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Community School #53

Public Grades PK, KG-8
2420th
SchoolDigger Rank ?
of 2,445 New York Elementary Schools
Better than 1% of New York elementary schools
Summary

Community School #53 is an elementary school in Buffalo, NY that serves 459 students in grades PK-8. It is part of the Buffalo City School District, which is ranked 830 out of 874 school districts in New York and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger. Unfortunately, Community School #53 has consistently ranked in the bottom 10% of New York elementary schools over the past decade, also earning a 0-star rating.

The school faces significant challenges in academic performance, with students significantly underperforming compared to the district and state averages across all grade levels and subjects. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, only 16.22% of 3rd graders were proficient in ELA compared to 54.15% statewide, and only 35% were proficient in Math compared to 59.7% statewide. This poor performance is seen across all student subgroups, including female, male, Asian, African American, Hispanic, white, English Language Learners, special education, and economically disadvantaged students.

Despite the high poverty rates, with nearly 95% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, and the school spending significantly more per student ($30,373 in 2023-2024) than the district average, the academic outcomes have not improved. The school also has a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 9.8 in 2023-2024, which has not translated to better results. Compared to nearby schools like Ps 59 Dr Charles Drew Science Magnet and Stanley Makowski Early Childhood Center, Community School #53 consistently ranks among the lowest-performing in the district and state, indicating the need for a more targeted and comprehensive approach to address the root causes of the school's underperformance.

464
Students ?
9.5
Student/teacher ratio ?
$33,358
Per pupil spending ?
97.4%
Free/discounted lunch ?
 329 Roehrer Ave
       Buffalo, NY  14208

(716) 816-3330

District: Buffalo City School District

Racial breakdown:

African American:
65.7%
Asian:
14.4%
Hispanic:
10.1%
more
 See top rated New York elementary schools

 Compare Community School #53 to nearby elementary schools!
At a glance
Ranking trend: Holding steady — <1st percentile in 2015 → 1st in 2025
Strengths
Small classes — about 10 students per teacher
Worth a look
!Test scores below the New York average (14% vs 53% meeting standards)
!In the lower quartile statewide (1st percentile)
!Math scores 41 pts below the New York average
Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?
This school14%
District avg26%
New York avg53%
Elementary school
2,420th of 2,445
New York public elementary schools ?
Bottom 1%▲ up 1 pts since 2015
See the entire ranking list of New York Elementary Schools →
SchoolDigger rating ?
Middle school
1,475th of 1,500
New York public middle schools ?
Bottom 2%▼ down 2 pts since 2015
See the entire ranking list of New York Middle Schools →
SchoolDigger rating ?
30th of 35Elementary Schools in the Buffalo City School District
830th of 874Buffalo City School District among New York districts
Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)
Elementary school ranking
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNew York percentileRating
20254.12420 of 24451.0%☆☆☆☆☆
20245.82414 of 24451.3%☆☆☆☆☆
20234.12421 of 24390.7%☆☆☆☆☆
20225.12409 of 24341.0%☆☆☆☆☆
202112.52013 of 22018.5%☆☆☆☆☆
20196.62362 of 24132.1%☆☆☆☆☆
20183.22389 of 23950.3%☆☆☆☆☆
20174.42371 of 23860.6%☆☆☆☆☆
20165.12344 of 23660.9%☆☆☆☆☆
20154.52348 of 23520.2%☆☆☆☆☆
20144.22342 of 23450.1%☆☆☆☆☆
20137.02283 of 23251.8%☆☆☆☆☆
20122.92279 of 23201.8%☆☆☆☆☆
20113.62249 of 22861.6%☆☆☆☆☆
20103.82231 of 22631.4%☆☆☆☆☆
20098.22165 of 22574.1%☆☆☆☆☆
20087.82119 of 22274.8%☆☆☆☆☆
20075.62147 of 22193.2%☆☆☆☆☆
20063.22179 of 22061.2%☆☆☆☆☆

African American

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNew York percentileRating
202510.2902 of 9282.8%☆☆☆☆☆
202412.8895 of 9273.5%☆☆☆☆☆
202311.3822 of 8574.1%☆☆☆☆☆
202211.5913 of 9362.5%☆☆☆☆☆
202131.4294 of 42731.1%★★☆☆☆
201912.2868 of 8912.6%☆☆☆☆☆
201810.8935 of 9481.4%☆☆☆☆☆

Asian

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNew York percentileRating
20254.0672 of 6963.4%☆☆☆☆☆
20244.3650 of 6621.8%☆☆☆☆☆
20229.5626 of 6716.7%☆☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNew York percentileRating
202522.41012 of 11179.4%☆☆☆☆☆
202422.8982 of 10667.9%☆☆☆☆☆
202236.2644 of 102737.3%★★☆☆☆
201950.7314 of 86063.5%★★★☆☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNew York percentileRating
20254.72378 of 24091.3%☆☆☆☆☆
20246.72381 of 24131.3%☆☆☆☆☆
20234.82381 of 24030.9%☆☆☆☆☆
20225.62377 of 24011.0%☆☆☆☆☆
202122.01620 of 195517.1%★☆☆☆☆
20197.42308 of 23572.1%☆☆☆☆☆
20183.42334 of 23380.2%☆☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNew York percentileRating
202223.81265 of 150315.8%★☆☆☆☆
201922.31122 of 131514.7%★☆☆☆☆

Homeless

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNew York percentileRating
202528.7618 of 79222.0%★☆☆☆☆
201820.8666 of 7308.8%☆☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNew York percentileRating
20236.72023 of 20410.9%☆☆☆☆☆
20226.82079 of 20991.0%☆☆☆☆☆
201910.61985 of 20322.3%☆☆☆☆☆
20185.52038 of 20450.3%☆☆☆☆☆

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNew York percentileRating
20255.32366 of 24071.7%☆☆☆☆☆
20246.82371 of 24111.7%☆☆☆☆☆
20234.92378 of 24000.9%☆☆☆☆☆
20226.62368 of 24001.3%☆☆☆☆☆
20214.81923 of 19611.9%☆☆☆☆☆
20197.72303 of 23582.3%☆☆☆☆☆
20184.32336 of 23400.2%☆☆☆☆☆

Special Education

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNew York percentileRating
202522.71820 of 213414.7%★☆☆☆☆
202425.91718 of 211018.6%★☆☆☆☆
202327.71548 of 201623.2%★☆☆☆☆
202224.81755 of 203113.6%★☆☆☆☆
202136.8646 of 104438.1%★★☆☆☆
201927.11484 of 185920.2%★☆☆☆☆
201824.41724 of 194111.2%★☆☆☆☆

White

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNew York percentileRating
20232.11328 of 13370.7%☆☆☆☆☆
20225.51370 of 13992.1%☆☆☆☆☆
Middle school ranking
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNew York percentileRating
20254.51475 of 15001.7%☆☆☆☆☆
20246.81469 of 15042.3%☆☆☆☆☆
20235.81477 of 15001.5%☆☆☆☆☆
20228.71437 of 14792.8%☆☆☆☆☆
20198.01401 of 14392.6%☆☆☆☆☆
20186.71408 of 14382.1%☆☆☆☆☆
201712.21366 of 14556.1%☆☆☆☆☆
20168.51402 of 14291.9%☆☆☆☆☆
201510.61353 of 14073.8%☆☆☆☆☆
201411.81313 of 14016.3%☆☆☆☆☆
201311.31295 of 13735.7%☆☆☆☆☆
20126.71262 of 13375.6%☆☆☆☆☆
201112.61139 of 129512.0%★☆☆☆☆
201014.11068 of 124314.1%★☆☆☆☆
200914.31072 of 122412.4%★☆☆☆☆
200812.31053 of 118511.1%★☆☆☆☆
200715.0962 of 112314.3%★☆☆☆☆
20068.31018 of 10957.0%☆☆☆☆☆

African American

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNew York percentileRating
20259.9657 of 6762.8%☆☆☆☆☆
202414.6662 of 7056.1%☆☆☆☆☆
202310.7676 of 6962.9%☆☆☆☆☆
202213.0686 of 7062.8%☆☆☆☆☆
201911.2646 of 6531.1%☆☆☆☆☆
201814.9633 of 6634.5%☆☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNew York percentileRating
202523.7600 of 6467.1%☆☆☆☆☆
201961.885 of 47382.0%★★★★☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNew York percentileRating
20254.71436 of 14571.4%☆☆☆☆☆
20249.11409 of 14653.8%☆☆☆☆☆
20235.71439 of 14631.6%☆☆☆☆☆
202211.91369 of 14545.8%☆☆☆☆☆
20196.11350 of 13701.5%☆☆☆☆☆
20186.11336 of 13531.3%☆☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNew York percentileRating
20257.7947 of 9651.9%☆☆☆☆☆
202415.1894 of 9536.2%☆☆☆☆☆
202321.5821 of 94312.9%★☆☆☆☆
202227.0720 of 91421.2%★☆☆☆☆
201921.6706 of 82614.5%★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNew York percentileRating
20239.71256 of 12882.5%☆☆☆☆☆
202212.11260 of 13063.5%☆☆☆☆☆
201910.51227 of 12411.1%☆☆☆☆☆
20186.51238 of 12450.6%☆☆☆☆☆

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNew York percentileRating
20255.81431 of 14551.6%☆☆☆☆☆
20246.31450 of 14641.0%☆☆☆☆☆
20238.01433 of 14642.1%☆☆☆☆☆
20229.01416 of 14552.7%☆☆☆☆☆
201912.21303 of 13664.6%☆☆☆☆☆
20189.61327 of 13521.8%☆☆☆☆☆

Special Education

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankNew York percentileRating
202518.41230 of 12985.2%☆☆☆☆☆
202426.31065 of 130318.3%★☆☆☆☆
202326.71062 of 130718.7%★☆☆☆☆
202225.21130 of 128311.9%★☆☆☆☆
201919.41121 of 11391.6%☆☆☆☆☆
201821.81120 of 11704.3%☆☆☆☆☆
How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)
Elementary school
Homeless (2025)22nd percentile+21 vs school
Hispanic (2022)16th percentile+15 vs school
Special Education (2025)15th percentile+14 vs school
English Language Learner (2025)9th percentile+8 vs school
Asian (2025)3rd percentile~ school
African American (2025)3rd percentile~ school
Male (2025)2nd percentile~ school
Female (2025)1st percentile~ school
Low Socio Economic Status (2023)1st percentile~ school
White (2023)1st percentile~ school
Middle school
English Language Learner (2025)7th percentile+5 vs school
Special Education (2025)5th percentile+4 vs school
African American (2025)3rd percentile~ school
Low Socio Economic Status (2023)2nd percentile~ school
Hispanic (2025)2nd percentile~ school
Male (2025)2nd percentile~ school
Female (2025)1st percentile~ school
By subject vs New York (2024-2025) ?
Life Science Biology58%~ state avg
Math14%-41 vs state
English Language Arts13%-40 vs state
Science4%-40 vs state

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Schools Near Community School #53

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Frequently Asked Questions about Community School #53

In the 2024-25 school year, 464 students attended Community School #53.

Students at Community School #53 are 66% African American, 14% Asian, 10% Hispanic, 6% White, 4% Two or more races.

Community School #53 ranks in the bottom 1.0% of New York elementary schools.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, the WNYC and the New York State Department of Health and the NY State Education Department.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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