Enrollment
637
Connecticut · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Norwalk, CT
Ponus Ridge Steam Academy
Federal NCES profile for Ponus Ridge Steam Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 090309000656
👥 S:T ratio 57
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 58
📋 Attendance 13
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ponus Ridge Steam Academy earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Connecticut median.
- #4 of 4
- middle schools in Norwalk · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 10.8:1
- students per teacher
- 47.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Ponus Ridge Steam Academy has class sizes near the Connecticut median. Computed live against every Connecticut school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ponus Ridge Steam Academy ranks #4 of 4 middle schools in Norwalk, CT.
School address
District: Norwalk School District · Connecticut
NCES ID 090309000656 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
59.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10.8:1
vs 12.1:1 Connecticut avg
-11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
47.7%
vs 36.4% Connecticut avg
+31% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ponus Ridge Steam Academy compares with Connecticut and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ponus Ridge Steam Academy
Ponus Ridge Steam Academy is a mid-sized middle school in Norwalk, Connecticut, enrolling 637 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 10.8:1 puts it in the smaller third of Connecticut schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 47.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 637 puts it in the larger third of Connecticut schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,003 scored Connecticut schools.
Against 157 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #34.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (66%) and African American (16%) (diversity index 52/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 212 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Norwalk's middle schools, it stands alongside West Rocks Middle School (657 students): Ponus Ridge Steam Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (10.8:1 vs 10.6:1).
Norwalk School District also operates Brien Mcmahon High School (1,739 students) and Norwalk High School (1,494 students) alongside Ponus Ridge Steam Academy.
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 Ponus Ridge Steam Academy compares
Ponus Ridge Steam 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 | 10.8:1 | ▼ 11% | 12.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 47.7% | ▲ 31% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 637 | top 19% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.8:1
Leaner classes than 84% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
637
Bigger than 76% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
47.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 31% 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
10.8:1
students per teacher
- 11% below state mean
Top 33% in Connecticut - lower ratio than 67% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
34.7%
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
$25,610
per pupil, district-wide
- above 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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 212 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
52
in-school suspensions + 49 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 8.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 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
Hispanic or Latino 66.4%
African American 15.7%
White 9.7%
Asian 4.7%
Two or More 3.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 66.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.2, Ponus Ridge Steam Academy is about as mixed as the Connecticut school average of 50.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Norwalk School District, which includes Ponus Ridge Steam Academy.
$25,610
Per student
+7%
vs Connecticut
Avg $23,870
+54%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 69.3%
State 23.3%
Federal 7.4%
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 Ponus Ridge Steam Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brien Mcmahon High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Norwalk High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Rocks Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Nathan Hale Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Roton Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ponus Ridge Steam Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,739
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,494
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 657
- Students per teacher
- 10.6:1
- Resource Index
- 59/100
- Enrollment
- 499
- Students per teacher
- 10.8:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 463
- Students per teacher
- 10.1:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
Similar middle schools in Norwalk
3 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~637 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ponus Ridge Steam Academy's federal record.
- Compare Ponus Ridge Steam Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Norwalk 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 Ponus Ridge Steam Academy
How many students attend Ponus Ridge Steam Academy?
Ponus Ridge Steam Academy has 637 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Norwalk, CT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ponus Ridge Steam Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Ponus Ridge Steam Academy is 10.8:1, which is 11% lower than the Connecticut average of 12.1:1 and 31% 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 Ponus Ridge Steam Academy?
47.7% of students at Ponus Ridge Steam Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Connecticut average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ponus Ridge Steam Academy?
The largest demographic group at Ponus Ridge Steam Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 66.4% of enrollment, in Norwalk, CT. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ponus Ridge Steam Academy?
Ponus Ridge Steam Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (higher 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 Ponus Ridge Steam Academy rank among middle schools in Norwalk?
By Resource Investment Index, Ponus Ridge Steam Academy ranks #4 of 4 middle schools in Norwalk, CT. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Norwalk on the city page.
Is Ponus Ridge Steam Academy a good school?
Ponus Ridge Steam Academy earns 49/100 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 Norwalk School District?
Besides Ponus Ridge Steam Academy, Norwalk School District also operates Brien Mcmahon High School (1,739 students), Norwalk High School (1,494 students), and West Rocks Middle School (657 students). See the Norwalk 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.