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West Haven, Connecticut - 9 schools
An equity score of 63/100 ranks West Haven School District #44 of 174 districts in Connecticut (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $21,698 per pupil, West Haven School District ranks #136 of 191 Connecticut districts by per-pupil spending (Connecticut districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
5,976
Total Enrollment
9
Schools
$21,698
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
West Haven School District operates 9 public schools serving 5,976 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Connecticut. The school portfolio breaks down into 6 combined, 1 high, 1 middle, 1 elementary 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 South Central Connecticut Planning Region.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $21,698 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 35.1% local, 52.1% state, and 12.8% 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 63/100, ranked #44 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 9 schools offering Advanced Placement (13 AP courses district-wide), a 312:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 27.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 40.7% Hispanic or Latino, 24.5% White, 23.1% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Alma E. Pagels School, with a diversity index of 72.5/100.
Its largest campus is West Haven High School, enrolling 1,813 students (32% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Edith E. Mackrille School, at 320 students, a 6x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.
West Haven High School accounts for 30.3% of all West Haven School District student enrollment
That dominant concentration means West Haven 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.
West Haven School District school enrollment varies 5.7× across entities
West Haven School District school enrollment ranges from 320 students (lowest) to 1,813 students (highest), a spread of 1,493 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.
West Haven School District has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 50.4% 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 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.
West Haven School District student-counselor ratio is 312:1 — 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 West Haven School District is typically wider than the West Haven School District-aggregate figure suggests.
West Haven School District chronic absenteeism rate is 27.1% — 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 West Haven School District is typically wider than the West Haven School District-aggregate figure suggests.
How many schools are in West Haven School District?
West Haven School District has 9 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 1 elementary, 6 combined. Total enrollment is 5,976 students.
How much does West Haven School District spend per student?
West Haven School District spends $21,698 per student. The district has an equity score of 63/100, ranking #44 in Connecticut.
What is the demographic composition of West Haven School District?
West Haven School District students are 40.7% Hispanic or Latino, 24.5% White, 23.1% African American, 6.3% Asian, averaged across 9 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for West Haven School District?
West Haven School District has an equity score of 63/100, ranking #44 out of 174 districts in Connecticut.