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Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy

Public Grades 6-8

196^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 258 Connecticut Middle Schools

Better than 24% of Connecticut middle schools

Summary

Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy is a grades 6–8 middle school in Norwalk, CT, serving 637 students as part of the Norwalk School District, which ranks 113th out of 153 Connecticut districts. The school itself has ranked in the 24th percentile (196th out of 258 middle schools, 1 star) and has lingered between the 20th and 32nd percentile for the past decade.

Academically, Ponus is the lowest-performing middle school in its own district by a wide margin. Average proficiency across grades 6–8 is just 30.5% in ELA and 19.4% in math, well below district averages of 44.2% and 36.2%. Nathan Hale Middle School, only 2.4 miles away with a similar share of economically disadvantaged students (55.3% free/reduced lunch), posts scores roughly 25 points higher in every subject. The school's clearest strength is attendance: chronic absenteeism is just 5.7%, far better than the district rate of 15.4% and comparable to affluent neighbors like Coleytown Middle School in Westport (5.9%) and Middlebrook School in Wilton (4.7%).

Despite its STEAM Academy label, math and science are the weakest subjects: 6th-grade math proficiency is just 15.1% and 8th-grade science is 27%. Ponus also has the highest economic disadvantage (62.5% free/reduced lunch) and the highest student-teacher ratio (12.0-to-1) among its Norwalk peers. Meanwhile, nearby Saxe Middle School in New Canaan and Middlesex Middle School in Darien post 80–90% proficiency rates. The strong attendance record shows students are consistently in school—the challenge ahead is translating that presence into stronger academic outcomes.

637

Students ?

12.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$24,725

Per pupil spending ?

62.5%

Free/discounted lunch ?

21 Hunters Lane
Norwalk, CT 06850

(203) 847-3557

District: Norwalk School District

Students who attend Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy usually attend:

High:

Brien McMahon High School

Feeder schools for Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy:

Elementary:	Fox Run Elementary School
	Jefferson Marine Science Elementary School
	Kendall College & Career Academy

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

66.4%

African American:

15.7%

White:

9.7%

See top rated Connecticut middle schools

Compare Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 24th percentile in 2016 → 24th in 2026

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 12 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Connecticut average (25% vs 48% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (24th percentile)

!Mathematics scores 24 pts below the Connecticut average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school25%

District avg41%

Connecticut avg48%

196^th of 258

Connecticut public middle schools ?

Bottom 24%▬ steady since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Connecticut Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

4^th of 4Middle Schools in the Norwalk School District

113^th of 153Norwalk 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)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2026	17.0	196 of 258	24.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	18.4	193 of 252	23.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	19.1	184 of 250	26.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	17.1	190 of 249	23.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	18.7	181 of 250	27.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	26.7	190 of 275	30.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	23.2	186 of 259	28.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	18.7	198 of 249	20.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	25.2	170 of 250	32.0%	★★☆☆☆
2016	20.6	187 of 246	24.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	35.1	178 of 280	36.4%	★★☆☆☆
2013	41.9	192 of 278	30.9%	★★☆☆☆
2012	31.8	206 of 272	24.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	30.9	208 of 269	22.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	25.5	209 of 268	22.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	25.6	194 of 255	23.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	27.4	190 of 252	24.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	27.1	188 of 250	24.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	29.3	188 of 248	24.2%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2026	19.8	30 of 34	11.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	37.4	22 of 32	31.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	35.1	24 of 33	27.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	34.6	23 of 32	28.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	45.4	19 of 40	52.5%	★★★☆☆
2021	32.2	52 of 80	35.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	30.7	27 of 31	12.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2021	26.9	70 of 104	32.7%	★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2026	41.7	6 of 20	70.0%	★★★★☆
2021	38.5	17 of 34	50.0%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2026	10.3	146 of 164	11.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	11.6	139 of 164	15.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	12.8	137 of 161	14.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	10.8	139 of 160	13.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	13.4	144 of 166	13.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	19.6	182 of 235	22.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	17.2	141 of 169	16.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	12.3	144 of 160	10.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2026	29.1	79 of 115	31.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	29.3	71 of 105	32.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	32.8	68 of 104	34.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	25.2	75 of 99	24.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	35.6	58 of 97	40.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	42.0	83 of 146	43.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	38.1	52 of 97	46.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	37.7	43 of 75	42.7%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2026	19.0	93 of 112	17.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	24.6	89 of 117	23.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	19.9	96 of 114	15.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	17.7	94 of 109	13.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	25.4	88 of 106	17.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	32.7	141 of 218	35.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	24.4	80 of 104	23.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2026	11.0	145 of 164	11.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	11.4	141 of 162	13.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	12.5	136 of 157	13.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	10.4	138 of 158	12.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	16.8	141 of 169	16.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	26.2	159 of 224	29.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	15.5	144 of 167	13.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	14.9	140 of 164	14.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2021	29.6	177 of 244	27.5%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2025	25.6	114 of 153	25.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	21.0	147 of 175	16.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	46.7	93 of 166	44.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	31.1	119 of 168	29.2%	★★☆☆☆

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)

English Language Learner (2026)70th percentile+46 vs school

Disabled (2021)33rd percentile~ school

Hispanic (2026)31st percentile+7 vs school

Special Education (2021)27th percentile-3 vs school

White (2025)25th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)17th percentile-7 vs school

African American (2026)12th percentile-12 vs school

Male (2026)12th percentile-12 vs school

Female (2026)11th percentile-13 vs school

By subject vs Connecticut (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts31%-21 vs state

Science27%-24 vs state

Mathematics19%-24 vs state

5.0

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What people are saying

by a parent
Thursday, September 13, 2018

Excelente school , love the teachers , they are very nice Close Quote

Schools Near Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				NGSS Science (2026)		SBAC English Language Arts (2026)				SBAC Mathematics (2026)				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 (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	NGSS Science 5th Grade	NGSS Science 8th 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 5th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 6th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 7th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 8th Grade	Total
Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy	Public	6-8	21 Hunters Lane	Norwalk	06850	Western Connecticut Planning Region	Norwalk School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 847-3557	637	53	12.0	62.5%	62 (9.7%)	100 (15.7%)	423 (66.4%)	30 (4.7%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (3.1%)	17	196^th of 258 public middle schools	24.0%		18.4	193^rd of 252 public middle schools	23.4%	3		27.0		23.9	33.3	34.4		15.1	24.3	18.9	$24,725
West Rocks Middle School	Public	6-8	81 West Rocks Road	Norwalk	06851	Western Connecticut Planning Region	Norwalk School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 899-2970	657	58	11.4	53.7%	114 (17.4%)	90 (13.7%)	413 (62.9%)	18 (2.7%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	20 (3.0%)	43.9	139^th of 258 public middle schools	46.1%		43.4	134^th of 252 public middle schools	46.8%	5		44.8		43.8	53.4	41.5		36.5	42.9	38.8	$22,917
Saxe Middle School	Public	5-8	468 South Ave.	New Canaan	06840	Western Connecticut Planning Region	New Canaan School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 594-4564	1,271	117	10.8		982 (77.3%)	16 (1.3%)	84 (6.6%)	106 (8.3%)	4 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	78 (6.1%)	96.8	1^st of 258 public middle schools	99.6%		96.9	1^st of 252 public middle schools	99.6%		88.9	86.1	92.6	84.6	90.2	88.9	83.9	84.3	89.2	90.2	$26,835
Nathan Hale Middle School	Public	6-8	176 Strawberry Hill Avenue	Norwalk	06851	Western Connecticut Planning Region	Norwalk School District	No	No	No	No	(203) 899-2910	499	48	10.3	55.3%	116 (23.2%)	68 (13.6%)	279 (55.9%)	21 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.0%)	62.7	95^th of 258 public middle schools	63.2%		54.3	112^th of 252 public middle schools	55.6%	17		66.3		52.0	55.3	60.7		45.4	49.7	49.1	$25,236
Roton Middle School	Public	6-8	201 Highland Avenue	Norwalk	06853	Western Connecticut Planning Region	Norwalk School District	No	No	No	No	(203) 899-2930	463	41	11.2	54.4%	112 (24.2%)	50 (10.8%)	264 (57.0%)	13 (2.8%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	21 (4.5%)	45.8	135^th of 258 public middle schools	47.7%		50.6	121^st of 252 public middle schools	52.0%	14		55.0		41.3	46.6	48.6		30.7	40.5	46.9	$25,040
Middlesex Middle School	Public	6-8	204 Hollow Tree Ridge Rd.	Darien	06820	Western Connecticut Planning Region	Darien School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 655-2518	1,043	105	9.9	1.6%	827 (79.3%)	9 (0.9%)	72 (6.9%)	79 (7.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	55 (5.3%)	94.4	6^th of 258 public middle schools	97.7%		95.3	6^th of 252 public middle schools	97.6%			85.0		78.2	82.6	85.0		80.1	80.2	79.3	$23,525
Dolan School	Public	6-8	51 Toms Rd.	Stamford	06906	Western Connecticut Planning Region	Stamford School District	No	No	No	No	(203) 977-4441	577	53	10.8	59.3%	100 (17.3%)	74 (12.8%)	362 (62.7%)	14 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (4.7%)	17.8	195^th of 258 public middle schools	24.4%		19.1	190^th of 252 public middle schools	24.6%	5		30.1		29.0	31.1	30.3		20.7	23.2	19.1	$22,999
Middlebrook School	Public	6-8	131 School Rd.	Wilton	06897	Western Connecticut Planning Region	Wilton School District	No	No	No	No	(203) 762-8388	852	76	11.2	7.7%	615 (72.2%)	6 (0.7%)	68 (8.0%)	104 (12.2%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	56 (6.6%)	95.4	4^th of 258 public middle schools	98.4%		94.7	7^th of 252 public middle schools	97.2%	3		87.0		79.5	83.5	83.5		80.2	86.4	89.4	$24,936
Turn of River School	Public	6-8	117 Vine Rd.	Stamford	06905	Western Connecticut Planning Region	Stamford School District	No	No	No	No	(203) 977-4284	560	54	10.3	58.8%	125 (22.3%)	64 (11.4%)	324 (57.9%)	24 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.5%)	20 (3.6%)	19.1	191^st of 258 public middle schools	26.0%		17.3	195^th of 252 public middle schools	22.6%	4		28.7		28.9	31.4	30.8		26.5	21.4	24.6	$24,465
Coleytown Middle School	Public	6-8	255 North Ave.	Westport	06880	Western Connecticut Planning Region	Westport School District	No	No	No	No	(203) 341-1610	484	47	10.2	2.5%	364 (75.2%)	11 (2.3%)	37 (7.6%)	32 (6.6%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	37 (7.6%)	95	5^th of 258 public middle schools	98.1%		95.7	5^th of 252 public middle schools	98.0%			84.4		77.2	88.6	83.3		80.0	86.7	80.0	$27,339

Frequently Asked Questions about Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy

What high school do graduates of Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy attend?

Students who attend Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy usually go on to attend Brien McMahon High School

Is Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy a good school?

Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy ranks in the bottom 24.0% of Connecticut middle schools.

How many students attend Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy?

In the 2024-25 school year, 637 students attended Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy.

What is the racial makeup of Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy?

Students at Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy are 66% Hispanic, 16% African American, 10% White, 5% Asian, 3% Two or more races.

What district is Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy in?

Norwalk School District

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Latest Connecticut data All new data »

2024–25 through 2025–26 attendance data & graduation ratesAug 31, 2026

2025–26 NGSS, SAT & SBAC test scoresAug 31, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataApr 2, 2026

2024–25 attendance dataNov 6, 2025

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.