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Forest School

Public Grades PK, KG-4

378^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 493 Connecticut Elementary Schools

Better than 23% of Connecticut elementary schools

Summary

Forest School is an elementary school located in West Haven, Connecticut, serving grades PK-4 with a total enrollment of 439 students. The school is part of the West Haven School District, which is ranked 119 out of 156 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. Forest School has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Connecticut elementary schools, with a ranking between 310 and 415 over the past 10 years and a 1- or 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Forest School has several key metrics that differentiate it from other schools in the area. The school has had high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 17.7% to 27.0% in recent years, which is significantly higher than the state average. Additionally, Forest School's proficiency rates on the SBAC English Language Arts and Mathematics assessments are consistently lower than the West Haven School District and Connecticut state averages. For example, in 2024-2025, only 33.3% of 3rd graders and 27.1% of 4th graders at Forest School were proficient in ELA, compared to 38.1% and 44% for the district, and 46.9% and 51.4% for the state. The school also has a high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 65.83% to 67.8% in recent years.

When comparing Forest School to the nearby schools in the New Haven School District, such as Truman School, John C. Daniels, and Mauro-Sheridan Magnet School, it becomes clear that Forest School is performing significantly worse than its peers. These nearby schools have higher test scores, lower chronic absenteeism rates, and serve a similar demographic of students. The high rates of chronic absenteeism and free/reduced lunch eligibility at Forest School suggest that socioeconomic factors may be playing a significant role in the school's academic performance, and the school's low ranking within the district and the state indicates that there may be systemic issues that need to be addressed.

428

Students ?

10.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$23,065

Per pupil spending ?

62.9%

Free/discounted lunch ?

95 Burwell Rd.
West Haven, CT 06516

(203) 931-6800

District: West Haven School District

Students who attend Forest School usually attend:

Middle:	Carrigan 5/6 Intermediate School
	Harry M. Bailey Middle School
High:	West Haven High School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

49.5%

African American:

28.0%

White:

14.7%

See top rated Connecticut elementary schools

Compare Forest School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 33rd percentile in 2015 → 23rd in 2025

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 11 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Connecticut average (32% vs 50% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (23rd percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (24% vs 17% Connecticut)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school32%

District avg44%

Connecticut avg50%

378^th of 493

Connecticut public elementary schools ?

Bottom 23%▼ down 10 pts since 2015

From bottom 33% (2015) to bottom 23% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Connecticut Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

5^th of 5Elementary Schools in the West Haven School District

119^th of 156West Haven 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
2025	18.3	378 of 493	23.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	28.5	334 of 497	32.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	17.6	376 of 491	23.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	17.3	377 of 490	23.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	21.1	415 of 538	22.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	24.6	398 of 522	23.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	21.0	413 of 532	22.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	40.3	310 of 519	40.3%	★★☆☆☆
2016	30.7	353 of 518	31.9%	★★☆☆☆
2015	38.8	368 of 551	33.2%	★★☆☆☆
2013	15.2	491 of 557	11.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	22.2	472 of 564	16.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	36.1	428 of 565	24.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	40.3	424 of 579	26.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	43.0	406 of 566	28.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	45.8	383 of 565	32.2%	★★☆☆☆
2007	30.2	450 of 568	20.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	34.3	432 of 570	24.2%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2024	61.6	2 of 3	33.3%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2023	11.0	206 of 230	10.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	16.0	372 of 455	18.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2025	37.5	75 of 132	43.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	44.6	55 of 111	50.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	43.2	55 of 99	44.4%	★★☆☆☆
2021	59.1	58 of 173	66.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	55.5	43 of 101	57.4%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2025	42.7	43 of 77	44.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	47.1	153 of 302	49.3%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2021	19.2	352 of 445	20.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2021	41.3	219 of 371	41.0%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)44th percentile+21 vs school

Hispanic (2025)43rd percentile+20 vs school

Special Education (2021)41st percentile+18 vs school

English Language Learner (2024)33rd percentile~ school

Male (2021)21st percentile~ school

Female (2023)10th percentile-13 vs school

By subject vs Connecticut (2024-2025) ?

Mathematics35%-16 vs state

English Language Arts30%-19 vs state

★

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Schools Near Forest School

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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 (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 5th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 6th Grade	Total
Forest School	Public	PK, KG-4	95 Burwell Rd.	West Haven	06516	South Central Connecticut Planning Region	West Haven School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 931-6800	428	39	10.9	62.9%	63 (14.7%)	120 (28.0%)	212 (49.5%)	16 (3.7%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	15 (3.5%)	18.3	378^th of 493 public elementary schools	23.3%		28.5	334^th of 497 public elementary schools	32.8%	44			33.3	27.1						35.3			$23,065
Barnard Environmental Magnet School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-8	170 Derby Ave.	New Haven	06511	South Central Connecticut Planning Region	New Haven School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(475) 220-3500	496	30	16.4	76.8%	50 (10.1%)	181 (36.5%)	156 (31.5%)	79 (15.9%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (5.4%)	11.8	418^th of 493 public elementary schools	15.2%		6.3	475^th of 497 public elementary schools	4.4%	57	26.4		23.5		24.5	20.8	26.1		31.4				$19,448
Edgewood School	Public	K-8	737 Edgewood Ave.	New Haven	06515	South Central Connecticut Planning Region	New Haven School District	No	No	No	No	(475) 220-8000	397	27	14.9	59.9%	88 (22.2%)	171 (43.1%)	94 (23.7%)	15 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (7.3%)	19.2	373^rd of 493 public elementary schools	24.3%		14.3	399^th of 497 public elementary schools	19.7%	26	40.7		29.8			26.8	38.6		34.0	25.0	25.9	22.0	$17,725
Truman School	Public	PK, KG-8	114 Truman St.	New Haven	06519	South Central Connecticut Planning Region	New Haven School District	No	No	No	Yes	(475) 220-2100	460	33	13.9	77.4%	11 (2.4%)	36 (7.8%)	375 (81.5%)	20 (4.3%)	2 (0.4%)	3 (0.7%)	13 (2.8%)	6	475^th of 493 public elementary schools	3.7%		7.2	462^nd of 497 public elementary schools	7.0%	13	17.3	16.4				13.0	17.0		18.4	16.3	13.5		$18,050
Washington School	Public	PK, KG-4	255 Meloy Road	West Haven	06516	South Central Connecticut Planning Region	West Haven School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 931-6880	321	34	9.4	67.3%	71 (22.1%)	54 (16.8%)	148 (46.1%)	21 (6.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (8.1%)								(n/a)				37.7						37.7			$19,340
John C. Daniels	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-8	569 Congress Ave.	New Haven	06519	South Central Connecticut Planning Region	New Haven School District	No	Yes	No	No	(475) 220-3600	522	38	13.7	72.2%	25 (4.8%)	54 (10.3%)	424 (81.2%)	5 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.7%)	8.7	448^th of 493 public elementary schools	9.1%		8	455^th of 497 public elementary schools	8.5%	7	31.9	20.4	19.2			17.0			17.3	12.5	14.9	14.9	$20,940
Augusta Lewis Troup School	Public	PK, KG-8	259 Edgewood Ave.	New Haven	06511	South Central Connecticut Planning Region	New Haven School District	No	No	No	Yes	(475) 220-3000	300	31	9.6	87.7%	14 (4.7%)	140 (46.7%)	107 (35.7%)	13 (4.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (8.3%)								(n/a)							20.0		20.0				$20,161
Hill Central Music Academy	Public	PK, KG-8	140 Dewitt St.	New Haven	06519	South Central Connecticut Planning Region	New Haven School District	No	No	No	Yes	(475) 220-6100	430	29	14.8	83.3%	14 (3.3%)	69 (16.0%)	327 (76.0%)	15 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.2%)								(n/a)		12.0			16.3			11.3					$19,610
Roberto Clemente Leadership Academy for Global Awareness	Public	K-8	360 Columbus Avenue	New Haven	06519	South Central Connecticut Planning Region	New Haven School District	No	No	No	Yes	(475) 220-7600	434	33	12.9	84.8%	41 (9.4%)	76 (17.5%)	225 (51.8%)	71 (16.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.6%)								(n/a)						10.9							$19,556
Race Brook School	Public	1-6	107 Grannis Rd.	Orange	06477	South Central Connecticut Planning Region	Orange School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 891-8030	375	33	11.3	18.4%	251 (66.9%)	16 (4.3%)	37 (9.9%)	60 (16.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.9%)	81.7	90^th of 493 public elementary schools	81.7%		79.2	118^th of 497 public elementary schools	76.3%	28			65.7	70.5	72.7	79.0			73.1	67.2	68.2	69.4	$20,400

Frequently Asked Questions about Forest School

What district is Forest School in?

West Haven School District

How many students attend Forest School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 428 students attended Forest School.

Is Forest School a good school?

Forest School ranks in the bottom 23.3% of Connecticut elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of Forest School attend?

Students who attend Forest School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Carrigan 5/6 Intermediate School
Middle : Harry M. Bailey Middle School
High : West Haven High School

What is the racial makeup of Forest School?

Students at Forest School are 50% Hispanic, 28% African American, 15% White, 4% Asian, 4% Two or more races.

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Latest Connecticut data All new data »

2024–25 school spending dataApr 2, 2026

2024–25 attendance dataNov 6, 2025

2023–24 school spending dataSep 25, 2025

2023–24 graduation ratesSep 23, 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.