The top reported proficiency rate is 99% in Social studies. The lowest is 39% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Cayuga School
Cayuga School is a public elementary school in Lake Grove, a small suburban village in Suffolk County's Town of Brookhaven. The school serves about five hundred elementary students in kindergarten through fifth grade and sits within Sachem Central School District.
Lake Grove itself is a dual-character community. Commercial life centers on the Smith Haven Mall and the businesses, banks, and shops along Middle Country Road, making it a retail hub for a large part of Suffolk County. Away from those main corridors, the village is residential—tree-lined streets with single-family homes, mostly ranches and colonials. The area is car-dependent, organized around arterial roads rather than a walkable center, though the quieter residential blocks retain what locals call the feel of a small suburban village. The housing market is active; home values are substantial and rents are in the moderate-to-high range for the region. Civic anchors include Village Hall, newly developed parks including an all-inclusive playground, and a community recreation hall; transit is provided by county buses, with the nearest commuter rail in nearby Lake Ronkonkoma.
The school's enrollment breaks down across its grade bands, with the largest cohort in fourth grade. Nearly one-third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is mostly white, with a meaningful Hispanic enrollment and smaller Asian and Black populations; the school serves a handful of students from other backgrounds. Data on students with disabilities and English learners were not available.
On state testing, Cayuga's proficiency rates are mixed. In math, fourth graders perform above the school average, with about three-quarters of tested students meeting or exceeding state standards. Third graders in math reach roughly two-thirds proficiency. Fifth grade math proficiency drops to just over half the students meeting standards, and fifth grade English language arts proficiency falls further, to about two-fifths. Fifth grade science proficiency is similar, at about two-fifths. Third grade English language arts is around mid-range compared to the school's other results. The data suggests a general decline in proficiency in the upper elementary grades and in reading and science at the fifth-grade level. Participation rates on the assessments are notably low, ranging from roughly one-third to nearly three-fifths of eligible students; a parent may want to ask the school directly about these participation gaps. Cayuga's overall proficiency index sits above the midpoint among the county's districts, but the grade-level pattern warrants close attention if upper-elementary and reading performance are priorities for a family.
One piece of longer-ago data shows that fifth graders performed very strongly in social studies, though that assessment is no longer administered statewide in recent years.
Sachem Central School District, the school's parent district, has faced significant financial pressure in recent years. A proposed 2024-25 budget that would have crossed the state tax cap was rejected by voters, triggering program cuts including the elimination of middle school sports, reductions to junior varsity high school sports, and cuts to secondary programs like marching band and robotics. For 2025-26 the district faced a multimillion-dollar budget gap and considered closing a school before ultimately adopting a budget that preserved curricular programs and most athletics by drawing on reserves. These deficits signal ongoing strain on the district's finances, which directly affects both tax rates and program availability. In May 2025, however, voters defeated a proposition that would have sharply reduced school bus eligibility, keeping existing transportation in place. That vote was a clear signal that families prioritized the convenience of current busing over budget relief.
Cayuga is a regular public elementary school with no special charter or magnet status. State testing data were available; no information on graduation rates, chronic absenteeism, special education enrollment, or English learner populations was found, which is typical for early-elementary schools where those metrics either do not apply or are not publicly reported at the school level. No course catalog, staffing counts, or detailed program offerings were located in available sources.
For a family considering Lake Grove and Sachem schools, Cayuga represents a neighborhood elementary option in a solidly suburban setting. The school's fourth-grade math performance and overall position above the county midpoint are strengths. The decline in proficiency as students move into fifth grade and the low assessment participation rates deserve direct conversation with the school. The district's budget challenges are real and ongoing, and they shape both property taxes and the range of programs available in the high school years. These are concrete facts for a family to weigh against other factors—commute, housing cost, and whether the school's peer and instructional environment align with their child's needs.
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