Enrollment
1,088
Connecticut · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Bridgeport, CT
Blackham School
Federal NCES profile for Blackham School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 090045000053
👥 S:T ratio 31
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 43
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Blackham School earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of Connecticut schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Connecticut.
- #25 of 34
- schools in Bridgeport · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.3:1
- large classes for Connecticut
- 68.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Blackham School has class sizes larger than 97% of Connecticut schools. Computed live against every Connecticut school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Blackham School ranks #25 of 34 schools in Bridgeport, CT.
School address
District: Bridgeport School District · Connecticut
NCES ID 090045000053 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
63.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.3:1
vs 12.1:1 Connecticut avg
+43% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
68.9%
vs 36.4% Connecticut avg
+89% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Blackham School compares with Connecticut and U.S. medians
What stands out at Blackham School
Blackham School is a higher-need, large combined-grade school in Bridgeport, Connecticut, enrolling 1,088 students.
Class loads run heavy: 17.3:1 is larger than about 97% of Connecticut schools and 43% above the 12.1:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 68.9% of students qualify for free meals, 89% above the Connecticut average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Connecticut, bigger than 95% of state schools at 1,088 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 1,003 Connecticut schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 35 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Connecticut schools statewide, it ranks #29, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (64%) and African American (21%) (diversity index 53/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 1088 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.0% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights 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): Blackham School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.3:1 vs 20.6:1).
Bridgeport School District also operates Central High School (1,803 students) and Warren Harding High School (1,324 students) alongside Blackham 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 Blackham School compares
Blackham 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 | 17.3:1 | ▲ 43% | 12.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 68.9% | ▲ 89% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,088 | top 5% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.3:1
Leaner classes than 29% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,088
Bigger than 93% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
68.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 89% 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
17.3:1
students per teacher
- 43% above state mean
Top 97% in Connecticut - lower ratio than 3% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
23.0%
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 1088 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
9
in-school suspensions + 47 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.1 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 64.1%
African American 20.7%
White 10.7%
Two or More 2.5%
Asian 1.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 64.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.4, Blackham School is more mixed than the Connecticut school average of 50.5.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Bridgeport School District, which includes Blackham 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 Blackham School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Warren Harding High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bassick High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cesar Batalla School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Read School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Blackham 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
- 1,075
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 990
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 863
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
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
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
Luis Munoz Marin School
Standard public school
709 students 13.4:1 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 (~1,088 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Blackham School's federal record.
- Compare Blackham 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 Blackham School
How many students attend Blackham School?
Blackham School has 1,088 students enrolled. It is a public school in Bridgeport, CT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Blackham School?
The student-teacher ratio at Blackham School is 17.3:1, which is 43% higher than the Connecticut average of 12.1:1 and 10% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Blackham School?
68.9% of students at Blackham School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Connecticut average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Blackham School?
The largest demographic group at Blackham School is Hispanic or Latino at 64.1% of enrollment, in Bridgeport, CT. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Blackham School?
Blackham School has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (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 Blackham School rank among schools in Bridgeport?
By Resource Investment Index, Blackham School ranks #25 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 Blackham School a good school?
Blackham School earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of Connecticut schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Connecticut. 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 Blackham School, Bridgeport School District also operates Central High School (1,803 students), Warren Harding High School (1,324 students), and Bassick High School (1,075 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.