Enrollment
418
Connecticut · 2024-25 NCES data
2024-25 NCES data Other / mixed grade configuration NCES 090240000445
John Barry School — Meriden, CT
Federal NCES profile for John Barry School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators — Resource Investment Index 32/100.
👥 Class size 46
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 19
How this works: Each indicator above is scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC data, then averaged into the Resource Investment Index. This measures resource allocation — staffing, programs, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes. Full methodology →
School address
District: Meriden School District · Connecticut
Public location data per NCES (National Center for Education Statistics) Common Core of Data. Verify the school's current address on the NCES CCD record.
Teachers (FTE)
35.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.5:1
vs 12.1:1 Connecticut avg
+12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
76.7%
vs 36.4% Connecticut avg
+111% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How John Barry School compares with Connecticut and U.S. medians
The federal record — no proprietary index, no editorial formula.
PlainSchools publishes the actual federal measurements — enrollment, staffing, demographics, discipline, and finance — straight from the NCES Common Core of Data, CRDC, and F-33 surveys. No composite rating, no opinion-based score on top. You get the same raw numbers researchers and policymakers use, with benchmarks, spending context, and equity indicators computed from the same federal datasets. Full methodology linked below.
What this school's NCES data tells you
John Barry School reports 418 enrolled students to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) alongside 35.0 full-time-equivalent teachers, producing a 13.5:1 student-teacher ratio. That figure sits 12% above the Connecticut state mean of 12.1:1, signalling larger average class loads than peers in the same state. Against the national 2024-25 average of 15.9:1, it is 15% lower, a useful calibration for families comparing districts across state lines.
Title I and federal lunch eligibility offer another window into the student body: 76.7% of pupils qualify for free meals, a proxy for household income that federal programs use to direct funding. The free-lunch share is 111% above the Connecticut average and 48% above the national baseline. Chronic absenteeism — missing 10% or more of school days — stands at 32.5% according to the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
On the finance side, the surrounding Meriden School District spends $20,981 per pupil district-wide, below the Connecticut average of $28,239 and above the national average of $19,490. Revenue comes 30.9% from local sources (property taxes), 54.9% from the state, and 14.2% from federal programs per the NCES F-33 finance survey. Taken together, these measurements produce a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (F), calculated from 3 distinct NCES and CRDC indicators measuring resource allocation rather than academic outcomes.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How John Barry School compares
Cross-validating school-level NCES values against Connecticut state and U.S. national means lets readers see whether this school is an outlier or in line with peers.
| Metric | This school | vs Connecticut | Connecticut avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.5:1 | ▲ 12% | 12.1:1 | 15.9:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 76.7% | ▲ 111% | 36.4% | 51.8% |
| Enrollment | 418 | top 53% | — | — |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
What the federal data reveals about equity at this school
Federal measurements — not ratings — surface the resource and opportunity picture. Below are the indicators that researchers, civil-rights monitors, and funding formulas use to assess equity.
Economic need
76.7%
free-lunch eligible
— 111% 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
13.5:1
students per teacher
— 12% above state mean
Top 80% in Connecticut — lower ratio than 20% of state schools
Below the 15:1 benchmark — typical of schools with smaller class sizes and more individualized attention.
Engagement
32.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Chronic absenteeism at or above 20% — the CDC threshold for "high" — signals significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$20,981
per pupil, district-wide
— below Connecticut avg of $28,239
Above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 25 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
Enrollment 418 Top 53% in Connecticut — larger than 47% of 1,005 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 35.0
Students per teacher 13.5:1 +12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible 76.7% +111% vs state
NCES ID 090240000445
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 69.1%
African American 12.2%
White 9.6%
Two or More 7.4%
Asian 1.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 69.1% of enrollment.
Programs & staff
Counselors (FTE) 0.0
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent 32.5%
In-school suspensions 3
Out-of-school suspensions 25
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Meriden School District, which includes John Barry School.
$20,981
Per student
-26%
vs Connecticut
Avg $28,239
+8%
vs U.S.
Avg $19,490
Revenue mix
Local 30.9%
State 54.9%
Federal 14.2%
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.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,291
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Enrollment
- 1,191
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Enrollment
- 773
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Enrollment
- 684
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Enrollment
- 539
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
Similar other schools in Meriden
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Nathan Hale School
Standard public school
485 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
Roger Sherman School
Standard public school
457 students 13.2:1 students per teacher
Hanover School
Standard public school
456 students 10.4:1 students per teacher
Thomas Hooker School
Standard public school
404 students 15.4:1 students per teacher
Benjamin Franklin School
Standard public school
357 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
Educator & family resources
In-depth guides on understanding NCES data, school choice, and education funding.
Understanding NCES data
How CCD, CRDC and EDFacts feed every public-school number you see.
Choose a school district
Eight signals that matter more than the overall ranking number.
How schools are funded
Title I, F-33, state aid formulas and what per-pupil spending really means.
Chronic absenteeism
Why missing 10% of school matters and how it varies by district.
Magnet vs charter vs traditional
Three school types, three funding models, three sets of trade-offs.
School discipline data
What CRDC suspension and expulsion records do and don't reveal.
Frequently asked questions about John Barry School
How many students attend John Barry School?
John Barry School has 418 students enrolled. It is a other school in Meriden, CT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at John Barry School?
The student-teacher ratio at John Barry School is 13.5:1, which is 12% higher than the Connecticut average of 12.1:1 and 15% lower than the national average of 15.9:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at John Barry School?
76.7% of students at John Barry School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Connecticut average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of John Barry School?
The largest demographic group at John Barry School is Hispanic or Latino at 69.1%. The school serves a diverse student body in Meriden, CT.
What is the Resource Investment Index for John Barry School?
John Barry School has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (F) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. This index measures federal resource allocation — staffing levels, program availability, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes.