Public schools in Utica, NY
15 open public schools with an address in Utica, operated by 3 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
15
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
9,418
15 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
11.9:1
New York median 11.1:1
Charter schools
0
12 magnet · 0 virtual
An overview of Utica public schools
The federal directory lists 15 public schools in Utica, NY: 11 elementary, 2 middle, 1 high, 1 combined or other. The 15 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 9,418 students, an average of 628 per school. The largest campus is Thomas R Proctor High School (2,820 students), and the largest elementary school is General Herkimer Elementary School (634).
Utica City School District operates the most schools here (13), and 2 regular districts have at least one Utica 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 11.9:1, higher than 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 12 magnet schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 2 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 1 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 1 of 2 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 71% 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 Utica
Elementary schools in Utica
11| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany Elementary School Utica City School District · Magnet | KG–06 | 478 | 12.3:1 | |
| Christopher Columbus Elementary School Utica City School District · Magnet | KG–06 | 618 | 12.9:1 | |
| Deerfield Elementary School Whitesboro Central School District | KG–05 | 320 | 11.6:1 | |
| General Herkimer Elementary School Utica City School District · Magnet | KG–06 | 634 | 12.8:1 | |
| Hugh R Jones Elementary School Utica City School District · Magnet | KG–06 | 371 | 10.3:1 | |
| John F Hughes Elementary School Utica City School District · Magnet | KG–06 | 347 | 11.2:1 | |
| Kernan Elementary School Utica City School District · Magnet | KG–06 | 585 | 12:1 | |
| Martin Luther King Jr Elementary School Utica City School District · Magnet | KG–06 | 303 | 10.8:1 | |
| Roscoe Conkling Elementary School Utica City School District · Magnet | KG–06 | 503 | 11:1 | |
| Thomas Jefferson Elementary School Utica City School District · Magnet | KG–06 | 390 | 10.2:1 | |
| Watson Williams Elementary School Utica City School District · Magnet | KG–06 | 590 | 11.7:1 |
Middle schools in Utica
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John F Kennedy Middle School Utica City School District · Magnet | 07–08 | 687 | 12.1:1 | |
| Senator James H Donovan Middle School Utica City School District · Magnet | 07–08 | 749 | 12:1 |
High schools in Utica
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas R Proctor High School Utica City School District | 09–12 | 2,820 | 16.6:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Utica
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mohawk Valley Psychiatric Center for Children & Youth New York State Office Mental Health (Omh) · Special Education School | 02–12 | 23 | — |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White26.4%
- Hispanic22.1%
- Black24.2%
- Asian20.2%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.2%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial6.8%
Enrollment-weighted across 15 Utica schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (9,418 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Utica
How many public schools are in Utica, NY?
The current NCES directory lists 15 open public schools with a location address in Utica: 11 elementary, 2 middle, 1 high, 1 combined or other. Together they reported 9,418 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Utica?
Schools with an address in Utica belong to 3 education agencies, led by Utica City School District (13 schools), New York State Office Mental Health (Omh) (1 school), Whitesboro Central School District (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Utica?
Thomas R Proctor High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Utica, with 2,820 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Utica?
No school with an address in Utica is identified as a charter school in the current NCES directory. Families may still have charter or virtual options elsewhere in New York.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Utica schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Utica public schools is 11.9:1, higher than 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 Utica 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