Sherburne-earlville Central School District, NY

Original Research by School Decision on Sherburne-earlville Central School District

Sherburne-Earlville Central School District sits in rural Chenango County in upstate New York, serving roughly a thousand students across three buildings: an elementary school, a combined middle and high school, and support structures. The district covers small towns including Sherburne, Earlville, and neighboring villages in a region where home values are modest and housing costs absorb a smaller share of household income than state and national averages.

The student body is predominantly white, with enrollment spread fairly evenly across grade bands from pre-K through twelfth grade, though specific counts on economically disadvantaged students and English learners were not available. A parent should contact the district directly if those populations matter to their decision.

State test results from spring 2025 show a mixed picture. In elementary math, the district hovers around the middle: roughly half of third graders meet proficiency, and performance dips to around a third by fifth grade before recovering slightly in sixth. English language arts is weaker in the lower grades, with only about a third of third and fourth graders proficient, rising to about a half by eighth grade. Seventh grade is a notable soft spot in ELA, where only about a quarter of students meet proficiency. Science results are available only for grades five and eight; fifth graders sit around forty percent proficient while eighth graders reach about half. Across the district, these results place it above the midpoint on overall proficiency compared to other districts in Chenango County, though many readers will note that "above the midpoint" in a rural county does not automatically signal strong academic attainment statewide.

High school graduation rate data was not reported. The district's website and current documentation should clarify whether that reflects missing reporting or a particular grade structure.

Chronic absenteeism stands at a notable level, sitting below the midpoint among county districts. A parent may want to look into this further with the district to understand whether it reflects a community-wide pattern, transportation challenges, economic pressures, or other factors.

The district has navigated two major capital referendums in recent years. In December 2022, voters approved a facility and athletic improvement project by more than two-to-one, adding a secure school entrance, auditorium renovations, and synthetic-turf athletic facilities. In December 2025, voters again approved a broader capital improvement plan covering both campuses with minimal impact on property taxes, thanks to heavy state aid funding. These successful referendums suggest community confidence in the district's planning, though they also indicate ongoing facility needs in an older infrastructure.

Financial management, however, presents a caution. A 2024 New York State Comptroller audit found that from 2020 through 2023 the district overestimated its spending needs, resulting in property tax levies that were higher than necessary to cover actual costs. That overestimation undercuts the narrative of prudent stewardship and is worth examining as you assess the district's fiscal posture.

Looking forward, the proposed 2026-2027 budget reflects real strain. Rising health insurance costs and what the district describes as insufficient state aid are driving proposed staff reductions including teaching positions, an administrator, and clerical and building staff. Budget proposals at state-mandated tax caps typically signal limited flexibility. A family considering the district should ask whether those cuts will materially shrink class sizes or reduce course or extracurricular offerings, and whether the trend is expected to continue.

The district's three-school structure is straightforward: elementary feeds into a combined middle-high building. That consolidation can mean efficiency but also means younger and older teens share some facilities and resources. Program offerings at the high school level were not detailed in available data; a parent of a college-bound teen or one seeking vocational pathways should inquire directly about AP offerings, dual-credit options with regional colleges, or career and technical programs.

Housing in the district's towns is affordable relative to state benchmarks, with home values modestly above the national average, and rent costs remaining manageable for working families. That affordability is a real advantage if you are relocating or a young family buying your first home.

In sum, Sherburne-Earlville is a rural district with adequate test results relative to its county peers but facing real budget and enrollment pressures. It has won community backing for building improvements and appears to operate three distinct campuses with reasonable efficiency. The weak spots are academic performance in early grades and seventh-grade English language arts, rising absenteeism, past property tax management issues, and looming staffing cuts. This is the kind of district that works well for families who value affordability, community engagement, and straightforward operations, but who should also ask pointed questions about class sizes, course breadth at the high school, and the trajectory of the budget before committing.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

1,314

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 1%

Black 0%

White 95%

Asian 0%

Two+ 2%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr EOC

66%

—

Gr 3

23%

50%

Gr 4

25%

53%

Gr 5

42%

43%

Gr 6

48%

60%

Gr 7

24%

Gr 8

35%

67%

Math

Gr EOC

86%

—

Gr 3

39%

61%

Gr 4

35%

60%

Gr 5

31%

43%

Gr 6

33%

60%

Gr 7

38%

56%

Gr 8

49%

74%

Science

Gr EOC

—

Gr 5

38%

43%

Gr 8

35%

70%

Social studies

Gr EOC

71%

—

Schools in this District

3 schools are officially reported under this district.

SHERBURNE-EARLVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

SHERBURNE-EARLVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL

SHERBURNE-EARLVILLE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

50%

Grade 3

46%

Grade 4

37%

Grade 5

47%

Grade 6

46%

Grade 7

59%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

36%

Grade 3

38%

Grade 4

42%

Grade 5

54%

Grade 6

24%

Grade 7

50%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

40%

Grade 5

52%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$170,070

Year-over-year change+9.6%

Range across 10 ZIP codes$138K to $312K

vs. state typical0.33x

vs. national typical0.46x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (10 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
13460	Sherburne	$180K	+12.8%	37.0%
13332	Earlville	$182K	+8.0%	29.0%
13464	Smyrna	$138K	+8.6%	22.2%
13815	Norwich	$149K	+3.6%	7.6%
13334	Eaton	$229K	+7.4%	1.8%
13411	New Berlin	$152K	+4.6%	0.7%
13346	Hamilton	$312K	+6.0%	0.7%
13844	Norwich	$154K	+11.1%	0.4%
13832	Plymouth	$154K	+7.6%	0.3%
13072	Georgetown	$145K	+10.2%	0.3%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,000/mo

ZIP code rents (1 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
13346	Hamilton	$1,000	—	0.7%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$858/mo

Home price / national median income2.0x

Annual rent / national median income14.3%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$142/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.