Enrollment
237
Connecticut · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Middletown, CT
Spencer School
Federal NCES profile for Spencer School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 090249000462
👥 S:T ratio 60
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 33
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Spencer School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 81% of Connecticut schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Connecticut schools.
- #2 of 3
- schools in Middletown · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 9.9:1
- small classes for Connecticut
- 57.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Spencer School has class sizes smaller than 81% of Connecticut schools. Computed live against every Connecticut school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Spencer School ranks #2 of 3 schools in Middletown, CT.
School address
District: Middletown School District · Connecticut
NCES ID 090249000462 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
9.9:1
vs 12.1:1 Connecticut avg
-18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
57.4%
vs 36.4% Connecticut avg
+58% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Spencer School compares with Connecticut and U.S. medians
What stands out at Spencer School
Spencer School is a higher-need, small combined-grade school in Middletown, Connecticut, enrolling 237 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 9.9:1 puts it in the smaller third of Connecticut schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 57.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 237 puts it in the smaller third of Connecticut schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,003 scored Connecticut schools.
Against 68 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #41.
Its student body is led by White (37%) and African American (22%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 75/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Middletown's public schools, it stands alongside Snow School (340 students): Spencer School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (9.9:1 vs 15.5:1).
Middletown School District also operates Middletown High School (1,193 students) and Beman Middle School (977 students) alongside Spencer 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 Spencer School compares
Spencer 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 | 9.9:1 | ▼ 18% | 12.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 57.4% | ▲ 58% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 237 | top 87% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
9.9:1
Leaner classes than 89% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
237
Bigger than 24% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
57.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 58% 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
9.9:1
students per teacher
- 18% below state mean
Top 19% in Connecticut - lower ratio than 81% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
27.0%
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
$25,894
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
7
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.9 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
White 37.1%
African American 21.9%
Hispanic or Latino 20.3%
Two or More 15.2%
Asian 5.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: White at 37.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 74.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 74.7, Spencer School is more mixed than the Connecticut school average of 50.5.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Middletown School District, which includes Spencer School.
$25,894
Per student
+8%
vs Connecticut
Avg $23,870
+56%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 55.7%
State 37.6%
Federal 6.7%
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 Spencer School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middletown High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Beman Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Snow School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Farm Hill School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lawrence School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Spencer School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,193
- Students per teacher
- 11.1:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 977
- Students per teacher
- 11:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 340
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 316
- Students per teacher
- 12.2:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 305
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Similar other schools in Middletown
2 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other 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 (~237 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~9.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Spencer School's federal record.
- Compare Spencer School against another school. Compare schools
- Middletown 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 Spencer School
How many students attend Spencer School?
Spencer School has 237 students enrolled. It is a public school in Middletown, CT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Spencer School?
The student-teacher ratio at Spencer School is 9.9:1, which is 18% lower than the Connecticut average of 12.1:1 and 37% 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 Spencer School?
57.4% of students at Spencer School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Connecticut average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Spencer School?
The largest demographic group at Spencer School is White at 37.1% of enrollment, in Middletown, CT. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 74.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Spencer School?
Spencer School has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical 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 Spencer School rank among schools in Middletown?
By Resource Investment Index, Spencer School ranks #2 of 3 schools in Middletown, CT. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Middletown on the city page.
Is Spencer School a good school?
Spencer School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 81% of Connecticut schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Middletown School District?
Besides Spencer School, Middletown School District also operates Middletown High School (1,193 students), Beman Middle School (977 students), and Snow School (340 students). See the Middletown 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.