Public schools in Schenectady, NY
32 open public schools with an address in Schenectady, operated by 6 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
32
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
18,500
32 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
11.1:1
New York median 11.1:1
Charter schools
1
0 virtual
An overview of Schenectady public schools
The federal directory lists 32 public schools in Schenectady, NY: 21 elementary, 7 middle, 4 high. The 32 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 18,500 students, an average of 578 per school. The largest campus is Schenectady High School (2,885 students), and the largest elementary school is Jefferson Elementary School (671).
Schenectady City School District operates the most schools here (15), and 5 regular districts have at least one Schenectady campus, plus 1 charter, service, or other agency. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 11.1:1, similar to the statewide school median of 11.1:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 1 charter school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 4 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 3 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 3 of 4 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 53% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Schenectady
Schenectady City School District
Public school district
15 schools in Schenectady
Niskayuna Central School District
Public school district
7 schools in Schenectady · 8 total
Rotterdam-Mohonasen Central School District
Public school district
4 schools in Schenectady
Schalmont Central School District
Public school district
3 schools in Schenectady
Guilderland Central School District
Public school district
2 schools in Schenectady · 7 total
Destine Preparatory Charter School
Independent charter agency
1 school in Schenectady
Elementary schools in Schenectady
21| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birchwood Elementary School Niskayuna Central School District | KG–05 | 376 | 11:1 | |
| Craig Elementary School Niskayuna Central School District | KG–05 | 377 | 11.1:1 | |
| Destine Preparatory Charter School Destine Preparatory Charter School · Charter | KG–04 | 213 | 17.8:1 | |
| Dr Martin Luther King School Jr Elementary School Schenectady City School District | PK–05 | 424 | 11.2:1 | |
| Hamilton Elementary School Schenectady City School District | PK–05 | 440 | 10.8:1 | |
| Herman L Bradt Elementary School Rotterdam-Mohonasen Central School District | KG–02 | 602 | 13.1:1 | |
| Hillside School Niskayuna Central School District | KG–05 | 383 | 9.8:1 | |
| Howe Elementary School Schenectady City School District | PK–05 | 390 | 11.5:1 | |
| Jefferson Elementary School Schalmont Central School District | KG–04 | 671 | 13:1 | |
| Jessie T Zoller Elementary School Schenectady City School District | PK–05 | 439 | 11.7:1 | |
| Lincoln Elementary School Schenectady City School District | PK–05 | 306 | 10.6:1 | |
| Lynnwood Elementary School Guilderland Central School District | KG–05 | 405 | 10.7:1 | |
| Paige Elementary School Schenectady City School District | PK–05 | 468 | 11.9:1 | |
| Pine Bush Elementary School Guilderland Central School District | KG–05 | 462 | 11.1:1 | |
| Pinewood Elementary School Rotterdam-Mohonasen Central School District | 03–05 | 591 | 12.1:1 | |
| Pleasant Valley Elementary School Schenectady City School District | PK–05 | 351 | 9.6:1 | |
| Rosendale School Niskayuna Central School District | KG–05 | 376 | 10.6:1 | |
| Van Corlaer Elementary School Schenectady City School District | PK–05 | 311 | 9.2:1 | |
| William C Keane Elementary School Schenectady City School District | PK–05 | 279 | 8.8:1 | |
| Woodlawn Elementary School Schenectady City School District | PK–05 | 502 | 14.1:1 | |
| Yates Elementary School Schenectady City School District | PK–05 | 327 | 11.8:1 |
Middle schools in Schenectady
7| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Park Middle School Schenectady City School District | 06–08 | 600 | 9.2:1 | |
| Draper Middle School Rotterdam-Mohonasen Central School District | 06–08 | 655 | 11.6:1 | |
| Iroquois Middle School Niskayuna Central School District | 06–08 | 614 | 11.5:1 | |
| Mont Pleasant Middle School Schenectady City School District | 06–08 | 569 | 8.6:1 | |
| Oneida Middle School Schenectady City School District | 06–08 | 657 | 10.1:1 | |
| Schalmont Middle School Schalmont Central School District | 05–08 | 537 | 9.5:1 | |
| Van Antwerp Middle School Niskayuna Central School District | 05–06 | 442 | 10.6:1 |
High schools in Schenectady
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mohonasen Senior High School Rotterdam-Mohonasen Central School District | 09–12 | 924 | 14:1 | |
| Niskayuna High School Niskayuna Central School District | 09–12 | 1,379 | 12.7:1 | |
| Schalmont High School Schalmont Central School District | 09–12 | 545 | 10.8:1 | |
| Schenectady High School Schenectady City School District | 09–12 | 2,885 | 13.3:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White42.3%
- Hispanic16%
- Black14.9%
- Asian17%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.7%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.5%
- Multiracial8.6%
Enrollment-weighted across 32 Schenectady schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (18,500 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Schenectady
How many public schools are in Schenectady, NY?
The current NCES directory lists 32 open public schools with a location address in Schenectady: 21 elementary, 7 middle, 4 high. Together they reported 18,500 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Schenectady?
Schools with an address in Schenectady belong to 6 education agencies, led by Schenectady City School District (15 schools), Niskayuna Central School District (7 schools), Rotterdam-Mohonasen Central School District (4 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Schenectady?
Schenectady High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Schenectady, with 2,885 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Schenectady?
Yes. 1 of the 32 public schools in Schenectady are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Destine Preparatory Charter School. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Schenectady schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Schenectady public schools is 11.1:1, similar to the New York school median of 11.1:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Schenectady guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby New York cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All New York cities