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Of the 11 school districts in the county to receive a grade, the following earned the highest marks on the website’s 2023 “Best School Districts in Saratoga County” report:
- Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Central School District in Burnt Hills at No. 1
- Shenendehowa Central School District in Clifton Park at No. 2
- Saratoga Springs City School District in Saratoga Springs at No. 3
Each district was given an overall grade of A when considering a variety of categories, including academics, teachers, diversity, and sports.
All three school districts hold an A in the academics category. Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake earned an A+ for teachers, while Shenendehowa and Saratoga Springs were each given an A-.
Students and parents in all three districts appear satisfied with their options of extracurricular activities, with Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake and Shenendehowa each receiving an A+ for clubs/activities and sports. Saratoga Springs holds an A in both categories.
All three districts also earned high marks for college prep, with Shenendehowa and Saratoga Springs receiving an A, and Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake an A-.
When it comes to lunchtime, students appear satisfied, though not thrilled, with the cafeteria offerings. Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake and Saratoga Springs were each given a B+, while Shenendehowa got a B-.
All three districts scored poorly in the diversity category, with Saratoga Springs and Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake earning a C and C-, respectively. Shenendehowa fared a little better with a B-.
Students in all three districts enjoy lower student-teacher ratios than the national average of 17 to 1, according to the report. Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake is 11 to 1, Saratoga Springs is 12 to 1, and Shenendehowa is 14 to 1.
Each district also boasts higher reading and math test scores compared to the state average.
In both Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake and Shenendehowa, 73 percent of students are deemed proficient in reading, as are 72 percent of students in the Saratoga Springs school district. That’s compared to 46.6 percent statewide.
Shenendehowa performed the best on state math exams, with 72 percent of students scoring at or above proficiency, compared to 38.6 percent statewide. Saratoga Springs and Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake reported 67 percent and 64 percent, respectively.
View the complete ranking of Saratoga County school districts on Niche’s website.
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