Onondaga Nation School, Nedrow NY

Original Research by School Decision on Onondaga Nation School

Onondaga Nation School is a small school serving pre-K through eighth grade on the Onondaga Nation Territory in Nedrow, located in the Lafayette Central School District, which operates a handful of schools across the area south of Syracuse. The school enrolls a population that is substantially American Indian/Alaska Native and economically vulnerable; a substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

The school's recent state test results show persistent and deep challenges across both English language arts and mathematics. In math, proficiency rates are very low across all tested grades, ranging from zero in grades six and eight to modest attainment only in grade seven. In ELA, the pattern is similar: most grades show proficiency rates in the single digits or low teens, with grade three reaching roughly one in four students meeting the standard. Science results are also quite low, with a single-digit rate in grade five and roughly one in five in grade eight. The school's overall proficiency index, when compared to other districts in Onondaga County using state performance data, falls in the bottom quartile. The data available does not reveal trends over time, so it is unclear whether these results represent a recent shift or a longer pattern.

Several important gaps prevent a fuller picture. State testing data for social studies at the school are now more than a decade old and no longer current. The school does not report data on chronic absenteeism, which often correlates with academic outcomes. Special education enrollment and English learner status are also not available in the data received. A parent may want to look into these areas directly with the school to understand staffing, support services, and intervention programs.

The Lafayette district itself has recently invested in the school's broader ecosystem. In October 2024, voters approved a capital project that included air quality and cooling improvements, bathroom upgrades, and expanded space for project-based learning at other district buildings. The district operates the LaFayette Big Picture School as a distinct choice high school built on personalized, project-based learning with mentorship and internships; this exists as an alternative to the traditional Jr/Sr High School and provides a different pathway for families who prefer that approach.

The immediate community around the school is a small, historically modest hamlet with older homes on small lots, tree-lined streets, and a car-dependent layout. Median home values are relatively low compared to the broader region. The Town of Onondaga, which contains Nedrow, has been pursuing pro-housing policies, though the hamlet's own population has been roughly flat or slightly declining. Public transit connects residents to Syracuse via Centro bus service, and the planned Jon Diaz Community Center on South Salina Street is intended to serve as a neighborhood anchor.

This is a school shaped by its location on tribal territory serving a specific, tightly knit community with deep roots, rather than a school drawing from a broad suburban enrollment. The academic results indicate students are not meeting grade-level standards by current state measures, which a prospective family would want to understand in detail by visiting and speaking with school staff about instruction, supports, and the school's own goals. The school's position in the district and its role within the community context are questions families may also want to explore directly.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 333%

School 33% · District 48% · ▼ 15 pts below district

▼ 25 pts below state median · ▼ 10 pts below county median

Grade 417%

School 17% · District 47% · ▼ 30 pts below district

▼ 42 pts below state median · ▼ 30 pts below county median

Grade 511%

School 11% · District 28% · ▼ 18 pts below district

▼ 41 pts below state median · ▼ 19 pts below county median

Grade 60%

School 0% · District 34% · ▼ 34 pts below district

▼ 45 pts below state median · ▼ 41 pts below county median

Grade 742%

School 42% · District 46% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

Grade 80%

School 0% · District 40% · ▼ 40 pts below district

▼ 37 pts below state median · ▼ 26 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 327%

School 27% · District 41% · ▼ 15 pts below district

▼ 25 pts below state median · ▼ 11 pts below county median

Grade 40%

School 0% · District 36% · ▼ 35 pts below district

▼ 53 pts below state median · ▼ 43 pts below county median

Grade 516%

School 16% · District 35% · ▼ 20 pts below district

▼ 39 pts below state median · ▼ 26 pts below county median

Grade 60%

School 0% · District 32% · ▼ 32 pts below district

▼ 46 pts below state median · ▼ 38 pts below county median

Grade 717%

School 17% · District 35% · ▼ 19 pts below district

▼ 31 pts below state median · ▼ 25 pts below county median

Grade 89%

School 9% · District 42% · ▼ 33 pts below district

▼ 39 pts below state median · ▼ 31 pts below county median

Science

Grade 55%

School 5% · District 40% · ▼ 35 pts below district

▼ 36 pts below state median · ▼ 30 pts below county median

Grade 818%

School 18% · District 23% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 590%

School 90% · district not reported

▼ 2 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 870%

School 70% · district not reported

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▼ 13 pts below county median

This schoolLAFAYETTE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 5Lower-income15%Higher-income17%1 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 5Lower-income0%Higher-income33%33 pp gap