Enrollment
385
Connecticut · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Hamden, CT
Bear Path School
Federal NCES profile for Bear Path School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 090186000336
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 49
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bear Path School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of Connecticut schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Connecticut schools.
- #2 of 4
- elementary schools in Hamden · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.8:1
- large classes for Connecticut
- 24.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Bear Path School has class sizes larger than 83% of Connecticut schools. Computed live against every Connecticut school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bear Path School ranks #2 of 4 elementary schools in Hamden, CT.
School address
District: Hamden School District · Connecticut
NCES ID 090186000336 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.8:1
vs 12.1:1 Connecticut avg
+14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
24.6%
vs 36.4% Connecticut avg
-32% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bear Path School compares with Connecticut and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bear Path School
Bear Path School is a mid-sized elementary school in Hamden, Connecticut, enrolling 385 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 13.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Connecticut schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 24.6% lands close to the Connecticut typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 385 students, its enrollment sits close to the Connecticut median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,003 scored Connecticut schools.
Among 308 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Connecticut schools statewide, it ranks #268, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (39%) and Hispanic or Latino (26%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 73/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 20.3% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Hamden's elementary schools, it stands alongside Spring Glen School (347 students): Bear Path School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (13.8:1 vs 13.3:1).
Hamden School District also operates Hamden High School (1,609 students) and Hamden Middle School (845 students) alongside Bear Path 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 Bear Path School compares
Bear Path 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 | 13.8:1 | ▲ 14% | 12.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 24.6% | ▼ 32% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 385 | top 55% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.8:1
Leaner classes than 59% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
385
Bigger than 45% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
24.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 32% below the Connecticut average of 36.4%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
13.8:1
students per teacher
- 14% above state mean
Top 83% in Connecticut - lower ratio than 17% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
20.3%
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
$26,766
per pupil, district-wide
- above 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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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
White 39.2%
Hispanic or Latino 25.5%
African American 21.6%
Two or More 7.5%
Asian 6.2%
Largest group: White at 39.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.5, Bear Path School is more mixed than the Connecticut school average of 50.5.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Hamden School District, which includes Bear Path School.
$26,766
Per student
+12%
vs Connecticut
Avg $23,870
+61%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 61.6%
State 31.5%
Federal 6.8%
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 Bear Path School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hamden High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hamden Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Spring Glen School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Church Street School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ridge Hill School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bear Path School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,609
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 845
- Students per teacher
- 11.3:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 347
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 334
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 321
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar elementary schools in Hamden
3 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary 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 (~385 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bear Path School's federal record.
- Compare Bear Path School against another school. Compare schools
- Hamden 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 Bear Path School
How many students attend Bear Path School?
Bear Path School has 385 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Hamden, CT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bear Path School?
The student-teacher ratio at Bear Path School is 13.8:1, which is 14% higher than the Connecticut average of 12.1:1 and 12% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Bear Path School?
24.6% of students at Bear Path School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Connecticut average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bear Path School?
The largest demographic group at Bear Path School is White at 39.2% of enrollment, in Hamden, CT. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bear Path School?
Bear Path School has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Bear Path School rank among elementary schools in Hamden?
By Resource Investment Index, Bear Path School ranks #2 of 4 elementary schools in Hamden, CT. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Hamden on the city page.
Is Bear Path School a good school?
Bear Path School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of Connecticut schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Connecticut schools. 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 Hamden School District?
Besides Bear Path School, Hamden School District also operates Hamden High School (1,609 students), Hamden Middle School (845 students), and Spring Glen School (347 students). See the Hamden 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.