Enrollment
418
Connecticut · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Stratford, CT
Nichols School
Federal NCES profile for Nichols School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 090444000894
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 53
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Nichols School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% of Connecticut schools.
- #7 of 8
- elementary schools in Stratford · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 16.1:1
- large classes for Connecticut
- 39.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Nichols School has class sizes larger than 96% of Connecticut schools. Computed live against every Connecticut school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Nichols School ranks #7 of 8 elementary schools in Stratford, CT.
School address
District: Stratford School District · Connecticut
NCES ID 090444000894 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.1:1
vs 12.1:1 Connecticut avg
+33% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
39.7%
vs 36.4% Connecticut avg
+9% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Nichols School compares with Connecticut and U.S. medians
What stands out at Nichols School
Nichols School is a mid-sized elementary school in Stratford, Connecticut, enrolling 418 students.
Class loads run heavy: 16.1:1 is larger than about 96% of Connecticut schools and 33% above the 12.1:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 39.7% of students eligible for free meals.
With 418 students, its enrollment sits close to the Connecticut median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 92% of the 1,003 Connecticut schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 219 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Connecticut schools statewide, it ranks #209, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (51%) and African American (26%) (diversity index 64/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 1393 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.9% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Stratford's elementary schools, it stands alongside Second Hill Lane School (610 students): Nichols School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.1:1 vs 13:1).
Stratford School District also operates Stratford High School (1,150 students) and Bunnell High School (982 students) alongside Nichols 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 Nichols School compares
Nichols 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 | 16.1:1 | ▲ 33% | 12.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 39.7% | ▲ 9% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 418 | top 47% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.1:1
Leaner classes than 37% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
418
Bigger than 50% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
39.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 9% above the Connecticut average of 36.4%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
16.1:1
students per teacher
- 33% above state mean
Top 96% in Connecticut - lower ratio than 4% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
18.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
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
21
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.0 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 51.0%
African American 25.8%
White 18.2%
Two or More 2.9%
Asian 1.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 51.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.9, Nichols 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 Nichols 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 Nichols School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stratford High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Bunnell High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Second Hill Lane School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| David Wooster Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Stratford Academy - Johnson House | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Nichols 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
Eli Whitney School
Standard public school
462 students 14.4:1 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 (~418 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Nichols School's federal record.
- Compare Nichols 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 Nichols School
How many students attend Nichols School?
Nichols School has 418 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Stratford, CT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Nichols School?
The student-teacher ratio at Nichols School is 16.1:1, which is 33% higher than the Connecticut average of 12.1:1 and 3% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Nichols School?
39.7% of students at Nichols School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Connecticut average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Nichols School?
The largest demographic group at Nichols School is Hispanic or Latino at 51.0% of enrollment, in Stratford, CT. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Nichols School?
Nichols School has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (lower 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 Nichols School rank among elementary schools in Stratford?
By Resource Investment Index, Nichols School ranks #7 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 Nichols School a good school?
Nichols School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% 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 Nichols 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.