The top reported proficiency rate is 88% in Science. The lowest is 70% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Raymond C Buckley Elementary School
Raymond C. Buckley Elementary serves kindergarten through fourth grade in Lansing, a rural town with a significant agricultural sector located north of Ithaca. The school is part of the Lansing Central School District, which operates three schools across rural and semi-rural settings. Buckley sits on the district's campus along Ridge Road, removed from the village's commercial corridor and shopping-center retail areas.
The school enrolls a modest student population with a composition that is predominantly white but includes meaningful representation across other backgrounds. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting middle-income families alongside economically stretched households in the community. Lansing itself has been growing steadily, with new housing developments and apartment complexes along the sewer-served Warren and Triphammer corridors, though much of the town remains farmland and rural residential.
In recent state testing, Buckley's students showed solid performance. In fourth-grade math, proficiency reached a healthy level, with a slightly higher share of students meeting standards than in third grade. English language arts results were comparable across both grades. Fourth-grade science results from an earlier year showed particularly strong attainment. Testing participation rates were high, above the majority threshold, which means the results reflect what most enrolled students are achieving. The school's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile among elementary schools across Tompkins County districts, a meaningful position that reflects consistent student learning across tested subjects and grades.
This is a traditional public elementary school with no charter or magnet designation, so its instruction follows standard state and district curricula and expectations. No data on special education identification rates or English learner population was available, which often reflects either the school's composition or gaps in publicly reported metrics. The school serves a K-4 band only, so no state assessment results exist for higher grades or secondary-level outcomes.
The district has undertaken a substantial capital investment in facility upgrades through its BOBCAT project, approved narrowly in January 2023 after voters rejected a larger proposal in 2022. Improvements include HVAC upgrades, roof work, and gym enhancements across the district's schools, with construction phases extending through spring 2025. This visible investment signals the district is working to improve the physical plant families and students use daily.
However, the 2026-27 budget approved by voters in May 2026 reflects fiscal pressure. The district cut several staff positions and scaled back programs including swimming and professional development, and fewer field trips are expected. The budget stays within New York's tax cap but tightens spending in ways that reduce what students experience during their school day and after-school offerings. For families considering the school, this represents a real trade-off: solid academic results and strong facilities investment, tempered by near-term resource constraints that are shaping program depth.
Buckley sits in a rural, fringe school locale several miles from Ithaca, served by regional bus transit but not walkable for most families. Lansing's character is split between the incorporated village's shopping-center-driven retail landscape and the larger town's farming and open land. The school draws from both.
See more original research from School Decision →