Shelton 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.

Shelton, Connecticut - 8 schools

An equity score of 23/100 ranks Shelton School District #169 of 174 districts in Connecticut (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $20,037 per pupil, Shelton School District ranks #160 of 191 Connecticut districts by per-pupil spending (Connecticut districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

4,512
Total Enrollment
8
Schools
$20,037
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Shelton School District operates 8 public schools serving 4,512 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Connecticut. The school portfolio breaks down into 6 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly 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 Naugatuck Valley Planning Region.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $20,037 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 70.9% local, 23.7% state, and 5.5% 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 23/100, ranked #169 of 174 in Connecticut against a state average of 50, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 8 schools offering Advanced Placement (16 AP courses district-wide), a 266.7:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 13.4% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 55.3% White, 25.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Long Hill School, with a diversity index of 67.6/100.

Its largest campus is Shelton High School, enrolling 1,308 students (30% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Sunnyside School, at 229 students, a 6x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Shelton High School accounts for 29.0% of all Shelton School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Shelton 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

Shelton School District school enrollment varies 5.7× across entities

Shelton School District school enrollment ranges from 229 students (lowest) to 1,308 students (highest), a spread of 1,079 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

Shelton School District student-counselor ratio is 267:1 — 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 Shelton School District is typically wider than the Shelton School District-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Shelton School District chronic absenteeism rate is 13.4% — 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?

5.5%
Federal
23.7%
State
70.9%
Local

Funding Equity

23
Equity Score
169 / 174
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 8 schools in Shelton School District.

White 55.3%
Hispanic or Latino 25.3%
African American 9.3%
Asian 5.3%
Multiracial 4.5%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 61.0/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Long Hill School 67.6
  2. 2 Sunnyside School 67.3
  3. 3 Shelton High School 62.6
  4. 4 Perry Hill Elementary School 59.5
  5. 5 Elizabeth Shelton School 59.1

Programs & Resources

1 / 8
Schools with AP
16 AP courses total
266.7:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
13.4%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Shelton School District

School Enrollment
Shelton High School
1,308
Intermediate School
714
Perry Hill Elementary School
711
Elizabeth Shelton School
405
Mohegan School
325
Long Hill School
307
Booth Hill School
304
Sunnyside School
229

How Shelton School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Connecticut districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Ridgefield School District Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Middletown School District Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
Naugatuck School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Darien School District Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Cheshire School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

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

Compare Shelton 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 Shelton School District?

Shelton School District has 8 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 6 elementary. Total enrollment is 4,512 students.

How much does Shelton School District spend per student?

Shelton School District spends $20,037 per student. The district has an equity score of 23/100, ranking #169 in Connecticut.

What is the demographic composition of Shelton School District?

Shelton School District students are 55.3% White, 25.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% African American, 5.3% Asian, averaged across 8 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Shelton School District?

Shelton School District has an equity score of 23/100, ranking #169 out of 174 districts in Connecticut.