Enrollment
1,382
Connecticut · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Darien, CT
Darien High School
Federal NCES profile for Darien High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 75/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 090105000164
👥 S:T ratio 56
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 65
📋 Attendance 84
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Darien High School earns 75/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Connecticut median. It is also one of the largest schools in Connecticut.
- #5 of 7
- public schools in Darien · Resource Index
- 75
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11.1:1
- students per teacher
- 1.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Darien High School has class sizes near the Connecticut median. Computed live against every Connecticut school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Darien High School ranks #5 of 7 public schools in Darien, CT.
School address
District: Darien School District · Connecticut
NCES ID 090105000164 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
124.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.1:1
vs 12.1:1 Connecticut avg
-8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
1.3%
vs 36.4% Connecticut avg
-96% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Darien High School compares with Connecticut and U.S. medians
What stands out at Darien High School
Darien High School is a lower-poverty, large high school in Darien, Connecticut, enrolling 1,382 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 11.1:1 puts it in the smaller third of Connecticut schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 1.3% free-meal eligibility runs 96% below the Connecticut average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Connecticut, bigger than 98% of state schools at 1,382 students.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 97% of the 1,003 Connecticut schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 31 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Connecticut schools statewide, it ranks #2, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (81% of enrollment) (diversity index 34/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 23 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 173 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance holds up well here: only 6.5% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Darien School District also operates Middlesex Middle School (1,043 students) and Ox Ridge Elementary School (625 students) alongside Darien 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 Darien High School compares
Darien 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 | 11.1:1 | ▼ 8% | 12.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 1.3% | ▼ 96% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,382 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.1:1
Leaner classes than 82% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
1,382
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
1.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 96% below the Connecticut average of 36.4%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
11.1:1
students per teacher
- 8% below state mean
Top 40% in Connecticut - lower ratio than 60% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
6.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$25,919
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
Counselors8.0 FTE
Per 173 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
35
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.7 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 80.6%
Hispanic or Latino 8.8%
Asian 5.9%
Two or More 3.5%
African American 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 80.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 33.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 33.8, Darien High School is less mixed than the Connecticut school average of 50.5.
Programs
AP courses offered 23
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Darien School District, which includes Darien High School.
$25,919
Per student
+9%
vs Connecticut
Avg $23,870
+56%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 84.0%
State 14.8%
Federal 1.3%
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 Darien High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middlesex Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ox Ridge Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Tokeneke Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hindley Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Holmes Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Darien High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,043
- Students per teacher
- 9.4:1
- Resource Index
- 70/100
- Enrollment
- 625
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 65/100
- Enrollment
- 439
- Students per teacher
- 10.2:1
- Resource Index
- 72/100
- Enrollment
- 411
- Students per teacher
- 10:1
- Resource Index
- 72/100
- Enrollment
- 407
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 67/100
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 (~1,382 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Darien High School's federal record.
- Compare Darien High School against another school. Compare schools
- Darien 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 Darien High School
How many students attend Darien High School?
Darien High School has 1,382 students enrolled. It is a high school in Darien, CT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Darien High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Darien High School is 11.1:1, which is 8% lower than the Connecticut average of 12.1:1 and 29% 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 Darien High School?
1.3% of students at Darien High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Connecticut average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Darien High School?
The largest demographic group at Darien High School is White at 80.6% of enrollment, in Darien, CT.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Darien High School?
Darien High School has a Resource Investment Index of 75/100 (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 Darien High School rank among public schools in Darien?
By Resource Investment Index, Darien High School ranks #5 of 7 public schools in Darien, CT. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Darien on the city page.
Is Darien High School a good school?
Darien High School earns 75/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Connecticut median. 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 Darien School District?
Besides Darien High School, Darien School District also operates Middlesex Middle School (1,043 students), Ox Ridge Elementary School (625 students), and Tokeneke Elementary School (439 students). See the Darien 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.