The top reported proficiency rate is 54% in Math. The lowest is 33% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on George F Baker High School
George F. Baker High School is a small, rural public school serving grades six through twelve in Tuxedo Park, an affluent gated village in Orange County, New York. The school sits just outside the village gates along state route 17, in the Town of Tuxedo, and draws from the private residential community as well as the surrounding town.
The school's enrollment is small, under one hundred students total. The student body reflects modest diversity: roughly half white, with meaningful shares identifying as Hispanic and Black, and a modest Asian population. About two in five students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a higher proportion than one might expect in this wealthy area and reflecting the fact that students come not just from the gated village but from surrounding town and hamlet populations served by the district.
State testing data from the most recent year shows mixed academic results across grade levels. In mathematics, sixth grade proficiency sits in the lower range; seventh grade data was suppressed due to very small tested numbers; eighth grade proficiency is substantially higher. In English language arts, sixth grade sits at about half, seventh grade lower, and eighth grade in the mid-to-high range. Science proficiency at eighth grade is notably lower. Across tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency index places it below the midpoint among Orange County districts. A parent may want to look into how the school supports students in the lower-scoring areas and what the experience is for middle-grade students, given the variability in the data and the very small cohort sizes that make some results harder to interpret. State graduation rate data was not available in the reporting provided.
The district itself has recently completed dual national certification in STEM education at both the elementary and high school level, an unusual distinction. The high school operates as the Tuxedo STEM Academy, with STEM methodology integrated throughout rather than confined to specialized electives. This pedagogical commitment is a defining academic feature. However, families should also weigh a significant development: the district's budget proposals were voted down twice in 2025, forcing a contingency budget that limits spending on new contracts, buses, and equipment. This reflects real tension in the community over school funding and may affect program expansion or facility improvements going forward. The district did recently vote to fund security vestibules at both schools and a historic clock tower restoration, improvements that carry through.
The housing market in the Tuxedo Park zip code is expensive, with median home values well above state and national benchmarks, though the 30-year mortgage rate remains in the mid-sixes. The immediate area is defined by large estates, wooded lots, and private lakes rather than commercial streets; the village has no retail or restaurants within its gates. Most public amenities, including schools, sit outside the gates. The surrounding town benefits from significant parkland, including Bear Mountain-Harriman State Park and Sterling Forest State Park, and has commuter rail access via the Tuxedo station on the Metro-North Port Jervis Line.
Growth is a defining factor. A major residential development project called Tuxedo Reserve, involving Lennar and Related Companies, is underway on adjacent land and is expected to roughly double the town's population over the coming decade, bringing nearly two thousand new homes plus retail and community facilities. This development is likely to shift the school's student composition, peer environment, and resource pressures substantially. A parent considering this school should factor in that the district and community are on the cusp of major demographic change.
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