

Graduation data comes from EDFacts ACGR via the Urban Institute Education Data API for the 2019-20 school year. This is the most recent graduation data available on file and is several years old. The cohort comprised 113 students, with a graduation rate reported as a suppressed range of 95 to 100 percent. The U.S. Department of Education's EDFacts system suppresses exact rates above 95 percent to protect student privacy.

Chronic absenteeism data comes from EDFacts Data Group 814 for the 2022-23 school year, reporting a rate of 10.3 percent for all students in the district.

Finance data comes from the US Census Bureau Annual Survey of School System Finances (F-33) for FY2023. The F-33 reports in thousands of dollars, converted to dollars in the computed data. The F-33 membership figure for that year was 1,540 students, which differs from the NCES enrollment figure of 1,583 for 2023-24 because the two sources use different definitions and collection timelines.

Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) data comes from the US Department of Education for SY2021-22. This includes AP enrollment totals by race and ethnicity, Algebra I enrollment data, gifted and talented enrollment data, and suspension data aggregated across the district's three schools.

Additional district-level data, including budget figures, financial statements, bond offering documents, and program descriptions, comes from documents published on the district's website and linked public sources. These are self-reported by the district where indicated.

Limitations and gaps

Several categories of information are absent from the computed data and could not be filled. No long-run enrollment series is available, so multi-year enrollment trends cannot be described. Graduation data is from 2019-20 and does not reflect post-pandemic cohorts. No SAT or ACT scores are included in the computed data. No college matriculation or persistence rates are included in the computed series. Regents exam pass rates are not visible in the available computed data. No subgroup assessment breakdowns are available. No school-level disaggregation of assessment data is available. No building capacity or utilization study was located in the district's posted materials. No documented ESSER transition plan was found in the public materials reviewed. Free and reduced-price lunch data, which would indicate the economic composition of the student body, is reported as missing. IEP and English learner data are likewise missing. Child poverty data was not available through the computed dataset. The district's self-reported figures, including its claims about trends and its high school profile data, are labeled as such throughout the report and are not independently verified by the computed data.

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