Enrollment
2,020
Connecticut · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Norwich, CT
Norwich Free Academy
Federal NCES profile for Norwich Free Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 090537101221
👥 S:T ratio 53
📚 AP courses 80
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 66
📋 Attendance 25
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Norwich Free Academy earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Connecticut median. It is also one of the largest schools in Connecticut.
- #2 of 3
- high schools in Norwich · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11.7:1
- students per teacher
- 45.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Norwich Free Academy has class sizes near the Connecticut median. Computed live against every Connecticut school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Norwich Free Academy ranks #2 of 3 high schools in Norwich, CT.
School address
District: Norwich Free Academy District · Connecticut
NCES ID 090537101221 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
173.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.7:1
vs 12.1:1 Connecticut avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
45.1%
vs 36.4% Connecticut avg
+24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Norwich Free Academy compares with Connecticut and U.S. medians
What stands out at Norwich Free Academy
Norwich Free Academy is a large high school in Norwich, Connecticut, enrolling 2,020 students.
At 11.7:1, 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 45.1% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Connecticut, bigger than 99% of state schools at 2,020 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,003 scored Connecticut schools.
Its student body is led by White (40%) and Hispanic or Latino (29%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 72/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 16 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 168 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Norwich Free Academy District spends $411 per pupil, 98% below the Connecticut average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 69.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 517 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 2,020 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 34 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Norwich's high schools, it stands alongside Norwich Technical High School (649 students): Norwich Free Academy is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (11.7:1 vs 11.2:1).
Norwich Free Academy District operates only this one school, so Norwich Free Academy has no district-mates to compare against locally. At 2,020 students, it is also among the largest single-school districts in Connecticut, well beyond the enrollment of a typical standalone charter.
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 Norwich Free Academy compares
Norwich Free Academy on the metrics families compare, against Connecticut and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Connecticut | Connecticut avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.7:1 | ▼ 3% | 12.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 45.1% | ▲ 24% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,020 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.7:1
Leaner classes than 78% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
2,020
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
45.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% 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
11.7:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 52% in Connecticut - lower ratio than 48% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
30.0%
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
$411
per pupil, district-wide
- below Connecticut avg of $23,870
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors12.0 FTE
Per 168 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
257
in-school suspensions + 260 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 12.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 25.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 34 expulsions.
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 39.5%
Hispanic or Latino 28.8%
African American 18.3%
Asian 7.1%
Two or More 5.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 39.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.0, Norwich Free Academy is more mixed than the Connecticut school average of 50.5.
Programs
AP courses offered 16
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Norwich Free Academy District, which includes Norwich Free Academy.
$411
Per student
-98%
vs Connecticut
Avg $23,870
-98%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.8%
State 0.4%
Federal 69.8%
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.
Similar high schools in Norwich
2 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high 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 (~2,020 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Norwich Free Academy's federal record.
- Compare Norwich Free Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Norwich Free Academy 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 Norwich Free Academy
How many students attend Norwich Free Academy?
Norwich Free Academy has 2,020 students enrolled. It is a high school in Norwich, CT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Norwich Free Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Norwich Free Academy is 11.7:1, which is 3% lower than the Connecticut average of 12.1:1 and 25% 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 Norwich Free Academy?
45.1% of students at Norwich Free Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Connecticut average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Norwich Free Academy?
The largest demographic group at Norwich Free Academy is White at 39.5% of enrollment, in Norwich, CT. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Norwich Free Academy?
Norwich Free Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Norwich Free Academy rank among high schools in Norwich?
By Resource Investment Index, Norwich Free Academy ranks #2 of 3 high schools in Norwich, CT. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Norwich on the city page.
Is Norwich Free Academy a good school?
Norwich Free Academy earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Connecticut median. It is also one of the largest schools in Connecticut. 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 Norwich Free Academy District?
None reported; Norwich Free Academy District operates only Norwich Free Academy as a public school district in NCES's records.
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.