Maud S Sherwood Elementary School, Islip NY

Original Research by School Decision on Maud S Sherwood Elementary School

Maud S Sherwood Elementary School serves grades two through five in Islip, a coastal hamlet on Long Island's South Shore. The school enrolls a small-to-mid-sized student body in a community that is largely residential, tree-lined, and centered around a modest walkable Main Street with shops and restaurants. Housing values in the zip code sit in the mid-range for the wider region, and the area supports a mix of older colonial and Victorian homes alongside mid-century ranches and newer construction.

The school's enrollment is diverse. Just over half the students identify as white, with a substantial Hispanic population making up about one-third of the school, along with smaller shares of Asian, Black, and multiracial students. About one-third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating moderate economic need within the catchment. Data on special education enrollment and English learner enrollment were not available in the provided records.

On state assessments for 2024-25, Maud S Sherwood's proficiency rates show an uneven picture across grades and subjects. In third grade, the school performed strongest, with roughly three-quarters of students reaching proficiency in both math and English language arts. Fourth grade represents a significant dip, especially in math, where proficiency fell to around half of tested students; English language arts held steadier at about half as well. Fifth grade recovered some ground, with proficiency rates around two-thirds to three-quarters across math and English language arts. Science proficiency in fifth grade, the only grade tested in that subject, sat just above half. The school's overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grades places it in the top quartile among the county's districts, a strength worth noting. Participation rates across the assessments ranged from around half to two-thirds, meaning not all enrolled students sat for the tests, a parent may want to look into further with the school.

The school does not serve sixth grade and above, so graduation rate data and high school pathways do not apply here. Islip Union Free School District as a whole has recently expanded dual-enrollment offerings at the high school level, including a new college-credit real estate course, signaling an effort to broaden academic pathways for students entering secondary grades.

A contextual note for parents weighing a move to the district: the district's proposed budget for the 2026-27 school year was rejected by voters, a defeat that signals fiscal constraints. Should the district operate under a contingency budget, cuts typically fall to non-mandated programs such as athletics, clubs, and equipment. This is worth monitoring if school and extracurricular offerings factor into your family's school choice.

The town itself offers walkable neighborhood character with flat terrain, parks, and waterfront access to the Great South Bay, anchored by a public library and LIRR transit. Major economic development in the broader Town of Islip centers around the airport and regional industrial sectors; the hamlet's own commercial core remains small and service-oriented.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 378%

School 78% · District 57% · ▲ 21 pts above district

▲ 20 pts above state median · ▲ 22 pts above county median

Grade 449%

School 49% · District 45% · ▲ 4 pts above district

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

Grade 569%

School 69% · District 53% · ▲ 16 pts above district

▲ 17 pts above state median · ▲ 19 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 373%

School 73% · District 55% · ▲ 18 pts above district

▲ 21 pts above state median · ▲ 26 pts above county median

Grade 454%

School 54% · District 49% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▲ 1 pts above state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

Grade 565%

School 65% · District 53% · ▲ 12 pts above district

▲ 11 pts above state median · ▲ 19 pts above county median

Science

Grade 554%

School 54% · District 38% · ▲ 16 pts above district

▲ 12 pts above state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 593%

School 93% · district not reported

▲ 1 pts above state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

This schoolISLIP 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-income62%Higher-income77%15 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income44%Higher-income58%14 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income61%Higher-income69%8 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income73%Higher-income80%7 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income33%Higher-income55%21 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income50%Higher-income83%33 pp gap