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Of the six school districts in the county to receive a grade, the following earned the highest marks on the website’s 2023 “Best School Districts in Columbia County” report:
- The Kinderhook Central School District in Valatie
- Chatham Central School District in Chatham
Each district was given an overall grade of B+ when considering eight different categories that include academics, teachers, diversity, and sports.
Kinderhook earned an A- in academics, while Chatham holds a B+. The schools were given an A and A-, respectively, in the teachers category.
Students and parents in both districts appear satisfied with their options of extracurricular activities, with Chatham given an A- for clubs and activities and a B+ for sports. Kinderhook earned a B+ an A- for the same categories.
Both districts earned a B+ for college preparation.
When it comes to lunchtime, students appear satisfied, though not thrilled, about the cafeteria offerings. Each district holds a B- in the food category.
Students in both districts enjoy lower student-teacher ratios compared to the national average of 17 to 1, according to the report. Kinderhook’s sits at 11 to 1 and Chatham’s is 9 to 1.
Each district also boasts higher reading and math test scores compared to the state average.
In Kinderhook, 59 percent of students are deemed proficient in reading and 49 percent are deemed proficient in math, compared to the state averages of 46.6 percent and 38.6 percent, respectively.
Chatham’s state assessment scores came in at 53 percent proficiency for reading and 48 percent for math.
View the complete grading of Columbia County school districts on Niche’s website.
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