Enrollment
462
Connecticut · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Stratford, CT
Eli Whitney School
Federal NCES profile for Eli Whitney School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 090444000898
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 65
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Eli Whitney School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of Connecticut schools.
- #4 of 8
- elementary schools in Stratford · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.4:1
- large classes for Connecticut
- 25.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Eli Whitney School has class sizes larger than 87% of Connecticut schools. Computed live against every Connecticut school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Eli Whitney School ranks #4 of 8 elementary schools in Stratford, CT.
School address
District: Stratford School District · Connecticut
NCES ID 090444000898 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.4:1
vs 12.1:1 Connecticut avg
+19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
25.2%
vs 36.4% Connecticut avg
-31% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Eli Whitney School compares with Connecticut and U.S. medians
What stands out at Eli Whitney School
Eli Whitney School is a mid-sized elementary school in Stratford, Connecticut, enrolling 462 students.
Class loads run heavy: 14.4:1 is larger than about 87% of Connecticut schools and 19% above the 12.1:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 25.2% lands close to the Connecticut typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 462 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 292 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Connecticut schools statewide, it ranks #283, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (37%) and White (35%) (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 1540 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
14.1% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Stratford's elementary schools, it stands alongside Second Hill Lane School (610 students): Eli Whitney School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.4:1 vs 13:1).
Stratford School District also operates Stratford High School (1,150 students) and Bunnell High School (982 students) alongside Eli Whitney 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 Eli Whitney School compares
Eli Whitney 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 | 14.4:1 | ▲ 19% | 12.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 25.2% | ▼ 31% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 462 | top 39% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.4:1
Leaner classes than 53% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
462
Bigger than 57% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
25.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 31% 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
14.4:1
students per teacher
- 19% above state mean
Top 87% in Connecticut - lower ratio than 13% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
14.1%
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
$22,040
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
Counselors0.3 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
9
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.9 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
Hispanic or Latino 37.4%
White 34.8%
African American 20.3%
Two or More 5.8%
Asian 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 37.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.4, Eli Whitney School is more mixed than the Connecticut school average of 50.5.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Stratford School District, which includes Eli Whitney School.
$22,040
Per student
-8%
vs Connecticut
Avg $23,870
+33%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 62.8%
State 28.1%
Federal 9.1%
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 Eli Whitney School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stratford High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Bunnell High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Second Hill Lane School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| David Wooster Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Stratford Academy - Johnson House | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Eli Whitney School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,150
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 982
- Students per teacher
- 11.6:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 610
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 538
- Students per teacher
- 11.4:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
- Enrollment
- 537
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Similar elementary schools in Stratford
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Second Hill Lane School
Standard public school
610 students 13:1 students per teacher
Stratford Academy - Johnson House
Standard public school
537 students 12.8:1 students per teacher
Nichols School
Standard public school
418 students 16.1:1 students per teacher
Wilcoxson School
Standard public school
318 students 12.2:1 students per teacher
Chapel School
Standard public school
290 students 12.6:1 students per teacher
Franklin School
Standard public school
246 students 11.2:1 students per teacher
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 (~462 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Eli Whitney School's federal record.
- Compare Eli Whitney School against another school. Compare schools
- Stratford 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 Eli Whitney School
How many students attend Eli Whitney School?
Eli Whitney School has 462 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Stratford, CT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Eli Whitney School?
The student-teacher ratio at Eli Whitney School is 14.4:1, which is 19% higher than the Connecticut average of 12.1:1 and 8% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Eli Whitney School?
25.2% of students at Eli Whitney School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Connecticut average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Eli Whitney School?
The largest demographic group at Eli Whitney School is Hispanic or Latino at 37.4% of enrollment, in Stratford, CT. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Eli Whitney School?
Eli Whitney School has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (typical 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 Eli Whitney School rank among elementary schools in Stratford?
By Resource Investment Index, Eli Whitney School ranks #4 of 8 elementary schools in Stratford, 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 Stratford on the city page.
Is Eli Whitney School a good school?
Eli Whitney School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% 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 Stratford School District?
Besides Eli Whitney School, Stratford School District also operates Stratford High School (1,150 students), Bunnell High School (982 students), and Second Hill Lane School (610 students). See the Stratford 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.