The Oyster Bay-East Norwich Central School District is ranked in the top 7% of districts statewide. Following this announcement, Superintendent Francesco Ianni presented the State of the District at the Oct. 8 Board of Education meeting.
Since 2021 the district has jumped from No. 146 in the state to No. 42, according to Niche rankings. The ranking included 598 school districts statewide, putting Oyster Bay-East Norwich schools in the top 7%.
The district was also ranked in the top 2.9% of districts nationwide, currently standing at No. 307 out of 10,561.
“This is nationally ranked. So it’s not just me saying how great we are,” Ianni said.
According to the Niche website, rankings are compiled from public data and online reviews. Niche collects over 2.5 million reviews from students, alums and parents, Ianni said.
There are 28 reviews available to view on the Niche website, with 16 five-star ratings. There are nine four-star ratings and three three-star ratings.
“My experience with Oyster Bay High School was excellent,” according to a high school senior quoted on the website. “The teachers, staff and students are extremely helpful and caring.”
One parent wrote: “OBEN school district is a wonderful community of students, teachers, parents and administrators. The district is continually working on upgrading facilities to meet the ever changing needs of its students and staff.”
The school district was scored in six categories: Academics, Teachers, Clubs & Activities, Diversity, College Prep and Administration.
The district earned an A+ score in Teachers and Administration, an A score in Academics, Clubs & Activities and College Prep and a B+ score in Diversity.
The district was ranked No. 27 for Best Teachers in New York.
Ianni said the district aims to improve in future Niche rankings.
“We have 41 more places to go and we will be there,” Ianni said.
“This accomplishment, they speak for themselves about the type of students we have over here, the type of teachers that we have, the administrators and the support we receive for the community and the entire board,” Ianni said.
This year’s Niche ranking follows an unprecedented achievement at the district: a 100% graduation rate. The Class of 2024 had 109 students in the senior class with every single student earning their diploma.
In recent years, the school has seen an 88% graduation rate, which compares to the 2023 New York State average of 86%.
“We do whatever it takes to make sure that they graduate,” Ianni said.
“This is almost like a private school within the walls of a public school,” he said.
Ianni said students have ample opportunities to showcase their talents in the district.
Naming a few recent accomplishments, he said the sixth-grade music students performed at the Billy Joel street renaming, sophomore Luke Kugler made the USA Fencing All-American team for high academic and athletic performance and special education students at Vernon school participated in their own Olympic Games.
“The message we had of the year is: If you have a dream, we’ll find a way to help you make it happen,” he said.
The district fosters these skills with its facilities, such as the the new state-of-the-art broadcasting studio and music wing, Ianni said. He said classrooms and cafeteria spaces are designed for student comfort.
“All of this is great, but what it needs to be backed up with is the results,” he said.
“We are a school,” he said. “We are rated based on some of the assessments that students take.”
Students have performed higher on Advanced Placement exams in recent years, he said. AP tests are graded on a 5-point scale, and most colleges offer credit to students who receive 3 and above.
In 2021, approximately 112 out of 181 students scored a 3 or higher on their exams, accounting for approximately 62%. Comparatively, in 2024, 133 out of 172 students scored 3 or higher, accounting for 77%.
There has been a “steady increase of students receiving a 3 or higher” since 2021, Ianni said.
The highest achievement in recent years was in 2020, when nearly 81% of the 209 students scored at least a 3.
The AP Honor Roll recognized the district for its high exam placement. The school earned gold in 2024 and silver in 2023.
Ianni said this is a “major accomplishment.”
“We have one more to go, which is platinum,” he said. “And that’s what we’re aiming for next year.”
“This is coupled with another impressive accomplishment, which is the AP Access Award,” Ianni said. This award is given to schools that provide all students with the opportunity to participate in AP courses.
The district will perform a deeper analysis on test results in the near future, he said.
Ianni said the district’s high performance is made possible by the support of the community.
“I just want to say that the district is stronger than ever,” Ianni said. “The best is yet to come.”
