Enrollment
489
Connecticut · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Ridgefield, CT
East Ridge Middle School
Federal NCES profile for East Ridge Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 57/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 090381000776
👥 S:T ratio 58
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 67
📋 Attendance 75
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
East Ridge Middle School earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 70% of Connecticut schools.
- #1 of 9
- public schools in Ridgefield · Resource Index
- 57
- Resource Index · Higher
- 10.6:1
- small classes for Connecticut
- 6.9%
- free-lunch eligible
East Ridge Middle School has class sizes smaller than 70% of Connecticut schools. Computed live against every Connecticut school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, East Ridge Middle School ranks #1 of 9 public schools in Ridgefield, CT.
School address
District: Ridgefield School District · Connecticut
NCES ID 090381000776 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
46.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10.6:1
vs 12.1:1 Connecticut avg
-12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
6.9%
vs 36.4% Connecticut avg
-81% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How East Ridge Middle School compares with Connecticut and U.S. medians
What stands out at East Ridge Middle School
East Ridge Middle School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Ridgefield, Connecticut, enrolling 489 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 10.6:1 puts it in the smaller third of Connecticut schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 6.9% free-meal eligibility runs 81% below the Connecticut average.
Enrollment of 489 puts it in the larger third of Connecticut schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,003 scored Connecticut schools.
Against 233 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #86.
Its student body is led by White (79%) and Hispanic or Latino (10%) (diversity index 37/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 163 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
10.2% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Ridgefield's middle schools, it stands alongside Scotts Ridge Middle School (548 students): East Ridge Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (10.6:1 vs 12.2:1).
Ridgefield School District also operates Ridgefield High School (1,411 students) and Scotts Ridge Middle School (548 students) alongside East Ridge Middle 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 East Ridge Middle School compares
East Ridge Middle 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 | 10.6:1 | ▼ 12% | 12.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 6.9% | ▼ 81% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 489 | top 34% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.6:1
Leaner classes than 85% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
489
Bigger than 60% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
6.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 81% 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
10.6:1
students per teacher
- 12% below state mean
Top 30% in Connecticut - lower ratio than 70% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
10.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 163 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
24
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.5 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 78.5%
Hispanic or Latino 9.6%
Asian 6.5%
Two or More 4.3%
African American 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 78.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 36.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 36.8, East Ridge Middle School is less mixed than the Connecticut school average of 50.5.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Ridgefield School District, which includes East Ridge Middle School.
$25,610
Per student
+7%
vs Connecticut
Avg $23,870
+54%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 83.0%
State 14.5%
Federal 2.5%
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 East Ridge Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ridgefield High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Scotts Ridge Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Barlow Mountain Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Branchville Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ridgebury Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to East Ridge Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,411
- Students per teacher
- 11.5:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 548
- Students per teacher
- 12.2:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 377
- Students per teacher
- 12.6:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 340
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 322
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar middle schools in Ridgefield
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~489 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~10.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on East Ridge Middle School's federal record.
- Compare East Ridge Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Ridgefield 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 East Ridge Middle School
How many students attend East Ridge Middle School?
East Ridge Middle School has 489 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Ridgefield, CT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at East Ridge Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at East Ridge Middle School is 10.6:1, which is 12% lower than the Connecticut average of 12.1:1 and 32% 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 East Ridge Middle School?
6.9% of students at East Ridge Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Connecticut average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of East Ridge Middle School?
The largest demographic group at East Ridge Middle School is White at 78.5% of enrollment, in Ridgefield, CT.
What is the Resource Investment Index for East Ridge Middle School?
East Ridge Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 57/100 (higher 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 East Ridge Middle School rank among public schools in Ridgefield?
By Resource Investment Index, East Ridge Middle School ranks #1 of 9 public schools in Ridgefield, 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 Ridgefield on the city page.
Is East Ridge Middle School a good school?
East Ridge Middle School earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 70% of 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 Ridgefield School District?
Besides East Ridge Middle School, Ridgefield School District also operates Ridgefield High School (1,411 students), Scotts Ridge Middle School (548 students), and Barlow Mountain Elementary School (377 students). See the Ridgefield 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.