Ann Macarthur Primary, Locust Valley NY

Original Research by School Decision on Ann Macarthur Primary

Ann MacArthur Primary is a small public elementary school in Locust Valley serving pre-kindergarten through second grade. The school enrolls roughly a couple hundred students, drawn from a community that is predominantly white and economically mixed, with about one-sixth of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch.

The school sits in a housing market that has cooled somewhat from its peak but remains expensive. The median home value in the surrounding zip code is substantial, and purchasing power requires significant household income. Mortgage payments on typical local properties run high relative to regional and national standards, though rental options have become modestly more available as the market has shifted.

Academic performance data comes from a 2017-18 assessment cycle and reflects the grade bands the school serves. In math, students showed mixed results: third-graders posted solid proficiency, fourth-graders performed very well, and fifth-graders landed in the mid-range. Reading and language arts followed a similar pattern, with fourth-grade performing strongest and fifth-grade noticeably weaker than grades below it. Fourth-grade science results were very strong. These snapshots are now several years old; state testing data from more recent years was not available, so a parent would want to ask the school directly about current performance trends.

The district recently adopted a new research-based literacy curriculum in fall 2024, following a pilot year, so instruction in reading, writing, and grammar has shifted across elementary grades. This is a material change for families whose older children learned under a different approach.

The district has also expanded transportation eligibility beginning next school year, eliminating minimum distance requirements and extending maximum coverage distance, which may affect commute logistics for some families.

The district faced fiscal pressure when voters rejected its initial 2026-2027 budget proposal in May 2026, the first such defeat after the prior year passed. A revised budget was presented for a second vote. If a contingency budget had to take effect, athletics and extracurricular programs would face potential cuts. This signals budget-year uncertainty that may be worth tracking for families considering the district's stability and program offerings.

Among Nassau County's districts, Ann MacArthur's overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grades places it in the top quartile of the county, a meaningful strength in academic results during the years assessed.

Demographic data on English learners and students with disabilities was not reported for this school. The school's role as a primary grades building means state testing applies only to grades three through five, and no middle or high school outcomes are applicable.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 377%

School 77% · District 70% · ▲ 7 pts above district

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

Grade 494%

School 94% · District 91% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▲ 36 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

Grade 571%

School 71% · District 90% · ▼ 19 pts below district

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

English language arts

Grade 381%

School 81% · District 78% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▲ 29 pts above state median · ▲ 14 pts above county median

Grade 482%

School 82% · District 79% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▲ 30 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

Grade 561%

School 61% · District 79% · ▼ 19 pts below district

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

Science

Grade 4100%

School 100% · district not reported

▲ 14 pts above state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 5100%

School 100% · district not reported

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

This schoolLOCUST VALLEY CENTRAL 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

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income67%Higher-income78%12 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income60%Higher-income72%12 pp gap