Newtown 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.

Newtown, Connecticut - 7 schools

An equity score of 46/100 ranks Newtown School District #97 of 174 districts in Connecticut (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $23,957 per pupil, Newtown School District ranks #89 of 191 Connecticut districts by per-pupil spending (Connecticut districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

4,003
Total Enrollment
7
Schools
$23,957
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Newtown School District operates 7 public schools serving 4,003 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Connecticut. The school portfolio breaks down into 5 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Western Connecticut Planning Region.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $23,957 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 191 Connecticut districts by per-pupil spending. See how Connecticut compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 76.2% local, 19.4% state, and 4.4% federal, a local-revenue-heavy mix that leaves the district more exposed to property-tax swings and local ballot measures than state-funded peers. The district's equity score is 46/100, ranked #97 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 1 of 7 schools offering Advanced Placement (24 AP courses district-wide), a 271.8:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 10.5% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 79.4% White, 14.3% Hispanic or Latino, 2.5% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Sandy Hook Elementary School, with a diversity index of 40.5/100.

Its largest campus is Newtown High School, enrolling 1,254 students (33% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Hawley Elementary School, at 281 students, a 4x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Newtown High School accounts for 31.3% of all Newtown School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Newtown School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

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

Newtown School District school enrollment varies 4.5× across entities

Newtown School District school enrollment ranges from 281 students (lowest) to 1,254 students (highest), a spread of 973 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. 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

Newtown School District student-counselor ratio is 272:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts

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 Variation between sub-units within Newtown School District is typically wider than the Newtown School District-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Newtown School District chronic absenteeism rate is 10.5% — low (typically associated with lower-than-average attendance disruption; districts in this range often have attendance interventions, robust transportation, or smaller catchments that reduce barriers)

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 Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

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

Where does the funding come from?

4.4%
Federal
19.4%
State
76.2%
Local

Funding Equity

46
Equity Score
97 / 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 7 schools in Newtown School District.

White 79.4%
Hispanic or Latino 14.3%
African American 2.5%
Asian 2.1%
Multiracial 1.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 34.7/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Sandy Hook Elementary School 40.5
  2. 2 Newtown Middle School 37.6
  3. 3 Middle Gate Elementary School 34.9
  4. 4 Newtown High School 34.7
  5. 5 Reed Intermediate School 34.4

Programs & Resources

1 / 7
Schools with AP
24 AP courses total
271.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
10.5%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Newtown School District

School Enrollment
Newtown High School
1,254
Newtown Middle School
593
Reed Intermediate School
583
Middle Gate Elementary School
397
Sandy Hook Elementary School
349
Head O'meadow Elementary School
327
Hawley Elementary School
281

How Newtown School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Connecticut districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Newington School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Groton School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Torrington School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Simsbury School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Farmington School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Newtown 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.

Bridgeport School District
19,337 students · 36 schools · $20,908/pupil
Compare vs Newtown School District →
New Haven School District
19,150 students · 37 schools · $21,911/pupil
Compare vs Newtown School District →
Waterbury School District
18,701 students · 29 schools · $18,981/pupil
Compare vs Newtown School District →
Hartford School District
16,774 students · 41 schools · $25,530/pupil
Compare vs Newtown School District →
Stamford School District
16,158 students · 21 schools · $24,510/pupil
Compare vs Newtown School District →

Compare Newtown School District

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

Compare vs Bridgeport School District →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Newtown School District?

Newtown School District has 7 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 5 elementary. Total enrollment is 4,003 students.

How much does Newtown School District spend per student?

Newtown School District spends $23,957 per student. The district has an equity score of 46/100, ranking #97 in Connecticut.

What is the demographic composition of Newtown School District?

Newtown School District students are 79.4% White, 14.3% Hispanic or Latino, 2.5% African American, 2.1% Asian, averaged across 7 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Newtown School District?

Newtown School District has an equity score of 46/100, ranking #97 out of 174 districts in Connecticut.