F-M named second in Upstate for academics

For the eighth consecutive year, the Fayetteville-Manlius School District maintained its number two ranking in academics out of 431 Upstate public school districts, according to a Buffalo-based business magazine.

On Oct. 1, the magazine, Business First, released the 2018 Upstate rankings of public school districts, which encompasses 48 New York counties, excluding the New York City area.

To determine a district’s annual score, Business First’s rating formula analyzes data from the past four years, including third graders’ performance on statewide English and math tests, Regents exam results, three Common Core exams, and graduation rates.

The magazine also ranked Upstate districts in subject areas. F-M placed number one in science, second in the mathematics and English language arts categories, and fifth in social studies.

The magazine again ranked the Pittsford School District, located in suburban Rochester, number one for academics in the state. The complete list of Upstate rankings is available online at the Business First website.

The Business First analysis has issued annual performance ratings for schools in Western New York since 1992.

Top 10 Upstate Schools

Below are the top 10 Upstate school districts in order of academic rank, according to Business First. Each is followed by the name of its county and its region.

1. Pittsford (Monroe County, Rochester Area)

2. Fayetteville-Manlius (Onondaga County, Syracuse Area)

3. Cazenovia (Madison County, Syracuse Area)

4. Honeoye Falls-Lima (Monroe County, Rochester Area)

5. Bethlehem (Albany County, Albany Area)

6. Brighton (Monroe County, Rochester Area)

7. Penfield (Monroe County, Rochester Area)

8. Skaneateles (Onondaga County, Syracuse Area)

9. East Aurora (Erie County, Western New York)

10. Niskayuna (Schenectady County, Albany Area)