Bridgeport School District

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Bridgeport, Connecticut - 36 schools

An equity score of 53/100 ranks Bridgeport School District #74 of 174 districts in Connecticut (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $20,908 per pupil, Bridgeport School District ranks #152 of 191 Connecticut districts by per-pupil spending (Connecticut districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

19,337
Total Enrollment
36
Schools
$20,908
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Bridgeport School District operates 36 public schools serving 19,337 students, placing it in the mid-size range in Connecticut. The school portfolio breaks down into 28 combined, 7 high, 1 elementary schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Greater Bridgeport Planning Region.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $20,908 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 191 Connecticut districts by per-pupil spending. See how Connecticut compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 20.0% local, 61.5% state, and 18.5% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 53/100, ranked #74 of 174 in Connecticut against a state average of 50, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 7 of 36 schools offering Advanced Placement (71 AP courses district-wide), a 440.5:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 25.4% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 59.8% Hispanic or Latino, 27.3% African American, 8.0% White across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Interdistrict Discovery Magnet School, with a diversity index of 67.7/100.

Its largest campus is Central High School, enrolling 1,803 students (9% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Hall School, at 162 students, a 11x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Bridgeport School District school enrollment varies 11× across entities

Bridgeport School District school enrollment ranges from 162 students (lowest) to 1,803 students (highest), a spread of 1,641 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Bridgeport School District has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 75.1% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Areas above 75% eligibility — including this one — receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

Bridgeport School District student-counselor ratio is 441:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Bridgeport School District chronic absenteeism rate is 25.4% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within Bridgeport School District is typically wider than the Bridgeport School District-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

18.5%
Federal
61.5%
State
20.0%
Local

Funding Equity

53
Equity Score
74 / 174
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 36 schools in Bridgeport School District.

White 8.0%
Hispanic or Latino 59.8%
African American 27.3%
Asian 1.7%
Multiracial 2.8%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 54.6/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Bridgeport School District's schools, above the Connecticut average of 50.5.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Interdistrict Discovery Magnet School 67.7
  2. 2 Park City Magnet School 63.9
  3. 3 Aerospace/Hydrospace Engineering and Physical Sciences Magne 63.8
  4. 4 Biotechnology Research & Zoological Studies Magnet High Scho 63.5
  5. 5 Information Technology & Software Engineering Magnet High Sc 63.4

Programs & Resources

7 / 36
Schools with AP
71 AP courses total
440.5:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
25.4%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Bridgeport School District

School Enrollment
Central High School
1,803
Warren Harding High School
1,324
Blackham School
1,088
Bassick High School
1,075
Cesar Batalla School
990
Read School
863
Geraldine Johnson School
825
Luis Munoz Marin School
709
John Winthrop School
607
Barnum School
588
Jettie S. Tisdale School
547
Columbus School
546
James J. Curiale School
509
Roosevelt School
493
Interdistrict Discovery Magnet School
492
Park City Magnet School
487
Madison School
451
Geraldine Claytor Magnet Academy
450
High Horizons Magnet School
443
Black Rock School
439
Multicultural Magnet School
436
Waltersville School
432
Paul Laurence Dunbar School
391
Information Technology & Software Engineering Magnet High Sc
386
Biotechnology Research & Zoological Studies Magnet High Scho
376
Classical Studies Academy
351
Beardsley School
327
Aerospace/Hydrospace Engineering and Physical Sciences Magne
324
Bridgeport Military Academy
321
Wilbur Cross School
318
Bryant School
317
Thomas Hooker School
288
Hallen School
280
A.B. Skane Center
183
Edison School
181
Hall School
162

How Bridgeport School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Connecticut districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
New Haven School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Waterbury School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Hartford School District Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Stamford School District Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Danbury School District Smaller Similar spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Bridgeport School District's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Connecticut

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

New Haven School District
19,150 students · 37 schools · $21,911/pupil
Compare vs Bridgeport School District →
Waterbury School District
18,701 students · 29 schools · $18,981/pupil
Compare vs Bridgeport School District →
Hartford School District
16,774 students · 41 schools · $25,530/pupil
Compare vs Bridgeport School District →
Stamford School District
16,158 students · 21 schools · $24,510/pupil
Compare vs Bridgeport School District →
Danbury School District
12,109 students · 19 schools · $19,075/pupil
Compare vs Bridgeport School District →

Compare Bridgeport School District

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs New Haven School District →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Bridgeport School District?

Bridgeport School District has 36 schools, including 7 high, 28 combined, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 19,337 students.

How much does Bridgeport School District spend per student?

Bridgeport School District spends $20,908 per student. The district has an equity score of 53/100, ranking #74 in Connecticut.

What is the demographic composition of Bridgeport School District?

Bridgeport School District students are 59.8% Hispanic or Latino, 27.3% African American, 8.0% White, 1.7% Asian, averaged across 36 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Bridgeport School District?

Bridgeport School District has an equity score of 53/100, ranking #74 out of 174 districts in Connecticut.