Enrollment
176
Connecticut · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Stafford Springs, CT
West Stafford School
Federal NCES profile for West Stafford School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 090429000848
👥 S:T ratio 53
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 63
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Stafford School earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Connecticut median. It is also one of the smallest schools in Connecticut.
- #3 of 4
- public schools in Stafford Springs · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11.7:1
- students per teacher
- 30.1%
- free-lunch eligible
West Stafford School has class sizes near the Connecticut median. Computed live against every Connecticut school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Stafford School ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Stafford Springs, CT.
School address
District: Stafford School District · Connecticut
NCES ID 090429000848 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
15.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.7:1
vs 12.1:1 Connecticut avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
30.1%
vs 36.4% Connecticut avg
-17% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Stafford School compares with Connecticut and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Stafford School
West Stafford School is a small combined-grade school in Stafford Springs, Connecticut, enrolling 176 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.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 30.1% lands close to the Connecticut typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 95% of Connecticut schools, with 176 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,003 scored Connecticut schools.
Against 58 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #39.
Its student body is predominantly White (86% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 24/100).
14.8% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Stafford School District also operates Stafford Elementary School (438 students) and Stafford High School (357 students) alongside West Stafford 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 West Stafford School compares
West Stafford 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 | 11.7:1 | ▼ 3% | 12.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 30.1% | ▼ 17% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 176 | top 95% | - | - |
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.
176
Bigger than 17% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
30.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 17% below the Connecticut average of 36.4%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
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
14.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$25,915
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
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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
White 86.4%
Hispanic or Latino 10.2%
African American 2.3%
Asian 0.6%
Two or More 0.6%
Largest group: White at 86.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 24.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 24.2, West Stafford School is less mixed than the Connecticut school average of 50.5.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Stafford School District, which includes West Stafford School.
$25,915
Per student
+9%
vs Connecticut
Avg $23,870
+56%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 53.7%
State 39.5%
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 West Stafford School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stafford Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Stafford High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Stafford Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Stafford School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 438
- Students per teacher
- 10:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 357
- Students per teacher
- 8.9:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 285
- Students per teacher
- 8.1:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
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 (~176 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Stafford School's federal record.
- Compare West Stafford School against another school. Compare schools
- Stafford 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 West Stafford School
How many students attend West Stafford School?
West Stafford School has 176 students enrolled. It is a public school in Stafford Springs, CT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Stafford School?
The student-teacher ratio at West Stafford School 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 West Stafford School?
30.1% of students at West Stafford School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Connecticut average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Stafford School?
The largest demographic group at West Stafford School is White at 86.4% of enrollment, in Stafford Springs, CT.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Stafford School?
West Stafford School has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (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 West Stafford School rank among public schools in Stafford Springs?
By Resource Investment Index, West Stafford School ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Stafford Springs, CT. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Stafford Springs on the city page.
Is West Stafford School a good school?
West Stafford School earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Connecticut median. It is also one of the smallest 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 Stafford School District?
Besides West Stafford School, Stafford School District also operates Stafford Elementary School (438 students), Stafford High School (357 students), and Stafford Middle School (285 students). See the Stafford 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.