Public schools in Poughkeepsie, NY
21 open public schools with an address in Poughkeepsie, operated by 7 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
21
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
8,899
21 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
11.6:1
New York median 11.1:1
Charter schools
1
0 virtual
An overview of Poughkeepsie public schools
The federal directory lists 21 public schools in Poughkeepsie, NY: 16 elementary, 2 middle, 2 high, 1 combined or other. The 21 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 8,899 students, an average of 424 per school. The largest campus is Poughkeepsie High School (1,151 students), and the largest elementary school is Arthur S May School (496).
Poughkeepsie City School District operates the most schools here (7), and 5 regular districts have at least one Poughkeepsie campus, plus 2 charter, service, or other agencies. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 11.6:1, similar to the statewide school median of 11.1:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 1 charter school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 3 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 2 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 2 of 3 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 55% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Poughkeepsie
Poughkeepsie City School District
Public school district
7 schools in Poughkeepsie
Arlington Central School District
Public school district
4 schools in Poughkeepsie · 11 total
Spackenkill Union Free School District
Public school district
4 schools in Poughkeepsie
Wappingers Central School District
Public school district
3 schools in Poughkeepsie · 15 total
Dutchess BOCES
Education service agency
1 school in Poughkeepsie
Hyde Park Central School District
Public school district
1 school in Poughkeepsie · 6 total
Little Water Preparatory Charter School
Independent charter agency
1 school in Poughkeepsie
Elementary schools in Poughkeepsie
16| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur S May School Arlington Central School District | KG–05 | 496 | 10.5:1 | |
| Charles B Warring Elementary School Poughkeepsie City School District | 03–05 | 286 | 11:1 | |
| G W Krieger School Poughkeepsie City School District | PK–02 | 419 | 12.6:1 | |
| Gov George Clinton School Poughkeepsie City School District | 03–06 | 237 | 11.7:1 | |
| Hagan School Spackenkill Union Free School District | 03–05 | 342 | 11:1 | |
| Kinry Road Elementary School Wappingers Central School District | 03–06 | 368 | 13.1:1 | |
| Little Water Preparatory Charter School Little Water Preparatory Charter School · Charter | KG–04 | 202 | 33.7:1 | |
| Nassau School Spackenkill Union Free School District | KG–02 | 292 | 10.8:1 | |
| Noxon Road Elementary School Arlington Central School District | KG–05 | 348 | 10.7:1 | |
| Oak Grove Elementary School Wappingers Central School District | PK–06 | 455 | 15.9:1 | |
| Overlook Primary School Arlington Central School District | KG–02 | 394 | 12.8:1 | |
| Sojourner Truth Elementary School Poughkeepsie City School District | PK–02 | 432 | 10.8:1 | |
| Titusville Intermediate Arlington Central School District | 03–05 | 425 | 13.3:1 | |
| Vassar Road Elementary School Wappingers Central School District | PK–02 | 294 | 15:1 | |
| Violet Avenue School Hyde Park Central School District | KG–05 | 312 | 11.2:1 | |
| William W Smith Elementary Poughkeepsie City School District | 03–06 | 328 | 19.3:1 |
Middle schools in Poughkeepsie
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orville a Todd Middle School Spackenkill Union Free School District | 06–08 | 385 | 9.6:1 | |
| Poughkeepsie Middle School Poughkeepsie City School District | 06–08 | 871 | 11.6:1 |
High schools in Poughkeepsie
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poughkeepsie High School Poughkeepsie City School District | 09–12 | 1,151 | 11.6:1 | |
| Spackenkill High School Spackenkill Union Free School District | 09–12 | 537 | 10.1:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Poughkeepsie
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dutchess BOCES Dutchess BOCES · Special Education School | KG–12 | 325 | 3.6:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White30.5%
- Hispanic33.2%
- Black26.5%
- Asian3.4%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.1%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.2%
- Multiracial6%
Enrollment-weighted across 21 Poughkeepsie schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (8,899 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Poughkeepsie
How many public schools are in Poughkeepsie, NY?
The current NCES directory lists 21 open public schools with a location address in Poughkeepsie: 16 elementary, 2 middle, 2 high, 1 combined or other. Together they reported 8,899 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Poughkeepsie?
Schools with an address in Poughkeepsie belong to 7 education agencies, led by Poughkeepsie City School District (7 schools), Arlington Central School District (4 schools), Spackenkill Union Free School District (4 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Poughkeepsie?
Poughkeepsie High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Poughkeepsie, with 1,151 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Poughkeepsie?
Yes. 1 of the 21 public schools in Poughkeepsie are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Little Water Preparatory Charter School. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Poughkeepsie schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Poughkeepsie public schools is 11.6:1, similar to the New York school median of 11.1:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Poughkeepsie guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby New York cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All New York cities