The top reported proficiency rate is 90% in Social studies. The lowest is 42% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Joseph a Edgar Imtermediate School
Joseph A. Edgar Intermediate School sits on Route 25A in Rocky Point, a North Shore Long Island hamlet in Suffolk County, serving third through fifth grade students in the Rocky Point Union Free School District. The school is a regular public elementary-level campus, drawing from a community that is publicly described as tight-knit and predominantly residential, with a coastal and outdoor character shaped by the Long Island Sound and the Pine Barrens forest preserve to the south.
The enrollment is sizeable for a grades-three-through-five building, and the student body is predominantly white with a meaningful Hispanic population and smaller representation of other groups. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a moderate economic indicator for a Long Island school. Data on English learner enrollment and students with IEPs were not available in what was provided.
On the New York State Testing Program, results across the three grades tell a mixed story. Fourth grade is the relative strength in both ELA and math, where roughly half of students tested reached proficiency. Third grade math and fifth grade ELA sit noticeably lower, with fewer than four in ten students reaching the proficient-or-above threshold. Fifth grade science lands near the midpoint, with roughly half proficient. Compared to districts across Suffolk County, the school's overall proficiency index sits just above the countywide median among the districts in that comparison set, meaning it places in the upper half but is not among the top performers in the county peer group. A parent who wants to understand performance trends should know that multi-year trend data was not available in what was provided, so it is not possible to say whether scores have been rising or falling.
One aspect worth flagging directly: participation rates on state assessments were well below full enrollment in several tested grades and subjects, particularly in fourth and fifth grade math and ELA. When a substantial share of enrolled students do not sit for state tests, the reported proficiency figures reflect only those who did test, which can make the picture harder to interpret. A parent may want to ask the school about opt-out patterns and what that means for understanding where their child stands.
The Rocky Point district has been active on several fronts a family would want to know about. It adopted a five-year strategic plan running through 2028, developed with community input, covering curriculum and instruction, school climate, belonging, and wellness. Publicly reported materials indicate the plan included a structural scheduling change called a "Nine Period Day" for secondary grades, a detail more relevant to the middle and high school than to Edgar, but one that signals the district's direction. Voters have also repeatedly approved a capital reserve fund that supports building and grounds improvements without new debt, covering projects including electrical reconstruction. In 2024, voters additionally approved a small recurring tax levy to support maintenance of the Hallock Homestead Museum for the local historical society, a modest but permanent addition to homeowners' annual tax bills.
Rocky Point itself is a hamlet without incorporated status, governed through the Town of Brookhaven. Housing values near the school track above both the state and national benchmarks, with the Suffolk County market showing home values well above the national level and modest year-over-year appreciation. The county market has seen active listing inventory grow noticeably compared to a year prior, though pending sales have pulled back significantly, suggesting some cooling in transaction pace even as prices remain elevated. For a family considering buying into the district, the affordability math is worth examining carefully given price-to-income ratios in the area.
The community offers extensive trail access through the Rocky Point Pine Barrens State Forest, Long Island Sound waterfront, and a small downtown along Broadway with independent businesses and pedestrian improvements. Edgar sits on Route 25A rather than within that downtown core. Transit options are limited and largely auto-dependent outside the Broadway corridor, and the nearest commuter rail is outside the hamlet entirely. The school district is among the largest employers in the area.
A graduation rate is not applicable to this school, which serves only grades three through five.
See more original research from School Decision →