Norwalk School District

The Norwalk School District in Connecticut serves over 11,000 students across 22 schools, including 14 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, and 4 high schools. The district as a whole is ranked 118 out of 156 in the state and is rated 1 star out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Within the district, a few standout schools emerge. The Center for Global Studies, a public magnet high school, ranks 47th out of 141 Connecticut high schools and is rated 3 stars. It boasts an impressive 88.4% four-year graduation rate and strong test scores, with over 60% of 11th graders proficient in NGSS Science. The Rowayton School, an elementary school, ranks 230th out of 493 Connecticut elementary schools and is also rated 3 stars, with 50-68% of students proficient in English Language Arts and 45-56% proficient in Mathematics. The Concord Magnet School, a K-8 public magnet, ranks 224th out of 493 elementary schools and has standout performance, with 55-72% proficiency in English Language Arts and 39-67% in Mathematics.

However, the district also faces significant challenges, with large performance gaps between the highest and lowest performing schools, especially in core academic areas. Schools with higher poverty levels, such as South Norwalk Elementary and Kendall College & Career Academy, tend to have lower proficiency rates. Additionally, the district-wide chronic absenteeism rate of 17.7% is higher than the state average, and per-student spending varies widely, from $13,250 to $19,667, suggesting potential inequities in resource allocation.