Enrollment
1,739
Connecticut · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Norwalk, CT
Brien Mcmahon High School
Federal NCES profile for Brien Mcmahon High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 090309000638
👥 S:T ratio 42
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 65
📋 Attendance 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Brien Mcmahon High School earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of Connecticut schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Connecticut.
- #3 of 4
- high schools in Norwalk · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.6:1
- large classes for Connecticut
- 38.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Brien Mcmahon High School has class sizes larger than 89% of Connecticut schools. Computed live against every Connecticut school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Brien Mcmahon High School ranks #3 of 4 high schools in Norwalk, CT.
School address
District: Norwalk School District · Connecticut
NCES ID 090309000638 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
119.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.6:1
vs 12.1:1 Connecticut avg
+21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
38.3%
vs 36.4% Connecticut avg
+5% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Brien Mcmahon High School compares with Connecticut and U.S. medians
What stands out at Brien Mcmahon High School
Brien Mcmahon High School is a large high school in Norwalk, Connecticut, enrolling 1,739 students.
Class loads run heavy: 14.6:1 is larger than about 89% of Connecticut schools and 21% above the 12.1:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 38.3% lands close to the Connecticut typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Connecticut, bigger than 99% of state schools at 1,739 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,003 scored Connecticut schools.
Against 19 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #11.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (62%) and White (19%) (diversity index 56/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 27 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 174 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 8 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Norwalk's high schools, it stands alongside Norwalk High School (1,494 students): Brien Mcmahon High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.6:1 vs 13.3:1).
Norwalk School District also operates Norwalk High School (1,494 students) and West Rocks Middle School (657 students) alongside Brien Mcmahon High 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 Brien Mcmahon High School compares
Brien Mcmahon High 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 | 14.6:1 | ▲ 21% | 12.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 38.3% | ▲ 5% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,739 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.6:1
Leaner classes than 51% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,739
Bigger than 97% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
38.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 5% above the Connecticut average of 36.4%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
14.6:1
students per teacher
- 21% above state mean
Top 89% in Connecticut - lower ratio than 11% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
28.1%
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
$25,610
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
Counselors10.0 FTE
Per 174 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
106
in-school suspensions + 110 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 8 expulsions.
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 62.1%
White 18.6%
African American 13.0%
Asian 3.9%
Two or More 2.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 62.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.1, Brien Mcmahon High School is more mixed than the Connecticut school average of 50.5.
Programs
AP courses offered 27
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Norwalk School District, which includes Brien Mcmahon High School.
$25,610
Per student
+7%
vs Connecticut
Avg $23,870
+54%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 69.3%
State 23.3%
Federal 7.4%
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 Brien Mcmahon High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norwalk High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Rocks Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ponus Ridge Steam Academy | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Nathan Hale Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Roton Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Brien Mcmahon High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,494
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 657
- Students per teacher
- 10.6:1
- Resource Index
- 59/100
- Enrollment
- 637
- Students per teacher
- 10.8:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 499
- Students per teacher
- 10.8:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 463
- Students per teacher
- 10.1:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
Similar high schools in Norwalk
3 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high 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 (~1,739 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Brien Mcmahon High School's federal record.
- Compare Brien Mcmahon High School against another school. Compare schools
- Norwalk 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 Brien Mcmahon High School
How many students attend Brien Mcmahon High School?
Brien Mcmahon High School has 1,739 students enrolled. It is a high school in Norwalk, CT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Brien Mcmahon High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Brien Mcmahon High School is 14.6:1, which is 21% higher than the Connecticut average of 12.1:1 and 7% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Brien Mcmahon High School?
38.3% of students at Brien Mcmahon High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Connecticut average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Brien Mcmahon High School?
The largest demographic group at Brien Mcmahon High School is Hispanic or Latino at 62.1% of enrollment, in Norwalk, CT. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Brien Mcmahon High School?
Brien Mcmahon High School has a Resource Investment Index of 53/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Brien Mcmahon High School rank among high schools in Norwalk?
By Resource Investment Index, Brien Mcmahon High School ranks #3 of 4 high schools in Norwalk, CT. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Norwalk on the city page.
Is Brien Mcmahon High School a good school?
Brien Mcmahon High School earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% 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 Norwalk School District?
Besides Brien Mcmahon High School, Norwalk School District also operates Norwalk High School (1,494 students), West Rocks Middle School (657 students), and Ponus Ridge Steam Academy (637 students). See the Norwalk 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.