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Public school systems play a crucial role in shaping local economies, influencing everything from property values to workforce development. The economic impact of local public schools extends far beyond education, affecting businesses, government budgets, and community well-being. Below are key ways in which public schools contribute to local economic health.

  1. Boosting Property Values and Municipal Revenue A strong public school system increases demand for housing in the district, driving up property values. Studies consistently show that homes in high-performing school districts command higher prices than comparable homes in weaker districts. Higher property values, in turn, generate more property tax revenue for local governments, which can be reinvested in infrastructure, public safety, and other community services.

    Additionally, businesses are more likely to establish themselves in areas with well-regarded schools, knowing that educated communities attract skilled workers and stable families. This creates a positive feedback loop where better schools lead to economic growth, which then further supports school funding.

  2. Workforce Development and Economic Competitiveness Public schools are the primary source of skilled labor for local industries. By providing foundational education, vocational training, and college preparation, schools ensure that businesses have access to qualified employees. Areas with strong school systems tend to have lower unemployment rates and higher average incomes because educated workers are more productive and adaptable to changing job markets.

    Investments in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) programs, career and technical education (CTE), and partnerships with local businesses further enhance workforce readiness. Companies often consider school quality when deciding where to locate, as they need a pipeline of talent to sustain operations.

  3. Direct Employment and Local Spending Public schools are among the largest employers in many communities, providing jobs for teachers, administrators, custodians, and support staff. These employees spend their salaries locally, supporting restaurants, retail stores, and service providers. The multiplier effect means that every dollar spent on school payroll circulates through the economy multiple times, stimulating additional business activity.

    Beyond salaries, schools also contribute to local economies through construction projects (e.g., building new facilities or renovating old ones), purchasing supplies from area vendors, and contracting services like transportation and food supply. These expenditures create jobs and generate tax revenue.

  4. Reducing Long-Term Public Costs Quality education correlates with lower crime rates, reduced reliance on social welfare programs, and better public health outcomes. Students who graduate from strong school systems are less likely to require government assistance, engage in criminal activity, or face chronic unemployment. This reduces the burden on taxpayers, who would otherwise fund prisons, healthcare for the uninsured, and social services.

    Early childhood education programs, in particular, have been shown to yield high long-term returns by improving graduation rates and future earnings while decreasing incarceration costs.

  5. Attracting and Retaining Families and Businesses Families with children prioritize school quality when choosing where to live. Communities with reputable schools experience population growth, which sustains local businesses and services. Conversely, declining school performance can lead to outmigration, shrinking the tax base and harming economic vitality.

    Similarly, corporations evaluating relocation opportunities assess school systems to ensure employees will have access to good education for their children. A weak school system can deter investment, while a strong one can attract high-paying jobs and stimulate economic diversification.

Conclusion

The local public school system is not just an educational institution but a cornerstone of economic stability and growth. By enhancing property values, developing a skilled workforce, employing residents, reducing public costs, and attracting businesses, schools create a thriving economic ecosystem. Policymakers and community leaders must recognize that investing in education yields broad economic benefits, making it one of the most impactful ways to ensure long-term prosperity.

The following report contains those school districts that are completely or partially within the county. The school districts are sorted in a left to right order based on the number of students that are estimated to live in the county, although they may actually attend a school outside the county boundary. Except where noted all figures are for the entire disctrict population and not just that portion that are in the county.

Where available, the district's name contains a link to that district's website.
 
East Irondequoit Central School District
Brockport Central School District  
Brighton Central School District  
Spencerport Central School District  
West Irondequoit Central School District  
Churchville-Chili Central School District  
Gates-Chili Central School District  
Hilton Central School District  
Penfield Central School District  
Fairport Central School District  
Pittsford Central School District  
Rush-Henrietta Central School District  
Webster Central School District  
Greece Central School District  
Rochester City School District  
Grade Span of Agency
Number of Schools
Total Classroom Teachers
Student/Teachers

    Prekindergarten
    Kindergarten
    Grade 1
    Grade 2
    Grade 3
    Grade 4
    Grade 5
    Grade 6
    Grade 7
    Grade 8
    Grade 9
    Grade 10
    Grade 11
    Grade 12
PK thru 12 Students
Ungraded Students
Adult Education and Other Students
Special Ed IEP Students
Total Students

White
Black
Asian
Hispanic
Native American
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
Undefined or Multiple Races

Prekindergarten Teachers
Kindergarten Teachers
Elementary Teachers
Secondary Teachers
Ungraded Class Teachers
Total FTE Teachers

Elementary School Counselors
Secondary School Counselors
School Counselors
Total Counselors

School Administrators
School Administrative Support Staff
Instr. Coord. and Super. to Staff
Student Support Services Staff
Librarians/media specialists
Library/Media Support Staff
School Psychologists
Paraprofessionals/Instructional Aides
Total School Staff

LEA Administrators
LEA Administrative Support Staff
Total LEA Staff

All Other Support Staff
Total Other Staff
PK-12
46
2,133
10.75

1,735
1,351
1,475
1,501
1,377
1,540
1,530
1,466
1,505
1,512
2,388
1,768
1,306
1,278
21,732
432
0
768
22,932

1,916
10,872
639
7,784
35
23
890

0
114
870
1,088
61
2,133

0
0
106
106

157
0
307
117
31
0
68
768
1,140

73
256
636

744
744
PK-12
17
894
11.50

185
653
669
743
687
732
719
686
769
755
829
760
822
854
9,863
144
0
272
10,279

5,085
1,711
510
1,934
9
1
752

0
50
388
440
16
894

0
0
1
1

56
0
10
22
16
5
13
272
384

11
163
184

698
698
PK-12
11
765
10.84

269
501
545
570
552
614
595
603
579
639
595
652
604
671
7,989
109
0
191
8,289

6,422
359
227
683
11
2
392

13
52
328
339
33
765

0
0
28
28

39
1
36
100
10
10
35
191
385

14
104
154

333
333
PK-12
9
492
12.13

187
390
408
441
429
435
393
435
399
439
388
432
446
422
5,644
127
0
197
5,968

2,908
733
1,104
519
13
3
485

0
28
239
204
21
492

0
0
19
19

25
4
17
38
10
8
11
197
291

15
104
136

286
286
KG-12
9
457
12.71

0
376
375
443
411
378
448
395
452
434
468
444
454
465
5,543
39
0
226
5,808

3,899
161
759
334
4
2
413

0
21
212
217
7
457

0
0
31
31

16
0
9
43
7
0
13
226
305

16
78
103

214
214
PK-12
8
497
10.98

54
319
367
393
399
398
383
400
426
420
399
434
416
459
5,267
67
0
123
5,457

4,446
192
131
310
2
2
236

0
33
222
237
5
497

0
0
20
20

19
0
14
39
4
5
22
123
212

8
97
119

201
201
KG-12
6
426
11.18

0
320
334
367
386
355
356
333
386
386
359
343
357
353
4,635
45
0
84
4,764

3,771
211
157
287
2
2
248

0
19
217
179
11
426

0
0
18
18

19
0
9
36
7
6
10
84
160

10
81
100

200
200
PK-12
5
370
11.59

108
264
285
296
282
297
327
292
300
306
339
347
348
343
4,134
45
0
111
4,290

3,549
119
48
290
6
1
165

2
19
179
163
7
370

0
0
16
16

13
0
15
38
4
3
5
111
174

18
57
89

210
210
PK-12
6
318
12.25

94
256
280
285
277
266
243
294
295
293
279
282
282
298
3,724
51
0
121
3,896

1,883
679
206
610
16
1
377

0
23
157
137
1
318

0
0
15
15

17
0
11
32
4
6
10
121
191

13
67
92

185
185
PK-12
5
336
11.57

72
235
283
275
280
295
285
293
288
310
287
286
291
308
3,788
43
0
58
3,889

2,725
366
92
378
4
4
260

0
19
167
145
5
336

0
0
17
17

16
0
7
29
5
7
9
58
123

5
38
50

151
151
PK-12
10
319
11.80

18
257
257
248
265
256
299
261
283
277
272
312
304
296
3,605
40
0
120
3,765

2,517
338
107
485
10
0
183

1
17
116
180
5
319

0
0
16
16

13
0
8
28
5
5
7
120
178

7
57
72

86
86
PK-12
6
364
10.33

108
219
240
254
256
251
267
266
309
267
291
304
261
304
3,597
55
0
110
3,762

2,804
227
63
356
2
0
196

0
19
185
154
6
364

0
0
17
17

14
0
15
27
6
3
7
110
167

5
43
63

163
163
KG-12
4
286
12.50

0
235
259
239
224
252
233
242
260
288
276
315
287
312
3,422
45
0
107
3,574

2,222
297
348
266
1
3
314

0
16
132
134
4
286

0
0
18
18

11
0
3
18
4
5
3
107
148

7
47
56

121
121
PK-12
5
273
12.53

108
240
228
254
221
248
247
263
228
256
255
228
264
267
3,307
35
0
80
3,422

2,490
162
28
429
7
0
220

6
18
107
136
6
273

0
0
11
11

13
0
3
19
5
5
7
80
129

3
35
40

173
173
PK-12
6
272
10.59

86
193
180
198
174
210
190
206
217
238
250
228
196
221
2,787
31
0
63
2,881

1,153
585
64
773
7
3
233

5
18
120
124
5
272

0
0
9
9

8
0
4
19
5
3
4
63
101

8
51
64

140
140


Sources: STI: PopStats and STI: Colossus

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