BELLE SHERMAN SCHOOL

Set in ITHACA, New York, BELLE SHERMAN SCHOOL is a cozy elementary school, one of the schools within ITHACA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT. It teaches 347 students across grades pre-K through 5. Enrollment runs roughly 22% below the state mean of about 443.

ITHACA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT comprises 12 schools with combined enrollment of 4,988 students; BELLE SHERMAN SCHOOL is among them.

On demographics, BELLE SHERMAN SCHOOL lists that the largest single group is White at 48%, but no single group is in the majority. Beyond that, the school lists 20% Asian, 12% Hispanic, 10% multiracial, 10% Black. By comparison, Tompkins County as a whole is about 75% White, so the school skews noticeably less White than its surroundings.

Looking at the economic backdrop, BELLE SHERMAN SCHOOL lists 35 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 10.0:1. That figure is tighter than the state norm's 12.8:1 average. An estimated 29% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), BELLE SHERMAN SCHOOL sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 64.3%; this one delivers 50.4%.

In the broader community, ACS estimates for Tompkins County put median household income runs about $74,024, about 59% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and the poverty rate sits near 7%. BELLE SHERMAN SCHOOL is one of 33 public schools in Tompkins County (combined enrollment of about 10,392 students).

SOUTH HILL SCHOOL is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.8 miles from this campus. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around BELLE SHERMAN SCHOOL. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts BELLE SHERMAN SCHOOL at 7th of 9; the average score across the group is 59.3%.

The school occupies a city-core site.

Trend over the last 7 years. BELLE SHERMAN SCHOOL's enrollment has decreased 5% since 2018, when it stood at 367 (now 347). White enrollment moved from 56% to 48% across the same window. Class-load math has tightened: from 13.1:1 in 2018 to 10.0:1 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around sports schedules, lunch menu changes, and school spirit week. Posting is open to anyone connected to the school.