Elmira City School District

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Elmira, New York - 11 schools

An equity score of 42/100 ranks Elmira City School District #533 of 941 districts in New York (state average 45). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $21,544 per pupil, Elmira City School District ranks #761 of 999 New York districts by per-pupil spending (New York districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

5,512
Total Enrollment
11
Schools
$21,544
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Elmira City School District operates 11 public schools serving 5,512 students, placing it among the smaller districts in New York. The school portfolio breaks down into 4 elementary, 4 combined, 2 high, 1 middle schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Chemung County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $21,544 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 999 New York districts by per-pupil spending. See how New York compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 19.8% local, 59.9% state, and 20.3% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 42/100, ranked #533 of 941 in New York against a state average of 45, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

a 346:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 55.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 65.8% White, 13.5% African American, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Diven School, with a diversity index of 63.6/100.

Its largest campus is Elmira High School, enrolling 1,273 students (24% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Fassett Elementary School, at 295 students, a 4x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Elmira High School accounts for 23.1% of all Elmira City School District student enrollment

That concentration means Elmira City School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Elmira City School District school enrollment varies 4.3× across entities

Elmira City School District school enrollment ranges from 295 students (lowest) to 1,273 students (highest), a spread of 978 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Elmira City School District has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 65.3% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Eligibility here is approaching the 75% concentration-grant threshold; it does not yet unlock the extra funding tier but sits meaningfully above the baseline 50% majority mark. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

Elmira City School District student-counselor ratio is 346:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Variation between sub-units within Elmira City School District is typically wider than the Elmira City School District-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Elmira City School District chronic absenteeism rate is 55.0% — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

20.3%
Federal
59.9%
State
19.8%
Local

Funding Equity

42
Equity Score
533 / 941
State Rank
45
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 11 schools in Elmira City School District.

White 65.8%
Hispanic or Latino 5.3%
African American 13.5%
Multiracial 14.9%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 50.9/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Elmira City School District's schools, above the New York average of 45.5.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Diven School 63.6
  2. 2 Fassett Elementary School 63.5
  3. 3 Thomas K Beecher School 61.5
  4. 4 Riverside Elementary 56.7
  5. 5 Parley Coburn School 56.1

Programs & Resources

346:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
55.0%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Elmira City School District

School Enrollment
Elmira High School
1,273
Ernie Davis Academy
844
Hendy Avenue School
391
Parley Coburn School
391
Broadway Academy
379
Riverside Elementary
375
Broadway Elementary School
364
Pine City School
347
Thomas K Beecher School
338
Diven School
325
Fassett Elementary School
295

How Elmira City School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The New York districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Baldwinsville Central School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Oceanside Union Free School District Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Hicksville Union Free School District Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Pittsford Central School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Mamaroneck Union Free School District Similar size Higher spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Elmira City School District's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in New York

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Compare Elmira City School District

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs New York City Geographic District #31 →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Elmira City School District?

Elmira City School District has 11 schools, including 2 high, 1 middle, 4 elementary, 4 combined. Total enrollment is 5,512 students.

How much does Elmira City School District spend per student?

Elmira City School District spends $21,544 per student. The district has an equity score of 42/100, ranking #533 in New York.

What is the demographic composition of Elmira City School District?

Elmira City School District students are 65.8% White, 13.5% African American, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 0.4% Asian, averaged across 11 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Elmira City School District?

Elmira City School District has an equity score of 42/100, ranking #533 out of 941 districts in New York.