Enrollment
344
Connecticut · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · East Hartford, CT
Robert J. O'brien School
Federal NCES profile for Robert J. O'brien School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 090126000206
👥 S:T ratio 52
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 28
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Robert J. O'brien School earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Connecticut median.
- #3 of 8
- elementary schools in East Hartford · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11.9:1
- students per teacher
- 69.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Robert J. O'brien School has class sizes near the Connecticut median. Computed live against every Connecticut school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Robert J. O'brien School ranks #3 of 8 elementary schools in East Hartford, CT.
School address
District: East Hartford School District · Connecticut
NCES ID 090126000206 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.9:1
vs 12.1:1 Connecticut avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
69.5%
vs 36.4% Connecticut avg
+91% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Robert J. O'brien School compares with Connecticut and U.S. medians
What stands out at Robert J. O'brien School
Robert J. O'brien School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in East Hartford, Connecticut, enrolling 344 students.
At 11.9:1, 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 is high: 69.5% of students qualify for free meals, 91% above the Connecticut average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 344 students, its enrollment sits close to the Connecticut median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,003 scored Connecticut schools.
Among 113 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Connecticut schools statewide, it ranks #6, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (61%) and African American (33%) (diversity index 52/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among East Hartford's elementary schools, it stands alongside Dr. Thomas S. O'connell School (519 students): Robert J. O'brien School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.9:1 vs 13:1).
East Hartford School District also operates East Hartford High School (1,776 students) and East Hartford Middle School (971 students) alongside Robert J. O'brien 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 Robert J. O'brien School compares
Robert J. O'brien 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 | 11.9:1 | ▼ 2% | 12.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 69.5% | ▲ 91% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 344 | top 65% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.9:1
Leaner classes than 76% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
344
Bigger than 39% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
69.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 91% above the Connecticut average of 36.4%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11.9:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 56% in Connecticut - lower ratio than 44% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
28.8%
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
$23,340
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
6
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.3 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 61.3%
African American 32.8%
White 3.5%
Asian 2.0%
Two or More 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 61.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.5, Robert J. O'brien School is about as mixed as the Connecticut school average of 50.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for East Hartford School District, which includes Robert J. O'brien School.
$23,340
Per student
-2%
vs Connecticut
Avg $23,870
+41%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 36.0%
State 53.4%
Federal 10.6%
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 Robert J. O'brien School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Hartford High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| East Hartford Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Dr. Thomas S. O'connell School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Governor William Pitkin School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Joseph O. Goodwin School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Robert J. O'brien School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,776
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 971
- Students per teacher
- 11:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 519
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
- Enrollment
- 345
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 60/100
- Enrollment
- 334
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar elementary schools in East Hartford
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Dr. Thomas S. O'connell School
Standard public school
519 students 13:1 students per teacher
Governor William Pitkin School
Standard public school
345 students 11.9:1 students per teacher
Joseph O. Goodwin School
Standard public school
334 students 12.4:1 students per teacher
Dr. John a. Langford School
Standard public school
316 students 11.7:1 students per teacher
Dr. Franklin H. Mayberry School
Standard public school
310 students 11.1:1 students per teacher
Anna E. Norris School
Standard public school
279 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 (~344 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Robert J. O'brien School's federal record.
- Compare Robert J. O'brien School against another school. Compare schools
- East Hartford 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 Robert J. O'brien School
How many students attend Robert J. O'brien School?
Robert J. O'brien School has 344 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in East Hartford, CT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Robert J. O'brien School?
The student-teacher ratio at Robert J. O'brien School is 11.9:1, which is 2% lower than the Connecticut average of 12.1:1 and 24% 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 Robert J. O'brien School?
69.5% of students at Robert J. O'brien School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Connecticut average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Robert J. O'brien School?
The largest demographic group at Robert J. O'brien School is Hispanic or Latino at 61.3% of enrollment, in East Hartford, CT. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Robert J. O'brien School?
Robert J. O'brien School has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (higher 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 Robert J. O'brien School rank among elementary schools in East Hartford?
By Resource Investment Index, Robert J. O'brien School ranks #3 of 8 elementary schools in East Hartford, 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 East Hartford on the city page.
Is Robert J. O'brien School a good school?
Robert J. O'brien School earns 50/100 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 East Hartford School District?
Besides Robert J. O'brien School, East Hartford School District also operates East Hartford High School (1,776 students), East Hartford Middle School (971 students), and Dr. Thomas S. O'connell School (519 students). See the East Hartford 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.