DRYDEN MIDDLE SCHOOL

Located at 118 FREEVILLE RD, in DRYDEN, New York, DRYDEN MIDDLE SCHOOL is an intimate junior high that educates 283 students (grades 6 through 8), operated by DRYDEN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT. Enrollment runs roughly 47% leaner than the state mean of about 531.

DRYDEN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT comprises 5 schools with combined enrollment of 1,304 students; DRYDEN MIDDLE SCHOOL is among them.

On the student-mix side, DRYDEN MIDDLE SCHOOL lists that 75% of the student body identifies as White; the rest is composed of 11% multiracial, 9% Hispanic, 2% Asian, 2% Black. That composition is broadly in line with Tompkins County as a whole.

On the resource side, On paper, DRYDEN MIDDLE SCHOOL has 36 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 7.8:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 10.3:1, putting DRYDEN MIDDLE SCHOOL tighter than the state norm the norm. About 44% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy.

On a demographically-adjusted basis, DRYDEN MIDDLE SCHOOL sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 58.8%; this one delivers 55.4%.

In the surrounding community, ACS estimates for Tompkins County put median household earnings sit near $74,024, roughly 59% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate sits near 7%. Across Tompkins County's 33 public schools (combined enrollment of about 10,392 students), DRYDEN MIDDLE SCHOOL is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is DRYDEN HIGH SCHOOL, roughly 0.0 miles away. Within five miles, there are 5 other public schools. Among the 8 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), DRYDEN MIDDLE SCHOOL ranks 5th on composite proficiency, below the local average of 56.3%.

The campus sits in a countryside setting.

Trend over the last 7 years. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at DRYDEN MIDDLE SCHOOL has decreased 19%, going from 349 students in 2018 to 283 in 2025. White enrollment moved from 88% to 75% across the same window. The student-to-teacher ratio narrowed from 10.6:1 in 2018 to 7.8:1 today.

Inside the community feed, members of the DRYDEN MIDDLE SCHOOL community share and discuss school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. The community welcomes input from current and former families.