Lackawanna 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, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Lackawanna, New York - 4 schools

An equity score of 68/100 ranks Lackawanna City School District #127 of 931 districts in New York (state average 45). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $26,471 per pupil, Lackawanna City School District ranks #506 of 986 New York districts by per-pupil spending (New York districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,966
Total Enrollment
4
Schools
$26,471
Per-Pupil Spending
High, Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Lackawanna City School District operates 4 public schools serving 1,966 students, placing it among the smallest districts in New York. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 high, 1 elementary, 1 middle, 1 combined schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Erie County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $26,471 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 986 New York districts by per-pupil spending. See how New York compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 15.7% local, 57.4% state, and 26.9% 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 68/100, ranked #127 of 931 in New York against a state average of 45, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 4 schools offering Advanced Placement (3 AP courses district-wide), a 339.4:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 56.5% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 62.6% White, 14.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.8% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Lackawanna Middle School, with a diversity index of 58.6/100.

Its largest campus is Lackawanna High School, enrolling 670 students (32% of the district's total enrollment).

Lackawanna High School accounts for 32.0% of all Lackawanna City School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Lackawanna City School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: high. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Enrollment-weighted aggregates give this entity more weight than any smaller peer, while an unweighted entity average treats every record equally.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Lackawanna City School District reports 74.7% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share sits between 62.5% and 75%, above a simple majority but below the highest descriptive band used here. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Lackawanna City School District student-counselor ratio is 339:1 — 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 Lackawanna City School District is typically wider than the Lackawanna City School District-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Lackawanna City School District chronic absenteeism rate is 56.5% — 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

Where does the funding come from?

26.9%
Federal
57.4%
State
15.7%
Local

Funding Equity

68
Equity Score
127 / 931
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 4 schools in Lackawanna City School District.

White 62.6%
Hispanic or Latino 14.8%
African American 12.8%
Asian 4.6%
Multiracial 4.9%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 56.3/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Lackawanna Middle School 58.6
  2. 2 Lackawanna High School 57.6
  3. 3 Martin Road Elementary School 57.5
  4. 4 Truman Elementary School 51.3

Programs & Resources

1 / 4
Schools with AP
3 AP courses total
339.4:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
56.5%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Lackawanna City School District

School Enrollment
Lackawanna High School
670
Martin Road Elementary School
573
Lackawanna Middle School
444
Truman Elementary School
404

How Lackawanna City School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

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

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Owego-Apalachin Central School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Cortland City School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Glens Falls City School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Mount Pleasant Central School District Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Edgemont Union Free School District Similar size Higher spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Lackawanna 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.

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Lackawanna 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 Lackawanna City School District?

Lackawanna City School District has 4 schools, including 1 high, 1 elementary, 1 middle, 1 combined. Total enrollment is 1,966 students.

How much does Lackawanna City School District spend per student?

Lackawanna City School District spends $26,471 per student. The district has an equity score of 68/100, ranking #127 in New York.

What is the demographic composition of Lackawanna City School District?

Lackawanna City School District students are 62.6% White, 14.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.8% African American, 4.6% Asian, averaged across 4 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Lackawanna City School District?

Lackawanna City School District has an equity score of 68/100, ranking #127 out of 931 districts in New York.