Edward Williams School, Mount Vernon NY

Original Research by School Decision on Edward Williams School

Edward Williams School serves the publicly reported grades of pre-K through 8 in Mount Vernon, a dense inner-ring suburb directly north of the Bronx with strong transit access and a demographically diverse population. The school's enrollment is small, concentrated mostly in the early-to-middle grades, with a majority of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. A substantial share of the student body is Black, with a notable Latino population and very few white or Asian students.

The school's academic profile presents a significant challenge. State test results from the most recent year show proficiency rates that are consistently low across all tested subjects and grades. In mathematics, proficiency ranges from roughly one in six students in grades 3, 4, 6, and 8 to just over one in four in grade 5. English language arts proficiency is somewhat stronger, with grades 4, 6, and 8 performing in the low-to-mid range, but grades 3, 5, and 7 remain well below. Science proficiency in grade 8 is nearly at the level of the strongest ELA grades, while grade 5 science is notably weak. Taken across all tested areas, the school's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile relative to districts in Westchester County. These results indicate that the vast majority of students are not yet meeting grade-level standards, a pattern that a parent would want to explore in detail with school staff about the underlying causes, interventions in place, and trajectory.

The data does not include information about participation rates in advanced programs, dual-credit offerings, arts, athletics, special education, or English learner services, nor does it report chronic absenteeism, school safety, or staffing composition. Without this information, a reader cannot assess the breadth of pathways or the school's operational environment beyond test performance.

Mount Vernon itself is pursuing a major redevelopment anchored on downtown and Metro-North transit nodes, with recent mixed-income housing opening near the stations and new towers in planning. The city has a WalkScore around 75 and a documented shortage of affordable housing that has prompted an exodus of younger adults. Housing values in the school's zip code are substantial for a Westchester location, though median days on market have shortened. The school district as a whole is facing structural challenges. In January 2025, the Board of Education approved the closure of three schools and a K-8 reorganization driven by years of declining enrollment, expensive repairs, and a state designation of fiscal stress. A proposed school budget was rejected by voters in May 2026, the first defeat in recent years, raising the risk of cuts to after-school programs and stalled facility work. Mount Vernon High School offers an International Baccalaureate program and students can choose among high schools with different focuses, a feature that may matter to families thinking longer term, though this school feeds into that choice.

For a parent evaluating Edward Williams, the core question is whether the school's current academic trajectory and the district's fiscal and organizational pressures align with their child's needs and their own capacity to provide supplemental support. The test data suggests the school is struggling to move students to proficiency in core subjects. The district's recent consolidation and budget rejection signal ongoing instability that could affect programming and facilities. A parent may want to look into this further with the school directly, asking about remediation and acceleration options, staffing continuity, and the specific supports available for students working below grade level.

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Academic performance

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

New York Regents Exams

1 course reported · 2024-25

End-of-course exams required for a New York Regents diploma. Each row shows the cohort size and the share of students scoring at the proficient level or higher.

Course	Students tested	% proficient
Math	17	65.0%

Math

Grade 316%

School 16% · District 42% · ▼ 26 pts below district

▼ 43 pts below state median · ▼ 46 pts below county median

Grade 418%

School 18% · District 47% · ▼ 29 pts below district

▼ 41 pts below state median · ▼ 51 pts below county median

Grade 527%

School 27% · District 39% · ▼ 12 pts below district

▼ 24 pts below state median · ▼ 32 pts below county median

Grade 612%

School 12% · District 41% · ▼ 29 pts below district

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

Grade 718%

School 18% · District 41% · ▼ 23 pts below district

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

Grade 810%

School 10% · District 27% · ▼ 17 pts below district

▼ 27 pts below state median · ▼ 29 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 322%

School 22% · District 41% · ▼ 19 pts below district

▼ 30 pts below state median · ▼ 35 pts below county median

Grade 428%

School 28% · District 47% · ▼ 19 pts below district

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

Grade 516%

School 16% · District 43% · ▼ 27 pts below district

▼ 39 pts below state median · ▼ 49 pts below county median

Grade 631%

School 31% · District 39% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 17 pts below county median

Grade 718%

School 18% · District 45% · ▼ 27 pts below district

▼ 30 pts below state median · ▼ 35 pts below county median

Grade 838%

School 38% · District 53% · ▼ 15 pts below district

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

Science

Grade 514%

School 14% · District 33% · ▼ 19 pts below district

▼ 28 pts below state median · ▼ 35 pts below county median

Grade 837%

School 37% · District 32% · ▲ 5 pts above district

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

Social studies

Grade 585%

School 85% · district not reported

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▼ 12 pts below 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 3Lower-income23%Higher-income17%6 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income17%Higher-income11%6 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income35%Higher-income0%35 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income47%Higher-income0%47 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income13%Higher-income33%20 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income29%Higher-income22%6 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income14%Higher-income0%13 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income15%Higher-income0%15 pp gap