The South Huntington School District has again been ranked one of the Top 10 school districts in Suffolk County in the Niche.com Best Schools rankings for 2026. South Huntington placed No. 10 among the county’s 69 school districts with an overall grade of A. The district was also graded at an A or higher in various categories including college prep, diversity, teachers, and sports. The district has seven schools with a total of 5,600 students.

 

Walt Whitman High School also maintains its Top 10 ranking as one of the best public high schools in Suffolk at No. 8. With an overall grade of A, the high school scored high for academics, college prep, diversity, sports, and clubs and activities. 

 

“All corners of our community and the school district should be proud that we’re a top 10 district. It's not just the teachers, the administrators, it's everybody. Parents included. We appreciate their support. Whether it's academics, social and emotional learning, we’re working together, and the bottom line is always how can we help our students excel? We're all on the same team, and that helps us achieve,” said district superintendent Dr. Vito D’Elia.

 

Statewide, South Huntington placed at No. 56 out of New York’s 600 school districts.  Both the district and the high school received top marks for diversity with a grade of A. The district was ranked No. 5 for diversity in Suffolk County while Walt Whitman High School placed at No. 8.

 

Walt Whitman High School principal Dr. John Murphy sees the district’s diversity as its strength. “I think we are a microcosm of the overall American society. We definitely mimic what our community looks like. We have many different languages spoken here and each group is diverse, but yet each one of them, our students, are bound together by their Wildcat pride and sense of community and they're here for one another. Whether it’s increased AP enrollment, higher testing scores, or school culture, it shows that we are unified in the fact that this is one community.  This ranking shows everyone that all students can achieve such heights if properly supported and guided despite any difference,” said Dr. Murphy.

 

Niche.com compiles profiles annually on every school and college in America using US Department of Education and other public data, plus millions of reviews and ratings from students, parents and teachers to come up with its rankings. In addition to academics, Niche grades schools in the areas of administration, teachers, diversity, college prep, sports, clubs and activities, facilities, and food. 

 

One reviewer, who said they are a long-time area resident with three children in South Huntington schools and gave the district five stars, said, “All the schools are wonderful as the faculty and parents are invested in our community. The diversity mirrors what real life looks like; and the college readiness is evident with the plethora of Honors and AP courses offered.”

 

Walt Whitman High School offers students a wide variety of study through 30 AP (Advanced Placement) courses; 29 college credit courses; Honors; Music, Arts and Dance; Life Skills for students with special needs; BOCES; Future Teachers; and College and Career Readiness programs partnering with community businesses in all aspects of industry, medicine, technology, and arts.  The South Huntington School District has been nationally recognized for increasing diversity in the population of students who take AP courses and advanced college credit courses.  The high school recently re-introduced a 9-period school day to give students more chances to explore their interests by taking more elective courses. 

 

Walt Whitman High School offers students more than 75 student clubs and organizations, and more than 30 sports teams to join.

 

For more information on Walt Whitman High School’s 2026 Niche.com ratings, visit Walt Whitman High School in Huntington Station, NY - Niche

 

For more information on the District’s 2026 Niche.com ratings, visit the Niche website here.