Horseheads Central School District, NY

Original Research by School Decision on Horseheads Central School District

Horseheads Central School District serves students in early childhood through grade 12 across a cluster of communities centered on Horseheads in Chemung County, New York. The district's enrollment runs in the low thousands, with fairly even distribution across grade bands from pre-K through high school.

State test results show a district working through academic challenges. In the elementary grades, reading proficiency sits in the mid-range, with third grade performing better than upper elementary; fourth-grade reading reaches about half of students, while proficiency drops further by fifth and sixth grade. Math results follow a similar pattern: third grade shows stronger performance, fourth grade roughly half, with fifth and sixth grades slipping further. Middle grades math and reading both hover around the mid-range or below, and eighth-grade reading is notably lower than math at the same level. Science results, reported only for fifth and eighth grades, place about half of students proficient. The district sits in the top quartile among Chemung County districts on overall proficiency, though that reflects the county context rather than state or national standing. A parent interested in how the district measures academically may want to look into this further with the schools themselves, as performance shows room for support, particularly in upper elementary and middle grades.

Chronic absenteeism is above the midpoint among the county's districts, which is worth noting if attendance patterns are a concern for your family.

The district is predominantly white, with a smaller, meaningful Asian population and a growing Hispanic presence. Racial composition is fairly even across the district overall.

Housing in the district's service area is moderately priced, with median values well below both state and national benchmarks, making it a relatively affordable part of upstate New York. This has supported modest population stability, though like much of rural upstate the area is not growing. Rental options exist but are limited by available data. The local economic context includes a moderate unemployment rate and median household income around typical regional levels.

The district has navigated significant budget pressure over the past few years. Voters approved a major capital project referendum in 2021 for facilities, technology, and security upgrades, which involved phased property tax increases beginning in 2023. A 2024-25 budget required overriding the state tax cap, which voters approved by supermajority. More recently, a May 2025 budget failed to secure voter approval and had to be revised downward, though a modified version with a smaller tax increase ultimately passed. This reflects real strain on the district's finances. The district has managed staffing constraints through attrition rather than direct cuts, but the pattern of failed or near-failed budgets suggests ongoing pressure on programs and personnel.

The district operates seven schools: three elementary buildings (Big Flats, Center Street, Gardner Road), one intermediate school, a middle school, a high school, and Ridge Road. The configuration allows for manageable school sizes at each level.

Data on Advanced Placement offerings, career pathways, dual-credit programs, graduation rates, and special-education or English-learner enrollments were not available, so a parent seeking detail on academic pathways or support services should inquire directly with the high school and district office.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

3,826

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 5%

Black 2%

White 84%

Asian 3%

Two+ 6%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr EOC

70%

—

Gr 3

43%

68%

Gr 4

42%

62%

Gr 5

34%

55%

Gr 6

33%

55%

Gr 7

29%

49%

Gr 8

23%

42%

Math

Gr EOC

52%

—

Gr 3

57%

76%

Gr 4

45%

66%

Gr 5

29%

51%

Gr 6

32%

64%

Gr 7

32%

54%

Gr 8

49%

67%

Science

Gr EOC

—

Gr 5

37%

61%

Gr 8

45%

55%

Social studies

Gr EOC

80%

—

Schools in this District

7 schools are officially reported under this district.

BIG FLATS SCHOOL

CENTER STREET SCHOOL

GARDNER ROAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

HORSEHEADS SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

HORSEHEADS MIDDLE SCHOOL

RIDGE ROAD SCHOOL

HORSEHEADS INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

68%

Grade 3

57%

Grade 4

43%

Grade 5

50%

Grade 6

46%

Grade 7

58%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

58%

Grade 3

53%

Grade 4

47%

Grade 5

46%

Grade 6

41%

Grade 7

34%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

51%

Grade 5

50%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$199,974

Year-over-year change+5.1%

Range across 13 ZIP codes$107K to $259K

vs. state typical0.39x

vs. national typical0.54x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (13 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
14845	Horseheads	$216K	+5.1%	51.7%
14838	Erin	$195K	+7.4%	13.4%
14903	Elmira	$160K	+3.9%	6.6%
14814	Big Flats	$259K	+6.3%	5.0%
14861	Lowman	$163K	+2.4%	4.8%
14872	Pine Valley	$162K	+3.4%	4.2%
14864	Millport	$167K	+3.8%	4.1%
14824	Cayuta	$165K	+2.9%	4.0%
14816	Breesport	$182K	+7.7%	2.7%
14812	Beaver Dams	$166K	+5.7%	1.3%
14901	Elmira	$107K	+3.5%	1.0%
14830	Corning	$176K	+1.5%	0.8%
14805	Alpine	$216K	+3.9%	0.4%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,289/mo

Range across 2 ZIP codes$1,218 to $1,381/mo

ZIP code rents (2 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
14901	Elmira	$1,218	—	1.0%
14830	Corning	$1,381	—	0.8%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,009/mo

Home price / national median income2.4x

Annual rent / national median income18.5%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$280/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$510,449 (+5.0% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.