Ridgeway School, White Plains NY

Original Research by School Decision on Ridgeway School

Ridgeway School is a kindergarten-through-fifth-grade elementary school in White Plains serving about six hundred students. It is a regular public school in the White Plains City School District, situated in a city that blends dense downtown development with quieter residential neighborhoods and is a major employment hub in Westchester County.

The school's test results show mixed performance across subjects and grades. In mathematics, proficiency spans from the mid-60s in fifth grade to the low-70s in third grade. English language arts ranges from the low-60s in fourth grade to the upper-60s in fifth grade. Science proficiency in fifth grade is notably lower, near the midpoint. Across tested grades and subjects, the school's overall proficiency sits above the midpoint for districts in Westchester County, though the gap between strong math showing in third grade and softer results in upper grades and in reading suggests some students are widening in their achievement as they progress. A parent may want to ask the school about supports and curriculum scaffolding, particularly in upper elementary grades and science.

The school draws a diverse student body. About forty percent of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Enrollment is split roughly as follows: roughly two-fifths Hispanic, about one-third white, just over one-tenth Black, and about one-twentieth Asian. A smaller share identifies as two or more races. Data on English learner and special-education populations were not available.

White Plains itself is in a period of significant growth. The downtown core is experiencing vertical mixed-use development, with large residential tower projects redrawing the skyline and drawing new residents into the urban center. Residential areas outside downtown are quieter and more suburban in character. The city is accessible by two Metro-North stations and serves as the economic and political seat of Westchester County, anchored by healthcare, food-products, and finance employers. This growth and economic positioning shape the housing market and the community Ridgeway serves.

The district has held annual property tax levy increases below New York State's tax cap for eight consecutive years, a factor families weighing a move will likely consider. However, the district faces a structural revenue constraint stemming from payments in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreements that have shifted some development off the traditional property tax rolls, reducing the district's ability to levy taxes on newly assessed property value. This is a longer-term financial pressure that shapes what the district can spend per student.

Ridgeway is a neighborhood school in an urban-suburban transition. It serves an economically and ethnically diverse population and sits in a district with sustained fiscal discipline on property taxes, though constrained by regional development agreements. The school's proficiency pattern reflects typical elementary dynamics—solid early-grade math, softening in upper grades and reading, and notably lower science proficiency—a profile that suggests access to core instruction but also points to areas where students would benefit from targeted support and enrichment.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 373%

School 73% · District 58% · ▲ 15 pts above district

▲ 14 pts above state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

Grade 470%

School 70% · District 59% · ▲ 10 pts above district

▲ 11 pts above state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

Grade 566%

School 66% · District 57% · ▲ 10 pts above district

▲ 15 pts above state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 363%

School 63% · District 54% · ▲ 9 pts above district

▲ 11 pts above state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

Grade 460%

School 60% · District 51% · ▲ 10 pts above district

▲ 7 pts above state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 567%

School 67% · District 55% · ▲ 12 pts above district

▲ 12 pts above state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

Science

Grade 546%

School 46% · District 46%

▲ 5 pts above state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 593%

School 93% · district not reported

▲ 1 pts above state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

This schoolWHITE PLAINS CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income44%Higher-income79%36 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income45%Higher-income72%27 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income46%Higher-income81%35 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income53%Higher-income90%37 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income52%Higher-income83%31 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income48%Higher-income79%32 pp gap