Joseph Mcneil School, Hempstead NY

Original Research by School Decision on Joseph Mcneil School

Joseph McNeil School is a regular public elementary school serving grades one through six in Hempstead, a diverse, high-density village in central Nassau County. The school sits in the downtown, within walking distance of the LIRR station and Hempstead's retail and civic center, which is in active revitalization focused on transit-oriented housing and mixed-use infill.

The enrollment is small, with a substantial majority of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch and a student body that is predominantly Hispanic and Black. About two-thirds of the student population qualifies for FRPL. The school is part of the Hempstead Union Free School District, which has recently become an authorized International Baccalaureate district, implementing inquiry-based learning across all schools through the PYP (Primary Years Programme) for grades K-6. The district is also under state monitoring and carrying out a capital bond program that includes new windows for Joseph McNeil, making this a moment of both pedagogical and physical-plant change in the school.

State test results for the most recent year show proficiency rates well below the midpoint for districts in Nassau County. In math, overall proficiency across the tested grades falls in the bottom quartile, with third grade performing best but still at a modest level, while sixth grade proficiency is particularly low. English language arts shows somewhat steadier performance, with fifth grade standing out above the school's average, though results across all grades remain well below the county median. Science and social studies data are either sparse or from years too distant to reflect current performance, so a parent may want to look into what the school is doing to strengthen science outcomes and ask directly about current science and social studies instruction and assessment.

The housing market immediately around Hempstead is moderate in cost relative to other Nassau County communities, with median home values and rents substantially lower than the state benchmark and national average. The market has seen modest growth in recent months, and the ongoing downtown revitalization is likely to shape both the housing stock and the composition of families in the school's catchment over time. For families already in the area, this school is the assigned neighborhood elementary option; for those considering a move, cost of entry is notably accessible compared to much of Nassau County.

A parent considering Joseph McNeil should understand that it is a neighborhood school in an economically diverse urban village with strong state-mandated pedagogical changes underway but with academic outcomes that will require close monitoring and conversation with staff. The school's small size, downtown location, and IB inquiry-based framework offer a particular learning environment and experience, but families should ask directly about how the school is supporting students in math and science, where the results show the greatest distance to proficiency. The district's state monitoring status is also worth understanding as part of the broader institutional context.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 332%

School 32% · District 40% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 27 pts below state median · ▼ 44 pts below county median

Grade 419%

School 19% · District 36% · ▼ 17 pts below district

▼ 39 pts below state median · ▼ 59 pts below county median

Grade 533%

School 33% · District 36% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 39 pts below county median

Grade 612%

School 12% · District 36% · ▼ 24 pts below district

▼ 33 pts below state median · ▼ 58 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 333%

School 33% · District 33%

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 34 pts below county median

Grade 432%

School 32% · District 36% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 21 pts below state median · ▼ 36 pts below county median

Grade 547%

School 47% · District 42% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▼ 23 pts below county median

Grade 627%

School 27% · District 34% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▼ 18 pts below state median · ▼ 36 pts below county median

Science

Grade 519%

School 19% · District 31% · ▼ 12 pts below district

▼ 23 pts below state median · ▼ 41 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 590%

School 90% · district not reported

▼ 1 pts below state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

This schoolHEMPSTEAD UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income33%Higher-income36%3 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income36%Higher-income21%15 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income63%Higher-income17%46 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income27%Higher-income28%1 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income30%Higher-income36%6 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income19%Higher-income18%2 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income36%Higher-income26%10 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income11%Higher-income15%4 pp gap