Enrollment
588
Connecticut · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Bridgeport, CT
Barnum School
Federal NCES profile for Barnum School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 22/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 090045000049
👥 S:T ratio 53
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 5
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Barnum School earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Connecticut median.
- #31 of 34
- schools in Bridgeport · Resource Index
- 22
- Resource Index · Lower
- 11.8:1
- students per teacher
- 89.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Barnum School has class sizes near the Connecticut median. Computed live against every Connecticut school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Barnum School ranks #31 of 34 schools in Bridgeport, CT.
School address
District: Bridgeport School District · Connecticut
NCES ID 090045000049 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
50.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.8:1
vs 12.1:1 Connecticut avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
89.0%
vs 36.4% Connecticut avg
+145% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Barnum School compares with Connecticut and U.S. medians
What stands out at Barnum School
Barnum School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Bridgeport, Connecticut, enrolling 588 students.
At 11.8:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Connecticut median, within a few percentage points of the 12.1:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need is high: 89.0% of students qualify for free meals, 145% above the Connecticut average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 588 puts it in the larger third of Connecticut schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 98% of the 1,003 Connecticut schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 46 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Connecticut schools statewide, it ranks #38, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (68%) and African American (23%) (diversity index 48/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 588 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 38.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 18.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Bridgeport's public schools, it stands alongside Achievement First Bridgeport Academy (1,090 students): Barnum School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.8:1 vs 20.6:1).
Bridgeport School District also operates Central High School (1,803 students) and Warren Harding High School (1,324 students) alongside Barnum School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Barnum School compares
Barnum School on the metrics families compare, against Connecticut and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Connecticut | Connecticut avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.8:1 | ▼ 2% | 12.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 89.0% | ▲ 145% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 588 | top 23% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.8:1
Leaner classes than 77% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
588
Bigger than 72% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
89.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 145% above the Connecticut average of 36.4%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11.8:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 54% in Connecticut - lower ratio than 46% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
38.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$20,908
per pupil, district-wide
- below Connecticut avg of $23,870
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 588 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 26 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 68.0%
African American 23.0%
White 7.0%
Two or More 1.7%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 68.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 48.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 48.0, Barnum School is less mixed than the Connecticut school average of 50.5.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Bridgeport School District, which includes Barnum School.
$20,908
Per student
-12%
vs Connecticut
Avg $23,870
+26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 20.0%
State 61.5%
Federal 18.5%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Barnum School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Warren Harding High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Blackham School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bassick High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cesar Batalla School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Barnum School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,803
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,324
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,088
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,075
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 990
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Similar other schools in Bridgeport
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Achievement First Bridgeport Academy
Standard public school
1,090 students 20.6:1 students per teacher
Blackham School
Standard public school
1,088 students 17.3:1 students per teacher
Cesar Batalla School
Standard public school
990 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Read School
Standard public school
863 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
Geraldine Johnson School
Standard public school
825 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
Capital Preparatory Harbor School
Standard public school
775 students 25.8:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Connecticut, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~588 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Barnum School's federal record.
- Compare Barnum School against another school. Compare schools
- Bridgeport School District's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Barnum School
How many students attend Barnum School?
Barnum School has 588 students enrolled. It is a public school in Bridgeport, CT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Barnum School?
The student-teacher ratio at Barnum School is 11.8:1, which is 2% lower than the Connecticut average of 12.1:1 and 25% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Barnum School?
89.0% of students at Barnum School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Connecticut average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Barnum School?
The largest demographic group at Barnum School is Hispanic or Latino at 68.0% of enrollment, in Bridgeport, CT.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Barnum School?
Barnum School has a Resource Investment Index of 22/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Barnum School rank among schools in Bridgeport?
By Resource Investment Index, Barnum School ranks #31 of 34 schools in Bridgeport, CT. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Bridgeport on the city page.
Is Barnum School a good school?
Barnum School earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Connecticut median. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Bridgeport School District?
Besides Barnum School, Bridgeport School District also operates Central High School (1,803 students), Warren Harding High School (1,324 students), and Blackham School (1,088 students). See the Bridgeport School District district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.