Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Middle· 13 schools in district

SENATOR JAMES H DONOVAN MIDDLE SCHOOL

1701 NOYES ST, UTICA, NY 13502UTICA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 07–08Non-Charter
730
Students
Total enrolled
$22,561
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 57% vs nat'l
11.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 26% vs nat'l
47/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 730 students in grades 07–08 in UTICA, New York.
57% above average funding
District spends $22,561 per pupil, 57% more than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 47th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

SENATOR JAMES H DONOVAN MIDDLE SCHOOL is a large middle in UTICA, New York, serving grades 07–08 with 730 students. The district invests $22,561 per student — 57% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 84% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community.

Student Body & Demographics at SENATOR JAMES H DONOVAN MIDDLE SCHOOL

730
Total Students
11.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
84%
Free Lunch
64
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (07–08) are served by this school
Gender Distribution370 male · 360 female
51%
49%
Male 51%Female 49%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility84%
National avg 52% · 611 students
Student Composition
24%
18%
24%
27%
8%
Asian24%
White18%
Hispanic / Latino24%
Black27%
Multiracial8%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 362937003962

Academic Outcomes at SENATOR JAMES H DONOVAN MIDDLE SCHOOL

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
47
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 47th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 68th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 13502

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$22,561Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$22,561
State avg
$32,019
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$9,927
Student Support$4,287
Administration$2,707
Operations$3,384
Other$2,256
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $22,561 spent per student, an estimated $9,995 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
75%
14%
State government
75.3%
Local (property tax)
14.1%
Federal programs
10.7%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $22,561/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 84% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLWATSON WILLIAMS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLGENERAL HERKIMER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLKERNAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
+6 more
↓
Middle
JOHN F KENNEDY MIDDLE SCHOOL
↓
High School
THOMAS R PROCTOR HIGH SCHOOL
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelMiddle
Grades07 – 08
Location—
CountyOneida County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictUTICA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT →
Phone: (315)368-6541
NCES ID: 362937003962
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in UTICA seeking a public middle school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in UTICA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
High
THOMAS R PROCTOR HIGH SCHOOL
2,675 students · 09–12
● 50 opp76% FRL
Mid
JOHN F KENNEDY MIDDLE SCHOOL
695 students · 07–08
● 47 opp77% FRL
Elem
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
639 students · KG–06
● 50 opp82% FRL
Elem
WATSON WILLIAMS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
630 students · KG–06
● 50 opp88% FRL
Elem
GENERAL HERKIMER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
597 students · KG–06
● 47 opp76% FRL
Elem
KERNAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
566 students · KG–06
● 47 opp81% FRL
Elem
ALBANY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
513 students · KG–06
● 50 opp75% FRL
Elem
ROSCOE CONKLING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
511 students · KG–06
● 50 opp76% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
1701 NOYES ST, UTICA, NY 13502
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Middle
1
How does the school support the transition from elementary?
Orientation programs, peer mentoring
2
What electives and clubs are available?
Arts, STEM, sports, extracurriculars
3
How are students grouped for core subjects?
Tracking policies can affect equity
4
What is the school's homework and study policy?
Look for balance and academic support
5
How is bullying and social pressure addressed?
Anti-bullying policies, counselor availability
6
What advanced or enrichment options exist?
Honors courses, gifted programs
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.