James J. Curiale School

James J. Curiale School is a PK–8 elementary school in Bridgeport, CT, serving 509 students within the Bridgeport School District, a district ranked 147th out of 153 in Connecticut. The school itself has ranked in the 0th percentile statewide for two consecutive years (2024–25 and 2025–26), placing it among the very lowest-performing schools in the state, with a decade-long plateau in the bottom 1–5% of all Connecticut schools.

Academically, Curiale faces significant challenges, but there are a few notable bright spots. In 2025–26, 26.2% of 8th graders were proficient in NGSS science—the highest rate among all nearby schools, including Geraldine Johnson School (17.7%) and above the district average of 25.3%. However, 5th grade science proficiency was just 10%, and 4th grade math proficiency hit 0% in 2022–23. Chronic absenteeism, while still high at 30.8%, has improved and for the first time in the data fell below the district average of 31.3%—a stark contrast to Waltersville School (45.1%) and Cesar Batalla School (39.5%). Subgroup data from 2020–21 suggests the school is comparatively more effective with special education and low-SES students than with the general student population.

Curiale's student-teacher ratio of 14.9:1 is higher than many peers, and per-student spending ($12,727) is lower than several comparable schools. Perhaps most telling is the proximity of Classical Studies Academy, just 0.34 miles away, which serves a nearly identical demographic profile yet ranks in the 11th percentile, posts a chronic absenteeism rate of only 19.6%, and achieves notably higher ELA proficiency—all while spending less per student. This nearby example demonstrates that low performance is not inevitable, and that school-level practices and resource allocation can make a meaningful difference even in the same district and neighborhood.