The top reported proficiency rate is 72% in English language arts. The lowest is 19% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Pierson Middle/high School
Pierson Middle/High School is a combined grades six through twelve school serving about five hundred students in Sag Harbor, a small, affluent village on Long Island's South Fork. The school sits within the village fabric, on Jermain Avenue near the southern end of Main Street and within walking distance of downtown, making it accessible to the community it serves.
In English language arts, the school shows strength in grades six and seven, where about seven in ten students reach proficiency. Grade eight is also solid at roughly the same level. Mathematics proficiency is comparable in the middle grades, with roughly two-thirds of sixth and seventh graders meeting the standard. Math in grade eight, however, represents a notable drop, with about four in ten students proficient; this warmer performance patterns also shows in science, where proficiency in eighth grade is substantially lower. A parent may want to look into what accounts for the eighth-grade performance shift in math and science, whether it reflects the transition to high school coursework, particular cohort characteristics, or other factors the school can explain. The proficiency index places the school above the midpoint among Suffolk County districts, meaning its overall tested performance compares favorably to its neighbors regionally.
State testing data is available only for grades six through eight because New York's state assessments do not cover high school grades nine through twelve in this format. Graduation rate data was not available in the dataset, so readers cannot assess how the school's upper grades complete their pathways to diploma. The school website may carry more on high school course offerings, AP breadth, or dual-credit pathways, which the data provided does not detail.
The student body is predominantly white, with a meaningful Hispanic population at roughly a quarter of enrollment, and smaller numbers of Asian and Black students. About a quarter of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker of economic need. Special education and English learner enrollment counts were not reported.
Sag Harbor itself is a historic, highly walkable village with a strong tourism-based economy and a heavily educated, affluent residential base. Housing values are substantial. The village grew only modestly over recent years and has very tight housing inventory. A major community development was the conversion of the old Bulova watchcase factory into about sixty luxury condominiums, completed a few years ago. Civic life clusters around the downtown and the John Jermain Memorial Library, and residents have been actively working on affordable housing preservation.
The district recently underwent a significant facilities upgrade. Voters approved a bond in January 2026 to fund improvements to Pierson, including a new science laboratory, a new high school gymnasium and fitness center, conversion of the old gymnasium into space for music and robotics, and renovated locker rooms. This investment signals the district's commitment to academic and athletic infrastructure at its only secondary school and adds a projected cost to homeowner tax bills.
Pierson serves a relatively small, geographically contained district and a community with high expectations and engaged civic participation. The middle grades show solid proficiency in core subjects. Parents considering this school should look into the high school program details and the eighth-grade performance pattern, and understand that the school is embedded in a small, expensive, seasonal coastal village where housing and living costs are high and inventory is tight.
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