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Below Average

#4087 of 4,742 schools in NY

Willow Ridge Elementary School

Elementary School · Sweet Home Central School District · Amherst, NY

A Sweet Home Central School District elementary school where students score 20 points below what's typical for similar communities.

480 WILLOW RIDGE DR, Amherst, NY 14228

  • Math 35% proficient (2022)
  • Reading 39% proficient (2022)
  • 10.9:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress2.7Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-2.7 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2022
TrendDeclining
Academics4.8Below Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency35.4% (2022 EdFacts)
Reading/ELA Proficiency39.3% (2022 EdFacts)
Math vs. State Avg-18.1 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-21.6 pts
Overall Proficiency37% (2022 EdFacts, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)58% (model expectation from 2022 EdFacts)
vs. Expected-20.3 pts
Adjusted Percentile29th
Resources & Environment7.8Very Good20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio10.9:1
District spending per student$25,505
Chronic Absenteeism25.4%

Students at Willow Ridge Elementary School score 37% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 58%).

How we calculate scores →

2022 EdFacts proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NY average.

Math Proficiency35%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)
ELA Proficiency39%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 12 points since 2019, to 37% in 2022, across a 14-year record (2009–2022).

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
98%
ELA
87%
2010
Math
77%
ELA
62%
2011
Math
82%
ELA
72%
2012
Math
52%
ELA
47%
2013
Math
52%
ELA
47%
2014
Math
57%
ELA
47%
2015
Math
52%
ELA
47%
2016
Math
47%
ELA
47%
2017
Math
52%
ELA
52%
2018
Math
52%
ELA
47%
2019
Math
52%
ELA
47%
2020*
Math
42%
ELA
67%
2021*
Math
40%
ELA
66%
2022
Math
35%
ELA
39%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 54% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 57% (multi-year average, 2009-2022)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 34 test records from NY state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

33%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Willow Ridge Elementary School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 14Car-Dependent
  • Bike 49Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Low64/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. A newer release may be available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$72,426

Median home value

$246,100

Median rent

$1,264/mo

College educated

48.8%

Homeownership

54.1%

Poverty rate

16%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 14228; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Glendale Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified6.3PK–51.0 mi434Compare →
Heritage Heights Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.1PK–51.1 mi419Compare →
St Christopher Elementary SchoolPrivate · tuition5.7privatePK–81.2 mi252Compare →
Jewish Heritage Day School/ohr TemimimPrivate · tuition6.4privatePK–91.3 mi70Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Sweet Home Central School District

Schools in district
6
Rank in district
#6 of 6
District spending per student
$25,505NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
12.2%Census SAIPE · 2024

Willow Ridge Elementary School is listed in SWEET HOME CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Willow Ridge Elementary School

Willow Ridge Elementary School is a public elementary school in Amherst, NY, part of Sweet Home Central School District, serving approximately 394 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 10.9:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.3 out of 10 and ranks #4,087 of 4,742 schools in NY. State assessment records show 54% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 57% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Willow Ridge Elementary School

What grades does Willow Ridge Elementary School serve?

Willow Ridge Elementary School serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend Willow Ridge Elementary School?

Willow Ridge Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 394 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Willow Ridge Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at Willow Ridge Elementary School is 10.9:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Willow Ridge Elementary School rank in NY?

Willow Ridge Elementary School ranks #4,087 of 4,742 schools in NY.

What is Willow Ridge Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Willow Ridge Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.3 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Willow Ridge Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Willow Ridge Elementary School has 54% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 57% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Is Willow Ridge Elementary School a charter school?

No, Willow Ridge Elementary School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Willow Ridge Elementary School a Title I school?

No, Willow Ridge Elementary School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Willow Ridge Elementary School?

33.0% of students at Willow Ridge Elementary School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
394
Student-Teacher Ratio
10.9:1
Teachers (FTE)
36
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Erie County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
25.4%
Area population (ZIP 14228)
24,345
Area average commute
20.1 min
Area median age
33.5
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 14228; this does not measure the attendance area.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2022; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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