Enrollment
428
Connecticut · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · West Haven, CT
Forest School
Federal NCES profile for Forest School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 090495001035
👥 S:T ratio 55
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 22
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Forest School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Connecticut median.
- #6 of 7
- schools in West Haven · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.3:1
- students per teacher
- 57.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Forest School has class sizes near the Connecticut median. Computed live against every Connecticut school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Forest School ranks #6 of 7 schools in West Haven, CT.
School address
District: West Haven School District · Connecticut
NCES ID 090495001035 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
38.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.3:1
vs 12.1:1 Connecticut avg
-7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
57.6%
vs 36.4% Connecticut avg
+58% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Forest School compares with Connecticut and U.S. medians
What stands out at Forest School
Forest School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in West Haven, Connecticut, enrolling 428 students.
At 11.3:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Connecticut median, within a few percentage points of the 12.1:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 57.6% of students eligible for free meals.
With 428 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.
Against 171 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #114.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (50%) and African American (28%) (diversity index 65/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among West Haven's public schools, it stands alongside Engineering - Science University Magnet School (608 students): Forest School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (11.3:1 vs 10.7:1).
West Haven School District also operates West Haven High School (1,813 students) and Harry M. Bailey Middle School (885 students) alongside Forest 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 Forest School compares
Forest 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 | 11.3:1 | ▼ 7% | 12.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 57.6% | ▲ 58% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 428 | top 47% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.3:1
Leaner classes than 81% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
428
Bigger than 52% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
57.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 58% above the Connecticut average of 36.4%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11.3:1
students per teacher
- 7% below state mean
Top 44% in Connecticut - lower ratio than 56% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
31.1%
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
$21,698
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.7 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
Hispanic or Latino 49.5%
African American 28.0%
White 14.7%
Asian 3.7%
Two or More 3.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 49.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.2, Forest School is more mixed than the Connecticut school average of 50.5.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for West Haven School District, which includes Forest School.
$21,698
Per student
-9%
vs Connecticut
Avg $23,870
+31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.1%
State 52.1%
Federal 12.8%
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 Forest School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Haven High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Harry M. Bailey Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Carrigan 5/6 Intermediate School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Savin Rock Community School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Alma E. Pagels School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Forest School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,813
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 885
- Students per teacher
- 10.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 829
- Students per teacher
- 10.8:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 459
- Students per teacher
- 10.9:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 364
- Students per teacher
- 10.4:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar other schools in West Haven
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Engineering - Science University Magnet School
Standard public school
608 students 10.7:1 students per teacher
Savin Rock Community School
Standard public school
459 students 10.9:1 students per teacher
Alma E. Pagels School
Standard public school
364 students 10.4:1 students per teacher
Seth G. Haley School
Standard public school
332 students 8.3:1 students per teacher
Washington School
Standard public school
321 students 10:1 students per teacher
Edith E. Mackrille School
Standard public school
320 students 11.9:1 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 (~428 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Forest School's federal record.
- Compare Forest School against another school. Compare schools
- West Haven 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 Forest School
How many students attend Forest School?
Forest School has 428 students enrolled. It is a public school in West Haven, CT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Forest School?
The student-teacher ratio at Forest School is 11.3:1, which is 7% lower than the Connecticut average of 12.1:1 and 28% 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 Forest School?
57.6% of students at Forest School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Connecticut average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Forest School?
The largest demographic group at Forest School is Hispanic or Latino at 49.5% of enrollment, in West Haven, CT. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Forest School?
Forest School has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Forest School rank among schools in West Haven?
By Resource Investment Index, Forest School ranks #6 of 7 schools in West Haven, CT. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in West Haven on the city page.
Is Forest School a good school?
Forest School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Connecticut median. 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 West Haven School District?
Besides Forest School, West Haven School District also operates West Haven High School (1,813 students), Harry M. Bailey Middle School (885 students), and Carrigan 5/6 Intermediate School (829 students). See the West Haven 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.