Marcellus Central School District, NY

Original Research by School Decision on Marcellus Central School District

Marcellus Central School District serves a small to mid-sized community across multiple towns in Onondaga County, spanning pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. The district is organized into three schools: KC Heffernan Elementary, CS Driver Middle School, and Marcellus High School. Enrollment is modest and stable across the grade bands, with slightly larger cohorts in the high school years.

In state testing, the district shows mixed results that vary by grade and subject. Third and fifth graders perform above the median in math, while fourth and sixth graders fall noticeably lower in that subject. English language arts proficiency is more consistently moderate across grades three through eight, ranging from the low to mid-60s in proficiency except for grade three, which is notably higher. Fifth and eighth grade science results are similar in achievement. A parent looking at these numbers should know that performance is neither uniformly strong nor uniformly weak; rather, it dips in particular grades and tends to soften as students move into middle school, especially in sixth grade math and language arts.

The district ranks in the top quartile among Onondaga County's districts on overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades. Chronic absenteeism is also in the top quartile countywide, well below the median. Per-pupil spending falls in the middle range, on the lower half, meaning the district operates with moderate resources relative to its county peers.

The community is predominantly white, with about eight percent of students identifying as Hispanic or multiracial and smaller populations of Asian, Black, and Native American students. Data on free-and-reduced-price lunch eligibility, special education, and English learner enrollment are not available in the district records reviewed.

Housing in the district's coverage area ranges from modest to moderately valued, with weighted values reflecting a mix of suburban and small-town properties. Some neighborhoods in the district zone, particularly toward Skaneateles, carry substantially higher values. Rental stock exists in smaller supply but is available. The local housing market has seen a shift toward lower listing prices recently, though demand remains high. For affordability context, median listing prices in the county have declined from previous peaks, and monthly mortgage estimates suggest housing costs at roughly one and a third times the national benchmark—accessible for many but not inexpensive.

Recent district changes are worth noting for families considering the area. The district completed a major capital improvement project in 2023 that included a reconfigured high school parking lot, auditorium window replacement, conversion of the heating system from steam to hot water across buildings, HVAC upgrades, full roof replacements on all three academic buildings, and drainage work to prevent flooding. These are durable, tangible improvements that address facility safety and functionality. To finance the work, the district issued a tax-exempt bond through the state dormitory authority in 2024, which provided long-term fixed-rate financing for debt already approved by voters; this is not a new tax burden but rather permanent financing for upgrades already decided.

Operating budgets have grown steadily with modest year-over-year tax levy increases in recent years—property tax is a consideration for prospective homebuyers, as the levy increases have been consistent, and this pattern is expected to continue. The district's per-pupil spending is reasonable and in line with county medians, so the tax burden is not driven by exceptionally high operational costs.

For a family evaluating Marcellus, the profile is a small, stable community district with moderate academic performance that is above county medians overall but with uneven results by grade level. Facilities are newly improved following a major capital project. Housing is moderately priced with some variation by neighborhood. The district's chronic absenteeism profile is a strength. A parent may want to look into the specific sixth-grade curriculum and support, given the dip in proficiency there, and to clarify the data on special populations and special services, which was not disclosed in the records available.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

1,417

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 2%

Black 0%

White 93%

Asian 1%

Two+ 3%

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

77%

—

Gr 3

57%

80%

Gr 4

48%

65%

Gr 5

58%

78%

Gr 6

38%

70%

Gr 7

52%

72%

Gr 8

42%

68%

Math

Gr EOC

60%

—

Gr 3

54%

88%

Gr 4

48%

79%

Gr 5

58%

90%

Gr 6

45%

61%

Gr 7

56%

83%

Gr 8

38%

78%

Science

Gr EOC

—

Gr 5

61%

74%

Gr 8

40%

77%

Social studies

Gr EOC

59%

—

Schools in this District

3 schools are officially reported under this district.

C S DRIVER MIDDLE SCHOOL

K C HEFFERNAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

MARCELLUS HIGH SCHOOL

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

79%

Grade 3

72%

Grade 4

83%

Grade 5

57%

Grade 6

75%

Grade 7

73%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

74%

Grade 3

61%

Grade 4

74%

Grade 5

62%

Grade 6

66%

Grade 7

64%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

72%

Grade 5

73%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$364,273

Year-over-year change+8.5%

Range across 7 ZIP codes$216K to $670K

vs. state typical0.71x

vs. national typical0.99x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (7 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
13108	Marcellus	$333K	+6.6%	47.3%
13110	Marietta	$316K	+12.4%	25.5%
13215	Syracuse	$373K	+6.0%	10.9%
13152	Skaneateles	$670K	+10.8%	9.8%
13031	Camillus	$306K	+7.8%	5.1%
13060	Elbridge	$280K	+8.5%	1.3%
13141	Preble	$216K	+8.9%	0.1%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,670/mo

Year-over-year change+3.2%

Range across 2 ZIP codes$1,631 to $1,755/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (2 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
13215	Syracuse	$1,631	+4.3%	10.9%
13031	Camillus	$1,755	+0.8%	5.1%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,838/mo

Home price / national median income4.3x

Annual rent / national median income23.9%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$168/mo

Market Activity: Onondaga County

Median listing price$345,000

Median listing price YoY-13.5%

Median price per sq ft$211

Median price per sq ft YoY+12.2%

Median days on market48.0 days

Median days on market YoY-5.9%

Active listings439

Active listings YoY+1.1%

New listings432

New listings YoY-6.1%

Pending listings1,146

Pending listings YoY+34.0%

Hotness: median listing price$304,950

Hotness: median listing price YoY-23.8%

Supply score57.2

Supply score YoY+25.6%

Demand score96.3

Demand score YoY-0.4%

Median listing price (12 months)

Median price per sq ft (12 months)

Median days on market (12 months)

Active listings (12 months)

New listings (12 months)

Pending listings (12 months)

Hotness: median listing price (12 months)

Supply score (12 months)

Demand score (12 months)

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.