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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.
 
LaFayette Central School District
Onondaga Central School District  
Skaneateles Central School District  
Jordan-Elbridge Central School District  
Solvay Union Free School District  
Marcellus Central School District  
Westhill Central School District  
Jamesville-DeWitt Central School District  
East Syracuse-Minoa Central School District  
Fayetteville-Manlius Central School District  
West Genesee Central School District  
Baldwinsville Central School District  
Liverpool Central School District  
North Syracuse Central School District  
Syracuse 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
31
1,680
11.27

956
1,215
1,283
1,318
1,238
1,220
1,222
1,327
1,233
1,282
1,413
1,427
1,318
1,365
17,817
255
0
858
18,930

3,533
8,653
1,292
2,781
243
25
1,538

0
125
873
658
24
1,680

0
0
67
67

85
0
181
209
24
4
34
858
1,213

27
204
412

616
616
PK-12
11
651
12.52

218
544
582
573
568
575
546
580
609
592
674
613
610
617
7,901
89
0
163
8,153

6,064
410
428
459
40
1
582

0
45
313
282
11
651

0
0
25
25

18
0
14
76
11
1
18
163
286

8
57
78

271
271
KG-12
13
517
13.62

0
510
469
508
527
504
477
531
505
488
576
524
516
533
6,668
82
0
289
7,039

4,551
731
480
475
24
15
468

0
31
262
209
15
517

0
0
0
0

18
0
7
15
9
0
14
289
345

10
52
69

173
173
PK-12
8
371
15.29

198
363
347
399
397
377
416
413
423
422
409
429
439
417
5,449
47
0
176
5,672

4,740
141
35
257
7
2
303

0
16
178
167
10
371

0
0
17
17

15
0
11
38
8
0
9
176
245

10
56
77

195
195
PK-12
7
282
16.50

38
338
334
331
333
339
375
333
348
314
356
355
347
340
4,481
41
0
132
4,654

3,687
172
60
245
15
2
338

0
0
117
158
7
282

0
0
18
18

13
0
7
42
7
10
10
132
214

7
40
54

180
180
KG-12
6
326
13.01

0
259
271
328
305
277
301
341
311
338
296
365
375
357
4,124
39
0
77
4,240

3,251
120
447
121
14
2
202

0
16
153
151
6
326

0
0
16
16

12
0
13
16
6
7
9
77
127

6
62
81

138
138
PK-12
7
263
13.69

216
227
205
239
207
249
229
237
210
250
288
300
312
284
3,453
24
0
124
3,601

2,754
277
149
130
15
7
141

8
15
106
130
4
263

0
0
14
14

9
0
12
18
4
2
6
124
162

7
42
61

104
104
PK-12
5
199
12.93

69
157
168
173
172
173
171
172
171
201
203
202
219
221
2,472
20
0
82
2,574

1,765
162
260
106
10
4
184

0
2
93
102
2
199

0
0
9
9

9
0
4
20
2
3
7
82
123

3
21
28

77
77
KG-12
4
145
12.52

0
138
110
134
114
122
128
162
150
123
135
132
139
152
1,739
8
0
69
1,816

1,375
130
25
89
5
7
111

0
8
66
67
4
145

0
0
5
5

6
0
4
16
4
1
3
69
99

3
21
28

65
65
PK-12
3
131
11.17

54
110
96
102
96
94
94
102
107
91
122
105
118
117
1,408
9
0
47
1,464

1,317
6
11
34
2
2
40

4
8
57
61
1
131

0
0
5
5

4
0
3
10
1
0
3
47
64

4
17
24

56
56
PK-12
3
133
10.67

54
97
85
88
93
84
94
94
111
88
117
117
113
114
1,349
18
0
52
1,419

947
127
20
162
18
4
87

0
8
59
63
3
133

0
0
6
6

4
0
7
13
3
1
3
52
76

6
17
30

71
71
PK-12
3
104
11.68

104
78
68
85
83
90
86
59
92
86
87
79
93
75
1,165
15
0
35
1,215

1,133
18
7
11
5
0
6

5
6
42
49
2
104

0
0
0
0

3
0
2
0
2
1
0
35
40

3
18
23

94
94
PK-12
4
117
10.92

14
91
100
79
95
88
75
84
93
102
93
105
116
102
1,237
7
0
33
1,277

1,165
0
10
43
0
1
25

1
8
49
58
1
117

0
0
6
6

4
0
0
8
1
4
3
33
53

12
14
26

42
42
PK-12
3
79
10.42

38
52
60
59
72
49
66
60
64
51
63
51
64
45
794
7
0
22
823

567
81
2
65
19
0
67

2
5
37
32
3
79

0
0
3
3

4
0
2
9
3
1
2
22
41

2
11
16

38
38
PK-12
3
81
10.04

28
56
56
60
65
65
51
50
53
52
72
55
59
71
793
4
0
16
813

455
7
4
13
304
3
11

2
5
38
34
2
81

0
0
1
1

5
0
0
3
2
0
3
16
29

1
8
9

47
47


Sources: STI: PopStats and STI: Colossus

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