Cecil H Parker School, Mount Vernon NY

Original Research by School Decision on Cecil H Parker School

Cecil H. Parker School is a PreK-through-8th grade school in Mount Vernon, a dense inner-ring suburb directly north of the Bronx with strong transit ties to Manhattan. The school serves a community that is predominantly Black (about three-quarters of enrollment) and Latino, with a substantial share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The city itself is highly walkable, built around three Metro-North stations and a compact downtown business district, with a strong Afro-Caribbean and Latino cultural presence.

However, the school faces a major structural change. In January 2025, the Mount Vernon Board of Education approved a reorganization that closes Cecil H. Parker School, along with two other buildings, consolidating operations into four K-8 locations districtwide. Students will be relocated to nearby buildings beginning in the 2025-2026 school year. This closure reflects years of declining district enrollment, building maintenance costs, and a state designation of fiscal stress that has persisted for six consecutive years. The district has also dealt with budget instability, including a voter rejection of the proposed 2026-2027 budget in May 2026, raising uncertainty about funding for after-school programs, staffing, and facility repairs.

On academics, the latest state testing results show proficiency rates that are low across all grades and subjects. In elementary grades (3 through 5), math proficiency ranges from roughly one-third to two-fifths of students, and English language arts ranges from about one-quarter to one-half. By the upper grades (6 through 8), proficiency drops sharply. In grade 6, about one-third of students meet proficiency in both subjects; by grade 7, math proficiency falls to roughly one-tenth, and English language arts to similarly low levels; grade 8 shows roughly one-fifth to one-quarter meeting standards. Science proficiency in grade 5 is about one-quarter and in grade 8 roughly one-quarter. The school's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile relative to districts in Westchester County.

A parent considering Cecil H. Parker should understand that the school as currently configured will cease operations. Families will need to transition to a different K-8 building as part of the district's reorganization. This timing, combined with the district's ongoing fiscal stress and low academic performance, means a parent would want to understand both where their child's grade level will be relocated and what academic or operational changes may accompany the transition. The district does offer some distinct choices at the high school level, including an International Baccalaureate program and STEAM and performing arts focuses, which may be relevant for families planning ahead. But at the elementary and middle grades, Cecil H. Parker's closure represents a disruptive shift for the community it has served.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 338%

School 38% · District 42% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 21 pts below state median · ▼ 24 pts below county median

Grade 437%

School 37% · District 47% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▼ 21 pts below state median · ▼ 31 pts below county median

Grade 537%

School 37% · District 39% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 14 pts below state median · ▼ 22 pts below county median

Grade 630%

School 30% · District 41% · ▼ 11 pts below district

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

Grade 711%

School 11% · District 41% · ▼ 30 pts below district

▼ 42 pts below state median · ▼ 43 pts below county median

Grade 818%

School 18% · District 27% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 22 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 325%

School 25% · District 41% · ▼ 16 pts below district

▼ 27 pts below state median · ▼ 31 pts below county median

Grade 450%

School 50% · District 47% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

Grade 550%

School 50% · District 43% · ▲ 7 pts above district

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Grade 630%

School 30% · District 39% · ▼ 9 pts below district

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

Grade 711%

School 11% · District 45% · ▼ 34 pts below district

▼ 37 pts below state median · ▼ 42 pts below county median

Grade 823%

School 23% · District 53% · ▼ 30 pts below district

▼ 25 pts below state median · ▼ 30 pts below county median

Science

Grade 526%

School 26% · District 33% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▼ 16 pts below state median · ▼ 22 pts below county median

Grade 827%

School 27% · District 32% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

This schoolMOUNT VERNON 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 5Lower-income47%Higher-income57%10 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 5Lower-income32%Higher-income50%18 pp gap