Stafford 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.

Stafford Springs, Connecticut - 4 schools

An equity score of 76/100 ranks Stafford School District #17 of 174 districts in Connecticut (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $25,915 per pupil, Stafford School District ranks #60 of 191 Connecticut districts by per-pupil spending (Connecticut districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,401
Total Enrollment
4
Schools
$25,915
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Stafford School District operates 4 public schools serving 1,401 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Connecticut. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle, 1 combined 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 Capitol Planning Region.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $25,915 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 53.7% local, 39.5% state, and 6.7% 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 76/100, ranked #17 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 4 schools offering Advanced Placement (6 AP courses district-wide), a 202:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 19.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 85.2% White, 9.4% Hispanic or Latino, 1.4% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Stafford Middle School, with a diversity index of 29.5/100.

Its largest campus is Stafford Elementary School, enrolling 438 students (35% of the district's total enrollment).

Stafford Elementary School accounts for 31.3% of all Stafford School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Stafford School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: elementary. 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

Stafford School District school enrollment varies 2.5× across entities

Stafford School District school enrollment ranges from 176 students (lowest) to 438 students (highest), a spread of 262 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

Stafford School District student-counselor ratio is 202:1 — 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

Stafford School District chronic absenteeism rate is 19.1% — 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 Stafford School District is typically wider than the Stafford 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?

6.7%
Federal
39.5%
State
53.7%
Local

Funding Equity

76
Equity Score
17 / 174
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores well on funding equity, with balanced funding sources and good resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 4 schools in Stafford School District.

White 85.2%
Hispanic or Latino 9.4%
African American 1.4%
Asian 0.9%
Multiracial 2.9%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 26.4/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Stafford Middle School 29.5
  2. 2 Stafford Elementary School 26.4
  3. 3 Stafford High School 25.2
  4. 4 West Stafford School 24.2

Programs & Resources

1 / 4
Schools with AP
6 AP courses total
202:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
19.1%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Stafford School District

School Enrollment
Stafford Elementary School
438
Stafford High School
357
Stafford Middle School
285
West Stafford School
176

How Stafford School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Connecticut districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Learn Similar size No spending data More locally funded
Regional School District 13 Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Somers School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Derby School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Plymouth School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

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

Compare Stafford 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 Stafford School District?

Stafford School District has 4 schools, including 1 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle, 1 combined. Total enrollment is 1,401 students.

How much does Stafford School District spend per student?

Stafford School District spends $25,915 per student. The district has an equity score of 76/100, ranking #17 in Connecticut.

What is the demographic composition of Stafford School District?

Stafford School District students are 85.2% White, 9.4% Hispanic or Latino, 1.4% African American, 0.9% Asian, averaged across 4 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Stafford School District?

Stafford School District has an equity score of 76/100, ranking #17 out of 174 districts in Connecticut.