The top reported proficiency rate is 98% in Social studies. The lowest is 55% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Stillwater Elementary School
Stillwater Elementary serves pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in a rural community in eastern Saratoga County. The school enrolls a small to mid-sized student body, drawing from a town that has experienced sustained growth over the past decade, much of it tied to semiconductor and technology employment at nearby GlobalFoundries and the Luther Forest Technology Campus. Housing values in the area have risen above the state median, reflecting the town's appeal to working families, and about a third of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch.
The student population is predominantly white, with a small number of students from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. Demographic data on students with disabilities or English learner status was not available.
In math, state test results show a progression upward across the tested elementary grades. Third grade students achieved proficiency at a moderate rate, while fourth graders performed notably better, and fifth graders reached proficiency levels that place the school in the top quartile among districts in Saratoga County on overall proficiency. In English language arts, performance is lower across all three grades tested. Third grade ELA proficiency was the weakest result the school reported this year, with less than half of students reaching proficiency; fourth and fifth graders performed better, though fifth grade ELA was somewhat softer than fourth grade. Science proficiency at fifth grade, measured on the state test, came in at a moderate level. Social studies results from a prior year reflected very high proficiency, though that assessment is no longer administered statewide in the same form.
When all tested subjects and grades are averaged together, Stillwater Elementary's overall proficiency places it above the midpoint and in the top quartile among the county's districts. This reflects relative strength in math, especially in the upper elementary grades, and a steeper climb needed in English language arts across all tested levels.
The school is part of the Stillwater Central School District, which in October 2025 passed a capital project that will undertake a multi-year renovation of all three district buildings, including upgrades to science, technology, and computer facilities, replacement of aging infrastructure such as windows and roofs, and safety improvements to the elementary school bus loop and entry area. This project will carry a modest, long-term tax impact on property owners in the district. Beginning in the 2025-26 school year, the district also implemented a distraction-free learning policy for grades six through twelve, requiring students to secure phones and connected devices in locking pouches during the school day. The elementary school remains cellphone-free, so this policy does not directly affect Stillwater Elementary students, though families moving into the district will encounter it once their children reach middle school.
Stillwater itself is a largely rural, residential town straddling the Hudson River and Saratoga Lake. The historic village center along the Hudson contains the public library, a riverfront park, and civic gathering spaces, while the broader settlement is car-dependent. The town's growth in recent years has been sharpest along the Saratoga Lake shoreline, where development pressure remains strong. A publicly reported homes guide notes that the Stillwater Central School District is among the top-regarded districts in Saratoga County, suggesting the schools hold standing in the local housing market.
For a family weighing the elementary school, the picture is a school with solid math outcomes in the upper grades, room to strengthen early literacy, stable enrollment, and a rural, family-oriented setting in a growing exurban community. The district's ongoing capital project and evolving policies are markers of an active school community engaged in infrastructure and learning environment decisions.
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