Onondaga Central School District, NY

Original Research by School Decision on Onondaga Central School District

Onondaga Central School District serves a small student body across pre-K through grade twelve from communities in Onondaga County that include La Fayette, Marcellus, Marietta, Nedrow, and parts of Syracuse. The district encompasses three schools: two elementary buildings and one senior high school.

State test results show mixed academic performance. In elementary grades, the district achieves moderate proficiency in math and English language arts. Third and fourth grade math proficiency runs in the upper-middle range; fifth grade math holds steady at about the same level. English language arts proficiency in those same grades hovers around the midpoint or slightly below. Performance softens in sixth grade across both subjects, with math proficiency dropping noticeably and ELA proficiency falling to below half of tested students. Seventh grade recovers somewhat, particularly in math, while eighth grade math proficiency sits at about half and ELA proficiency at six in ten. Science proficiency in fifth grade falls below half; by eighth grade, science proficiency rises to above two-thirds. Across most tested grades, student participation in state assessments is high, with one exception: eighth grade math participation was notably lower than other grades, which a parent may want to look into further with the school.

Against other districts in Onondaga County, the district's overall proficiency index places it above the midpoint. Chronic absenteeism, however, runs below the county midpoint, meaning the district has a higher rate of students chronically absent than the typical county district. Per-pupil spending sits in the upper range among county districts.

The student population is predominantly white, with smaller shares of students identifying as Black, Hispanic, or multiracial; a small number of American Indian and Alaska Native students attend; Asian enrollment is minimal. Enrollment across the grade span is small and relatively even, with modest cohort sizes from pre-K through twelfth grade. Data on the share of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, English learner enrollment, and special education enrollment were not available.

The district's communities span a range of housing values. Homes in the Syracuse zip code served by the district are more affordable; areas in the La Fayette and Marietta portions are higher-value. Across the district, home values have appreciated modestly year-over-year. Rental data is sparse but reflects the higher-value areas. The local housing market in Onondaga County shows steady demand alongside moderate supply; pending listings have grown substantially, and median days on market remain brief. Mortgage rates and housing costs in the region are at levels that affect affordability for families across the income spectrum.

We looked for information on recent district-wide changes such as curriculum shifts, capital investments, or tax adjustments but found little beyond demographic stability and leadership continuity. No specific data on program offerings, course breadth, or specialized pathways at the high school level was available. State assessment data for high school students was also not provided, so the academic performance picture is limited to elementary and middle grades.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

801

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 8%

Black 10%

White 71%

Asian 0%

Two+ 8%

Am. Indian / AK Native 2%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr EOC

64%

—

Gr 3

44%

72%

Gr 4

34%

73%

Gr 5

45%

68%

Gr 6

44%

51%

Gr 7

45%

71%

Gr 8

48%

71%

Math

Gr EOC

71%

—

Gr 3

47%

84%

Gr 4

59%

83%

Gr 5

57%

90%

Gr 6

30%

51%

Gr 7

62%

76%

Gr 8

40%

69%

Science

Gr EOC

69%

—

Gr 5

39%

57%

Gr 8

53%

82%

Social studies

Gr EOC

79%

—

Schools in this District

3 schools are officially reported under this district.

ONONDAGA SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

ROCKWELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

WHEELER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

63%

Grade 3

73%

Grade 4

73%

Grade 5

42%

Grade 6

71%

Grade 7

53%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

56%

Grade 3

57%

Grade 4

57%

Grade 5

48%

Grade 6

61%

Grade 7

60%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

48%

Grade 5

68%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$322,123

Year-over-year change+7.4%

Range across 6 ZIP codes$144K to $373K

vs. state typical0.63x

vs. national typical0.87x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (6 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
13215	Syracuse	$373K	+6.0%	56.9%
13120	Nedrow	$177K	+9.5%	17.6%
13110	Marietta	$316K	+12.4%	11.0%
13084	La Fayette	$300K	+6.1%	8.0%
13108	Marcellus	$333K	+6.6%	5.6%
13205	Syracuse	$144K	+8.9%	0.9%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,631/mo

Year-over-year change+4.3%

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (1 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
13215	Syracuse	$1,631	+4.3%	56.9%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,625/mo

Home price / national median income3.9x

Annual rent / national median income23.4%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$6/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.