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Barnum School

Public Grades PK, KG-8

459^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 493 Connecticut Elementary Schools

Better than 7% of Connecticut elementary schools

Summary

Barnum School is an elementary school serving grades PK-8 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, part of the Bridgeport School District. The school has consistently ranked in the bottom 10-20% of Connecticut elementary schools over the past decade, with a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Barnum School faces significant challenges, including extremely high chronic absenteeism rates, well below average test scores across all grade levels and subject areas, and struggles to serve its diverse student population. The school's test scores, for example, show that in 2024-2025, only 15% of 3rd graders were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 46.9% statewide. Barnum School also spends around $14,000-$15,000 per student, higher than the state average but lower than some nearby schools in the Bridgeport district.

Interestingly, Barnum School is located very close to several other low-performing Bridgeport schools, including Geraldine Johnson School, Paul Laurence Dunbar School, and Luis Munoz Marin School. This suggests that the challenges facing Barnum School are systemic issues within the Bridgeport district, rather than unique to just this one school. Additionally, Barnum School has an extremely high percentage of students (over 90%) who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that poverty and associated challenges are major factors impacting the school's performance.

588

Students ?

13.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$18,535

Per pupil spending ?

94.9%

Free/discounted lunch ?

495 Waterview Avenue
Bridgeport, CT 06608

(203) 275-2300

District: Bridgeport School District

Students who attend Barnum School usually attend:

High:	Aerospace/Hydrospace Engineering and Physical Sciences Magne
	Biotechnology Research & Zoological Studies Magnet High School
	Bridgeport Military Academy
	Information Technology & Software Engineering Magnet High School
	More...
	Warren Harding High School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

68.0%

African American:

23.0%

White:

7.0%

See top rated Connecticut elementary schools

Compare Barnum School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 6th percentile in 2015 → 7th in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Connecticut average (17% vs 48% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (7th percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (40% vs 17% Connecticut)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school17%

District avg19%

Connecticut avg48%

Elementary school

459^th of 493

Connecticut public elementary schools ?

Bottom 7%▲ up 1 pts since 2015

See the entire ranking list of Connecticut Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

Middle school

225^th of 252

Connecticut public middle schools ?

Bottom 11%▲ up 3 pts since 2015

From bottom 8% (2015) to bottom 11% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Connecticut Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

12^th of 20Elementary Schools in the Bridgeport School District

152^nd of 156Bridgeport School District among Connecticut districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2025	8.0	459 of 493	6.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	4.5	491 of 497	1.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	6.3	468 of 491	4.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	5.9	470 of 490	4.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	6.8	513 of 538	4.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	3.8	504 of 522	3.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	5.8	495 of 532	7.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	3.1	509 of 519	1.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	3.3	504 of 518	2.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	6.6	519 of 551	5.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	4.0	539 of 557	3.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	5.9	543 of 564	3.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	6.6	540 of 565	4.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	5.3	552 of 579	4.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2009	1.7	556 of 566	1.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2008	2.2	556 of 565	1.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2007	1.7	558 of 568	1.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2006	2.3	561 of 570	1.6%	☆☆☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2021	17.3	18 of 22	18.2%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2021	17.7	33 of 34	2.9%	☆☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2021	6.5	428 of 455	5.9%	☆☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2025	19.0	115 of 132	12.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	11.9	164 of 173	5.2%	☆☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2021	10.8	284 of 302	6.0%	☆☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2021	3.3	438 of 445	1.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	0.7	247 of 247	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2021	9.5	352 of 371	5.1%	☆☆☆☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2025	9.6	225 of 252	10.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	6.2	242 of 250	3.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	7.6	231 of 250	7.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	9.2	252 of 275	8.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	4.2	252 of 259	2.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	4.3	243 of 249	2.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	6.6	227 of 246	7.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	7.7	259 of 280	7.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	7.0	250 of 278	10.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	6.0	255 of 272	6.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	5.6	248 of 269	7.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	5.6	249 of 268	7.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2009	0.9	252 of 255	1.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2008	3.5	236 of 252	6.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2007	1.6	245 of 250	2.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2006	0.7	246 of 248	0.8%	☆☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2021	11.9	201 of 235	14.5%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2025	24.2	82 of 105	21.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	23.5	114 of 146	21.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	13.4	92 of 97	5.2%	☆☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2025	11.5	114 of 117	2.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	18.7	182 of 218	16.5%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2021	18.8	201 of 244	17.6%	★☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Elementary school

Disabled (2021)18th percentile+14 vs school

Hispanic (2025)13th percentile+6 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2021)6th percentile~ school

Female (2021)6th percentile~ school

Special Education (2021)5th percentile~ school

English Language Learner (2021)3rd percentile~ school

Male (2021)2nd percentile-3 vs school

Middle school

Hispanic (2025)22nd percentile+11 vs school

Special Education (2021)18th percentile+9 vs school

Female (2021)14th percentile+6 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)3rd percentile-8 vs school

By subject vs Connecticut (2024-2025) ?

Science19%-31 vs state

English Language Arts17%-33 vs state

Mathematics16%-31 vs state

★

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Schools Near Barnum School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				NGSS Science (2025)		SBAC English Language Arts (2025)						SBAC Mathematics (2025)					Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	NGSS Science 5th Grade	NGSS Science 8th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 3rd Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 4th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 5th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 6th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 7th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 8th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 3rd Grade	SBAC Mathematics 4th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 6th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 7th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 8th Grade	Total
Barnum School	Public	PK, KG-8	495 Waterview Avenue	Bridgeport	06608	Greater Bridgeport Planning Region	Bridgeport School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 275-2300	588	44	13.3	94.9%	41 (7.0%)	135 (23.0%)	400 (68.0%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (1.7%)	8	459^th of 493 public elementary schools	6.9%		4.5	491^st of 497 public elementary schools	1.2%	32		19.3	15.0			21.1		14.0	18.3	15.3	19.3		10.5	$18,535
Waltersville School	Public	PK, KG-8	150 Hallett Street	Bridgeport	06608	Greater Bridgeport Planning Region	Bridgeport School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 275-2400	432	32	13.7	96.3%	17 (3.9%)	142 (32.9%)	265 (61.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.6%)	7.3	462^nd of 493 public elementary schools	6.3%					(n/a)	12.8	16.7					14.6	25.0	24.3	15.0	13.6			$18,340
Paul Laurence Dunbar School	Public	PK, KG-8	445 Union Ave.	Bridgeport	06607	Greater Bridgeport Planning Region	Bridgeport School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 576-7194	391	24	16.2	91.8%	13 (3.3%)	124 (31.7%)	240 (61.4%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.8%)								(n/a)		13.0				13.6	17.0			0.0				$18,231
Luis Munoz Marin School	Public	PK, KG-8	479 Helen St.	Bridgeport	06608	Greater Bridgeport Planning Region	Bridgeport School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 576-8202	709	47	15.2	88.0%	20 (2.8%)	110 (15.5%)	562 (79.3%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	14 (2.0%)								(n/a)	10.5					8.7	13.2	9.1				12.0	9.2	$16,258
Jettie S. Tisdale School	Public	PK, KG-8	250 Hollister Avenue	Bridgeport	06607	Greater Bridgeport Planning Region	Bridgeport School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 576-8037	547	46	11.8	92.1%	36 (6.6%)	199 (36.4%)	297 (54.3%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	10 (1.8%)	8.2	456^th of 493 public elementary schools	7.5%		6.8	469^th of 497 public elementary schools	5.6%	13	14.3	19.5		23.8	16.0		13.9	21.7		26.2	17.0	8.3	26.5	$20,846
Hall School	Public	PK, KG-6	290 Clermont Ave.	Bridgeport	06610	Greater Bridgeport Planning Region	Bridgeport School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 576-7560	162	16	10.1	92.0%	9 (5.6%)	59 (36.4%)	81 (50.0%)	3 (1.9%)	2 (1.2%)	1 (0.6%)	7 (4.3%)								(n/a)														$21,083
Edison School	Public	PK, KG-6	115 Boston Terrace	Bridgeport	06610	Greater Bridgeport Planning Region	Bridgeport School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 576-7183	181	15	11.8	91.7%	8 (4.4%)	57 (31.5%)	97 (53.6%)	4 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	14 (7.7%)								(n/a)						26.1								$19,435
Beardsley School	Public	PK, KG-6	500 Huntington Rd.	Bridgeport	06610	Greater Bridgeport Planning Region	Bridgeport School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 576-7184	327	23	14.2	85.0%	9 (2.8%)	91 (27.8%)	213 (65.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (4.0%)	7.5	461^st of 493 public elementary schools	6.5%		10.9	432^nd of 497 public elementary schools	13.1%	29	20.0		23.9		22.5				19.6	0.0				$17,354
Columbus School	Public	PK, KG-8	300 University Avenue	Bridgeport	06604	Greater Bridgeport Planning Region	Bridgeport School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 275-2100	546	40	13.6	95.1%	36 (6.6%)	103 (18.9%)	400 (73.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.1%)								(n/a)									11.3		27.8			$17,720
Roosevelt School	Public	PK, KG-8	680 Park Ave.	Bridgeport	06604	Greater Bridgeport Planning Region	Bridgeport School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 576-8032	493	34	14.5	96.3%	32 (6.5%)	132 (26.8%)	312 (63.3%)	8 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (1.8%)	9.3	440^th of 493 public elementary schools	10.8%		8.1	453^rd of 497 public elementary schools	8.9%	13	28.0	14.0		19.6			28.3	12.5			11.5	15.1		$17,520

Frequently Asked Questions about Barnum School

What schools do graduates of Barnum School attend?

Students who attend Barnum School usually go on to attend:

High : Aerospace/Hydrospace Engineering and Physical Sciences Magne
High : Biotechnology Research & Zoological Studies Magnet High School
High : Bridgeport Military Academy
High : Information Technology & Software Engineering Magnet High School
High : Warren Harding High School

How many students attend Barnum School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 588 students attended Barnum School.

What district is Barnum School in?

Bridgeport School District

Is Barnum School a good school?

Barnum School ranks in the bottom 6.9% of Connecticut elementary schools.

What is the racial makeup of Barnum School?

Students at Barnum School are 68% Hispanic, 23% African American, 7% White, 2% Two or more races.

Rate Barnum School!

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Connecticut Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.