The top reported proficiency rate is 89% in Science. The lowest is 54% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Cicero Elementary School
Cicero Elementary serves kindergarten through fourth grade in the suburban town of Cicero, a lake-oriented residential community in northeastern Onondaga County built largely through late-twentieth-century subdivisions. The school draws from a town shaped by both waterfront neighborhoods near Oneida Lake and inland subdivisions, with Route 11 as the dominant commercial spine. The North Syracuse Central School District, of which Cicero Elementary is part, has recently invested heavily in building renovations and capital improvements, with two major voter-approved projects now underway and a tax levy increase scheduled for 2026-27 as the district's local share of prior capital work comes due; families relocating to the area should account for this property-tax shift.
Cicero Elementary is a mid-sized school enrolling a broad swath of the grades it serves, with the student body predominantly white and from families with moderate income levels. Roughly a quarter of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school has no reported data on special-education or English-learner populations; no information was available on whether these categories are tracked separately at the elementary level or how support services operate at the school.
State test results from 2024-25 show uneven performance across mathematics and English language arts. Fourth-grade mathematics proficiency is substantially stronger than third-grade, reaching about three-fourths of students at or above proficiency, while third-grade mathematics hovers at about mid-range proficiency. English language arts tells a softer story: both third and fourth grade fall in the low-to-mid range, with fourth-grade performance notably below third. Science data is less recent; a 2021-22 fourth-grade assessment showed strong proficiency, but no science results are available for 2024-25. Across all testing, participation rates are high, suggesting the data reflects most students in the tested grades.
When positioned against other districts in Onondaga County, Cicero Elementary's overall proficiency index ranks in the top quartile, meaning the school's combined performance across subjects exceeds the median for its county peers. This stronger relative standing coexists with the uneven grade-to-grade and subject-to-subject patterns in the specific numbers, a detail worth exploring directly with the school if academic fit is a priority.
The district has articulated a 2022-2027 strategic plan centered on three goals: improving graduation rates, ensuring reading proficiency, and building emotional competencies. For elementary families, this signals that district-wide attention to early literacy aligns with Cicero Elementary's role in the early grades. The district's stated commitment to emotional competency building may also shape the school's approach to student support and school climate.
Cicero sits in an active growth context. The nearby Micron Technology semiconductor facility in adjacent Clay is the largest private investment in New York's history and is expected to reshape the regional labor market and housing demand. Residential and commercial development is already underway in Cicero, with new subdivisions and affordable senior housing projects announced or completed. Home values in the zip code have shown modest appreciation year-over-year, and the housing market is showing strong demand relative to supply. For families considering a long-term move, this growth trajectory offers both opportunity and the likelihood of ongoing change in the town's character over the next decade.
Cicero itself is auto-oriented with limited walkability; daily life centers on Route 11's retail corridor and subdivisions reached by car. The town has no traditional downtown. Recreational life is anchored by Oneida Lake and county parks offering waterfront access, trails, beaches, and play facilities. Public transit exists via bus along Route 11 but is limited. This setting suits families comfortable with suburban car dependence and lake-based recreation, less so those seeking walkable neighborhoods or dense street life.
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