Putnam 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.

Putnam, Connecticut - 3 schools

An equity score of 58/100 ranks Putnam School District #59 of 174 districts in Connecticut (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $22,533 per pupil, Putnam School District ranks #113 of 191 Connecticut districts by per-pupil spending (Connecticut districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,185
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$22,533
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Putnam School District operates 3 public schools serving 1,185 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Connecticut. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 combined, 1 elementary, 1 high 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 Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $22,533 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 38.8% local, 47.2% state, and 14.1% federal, a balanced mix across local, state, and federal sources, spreading budget risk across funding cycles rather than concentrating it in one. The district's equity score is 58/100, ranked #59 of 174 in Connecticut against a state average of 50, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 3 schools offering Advanced Placement (7 AP courses district-wide), a 239.8:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 31.9% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 72.2% White, 18.1% Hispanic or Latino, 1.6% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Putnam Elementary School, with a diversity index of 46.0/100.

Its largest campus is Putnam Elementary School, enrolling 558 students (48% of the district's total enrollment).

Putnam Elementary School accounts for 47.1% of all Putnam School District student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Putnam School District a distant remainder — means Putnam School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: combined. 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

Putnam School District school enrollment varies 2.2× across entities

Putnam School District school enrollment ranges from 253 students (lowest) to 558 students (highest), a spread of 305 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

Putnam School District student-counselor ratio is 240:1 — low (typically associated with meeting or exceeding the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommended 250:1 benchmark, which correlates with stronger college and career counseling capacity)

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

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

Putnam School District chronic absenteeism rate is 31.9% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

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

Where does the funding come from?

14.1%
Federal
47.2%
State
38.8%
Local

Funding Equity

58
Equity Score
59 / 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 3 schools in Putnam School District.

White 72.2%
Hispanic or Latino 18.1%
African American 1.6%
Asian 1.2%
Multiracial 6.5%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 44.0/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Putnam Elementary School 46.0
  2. 2 Putnam Middle School 45.3
  3. 3 Putnam High School 40.6

Programs & Resources

1 / 3
Schools with AP
7 AP courses total
239.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
31.9%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Putnam School District

School Enrollment
Putnam Elementary School
558
Putnam Middle School
353
Putnam High School
253

How Putnam School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Connecticut districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Regional School District 08 Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Goodwin University Educational Services (Gues) Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Portland School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Regional School District 19 Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Amistad Academy District Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Putnam 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 Putnam School District →
New Haven School District
19,150 students · 37 schools · $21,911/pupil
Compare vs Putnam School District →
Waterbury School District
18,701 students · 29 schools · $18,981/pupil
Compare vs Putnam School District →
Hartford School District
16,774 students · 41 schools · $25,530/pupil
Compare vs Putnam School District →
Stamford School District
16,158 students · 21 schools · $24,510/pupil
Compare vs Putnam School District →

Compare Putnam 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 Putnam School District?

Putnam School District has 3 schools, including 1 combined, 1 elementary, 1 high. Total enrollment is 1,185 students.

How much does Putnam School District spend per student?

Putnam School District spends $22,533 per student. The district has an equity score of 58/100, ranking #59 in Connecticut.

What is the demographic composition of Putnam School District?

Putnam School District students are 72.2% White, 18.1% Hispanic or Latino, 1.6% African American, 1.2% Asian, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Putnam School District?

Putnam School District has an equity score of 58/100, ranking #59 out of 174 districts in Connecticut.