The top reported proficiency rate is 97% in Science. The lowest is 85% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Pasadena Elementary School
Pasadena Elementary School is a kindergarten through fourth-grade school in the Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District, serving a small student body in a residential suburb north of New York City where housing values are substantial and the school population is predominantly Asian and white. The school sits in an owner-occupied, car-oriented community without a downtown core, where families rely on the school district and library as civic anchors.
Academically, Pasadena performs well in math and English language arts. In third grade, proficiency in math stands at a high level, and fourth-grade math proficiency is higher still. English proficiency in both grades is solid, with fourth-grade ELA proficiency notably above third-grade results. Science results from state testing, though from an earlier school year, were very strong. The school's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile among schools in Nassau County districts, making it an above-average performer on state measures.
The school enrolls a small number of students across its five grade levels, with roughly equal distribution in each grade band. About one sixth of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating moderate economic diversity within a generally affluent area. The student body is majority Asian or white; Hispanic and multiracial students make up smaller shares. Data on special education and English learner populations was not available.
The broader district context includes recent fiscal and facility pressures that parents should understand. A bond referendum to expand space at this school's sister buildings—JFK High School and Judy Jacobs-Parkway Elementary—failed in January 2025, leaving underlying overcrowding unresolved. Since then, the district has funded infrastructure fixes through operating budgets and reserves instead, including cafeteria air conditioning improvements at elementary schools and classroom additions. This piecemeal approach, rather than a coordinated capital plan, is the current trajectory.
On the positive side, the district has held its tax levy below New York's state-imposed cap for over a decade, a consistent sign of fiscal restraint. The district also launched a new, free state-funded Universal Pre-Kindergarten program, offering lottery-based seats for eligible families entering the system.
The housing market in Plainview reflects the area's stability and appeal. Home values have been rising modestly year over year, and the market remains active with strong inventory and competitive listing prices. Families moving into the area typically plan to own homes and rely on private vehicles, as the community is spread out with limited public transit beyond local bus service and no walkable retail or civic core. The Plainview-Old Bethpage Public Library and a shared community park anchor local life. A recent large residential development, Country Pointe Plainview, added housing primarily for adults 55 and older, which may reshape the community's age profile over time without directly impacting the school population.
Pasadena fits families seeking a small, academically solid elementary school in an owner-occupied suburb with good standardized outcomes, modest income diversity, and an established peer base. The trade-offs are a car-dependent setting, recent capital constraints in the district, and a narrow grade span that sends fourth-graders elsewhere for middle school.
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