Summary:
Zip code 06605 in Bridgeport, CT is home to three high schools serving roughly 2,058 students across grades 6 through 12: Bassick High School, Great Oaks Charter School, and Bridgeport Military Academy. All three schools serve predominantly low-income families, with free/reduced lunch rates between 82% and 92%, and all rank in the bottom 12% of Connecticut schools. They are split across two districts: Bridgeport School District and Great Oaks Charter School District.
Bridgeport Military Academy is the clear standout. It posts a 93.8% graduation rate — the only school in the group at or above the state average of 91.2% — and has the lowest chronic absenteeism at 25.9%. It also has the most favorable student-teacher ratio (14.2), the best state ranking, and the lowest per-student spending at $13,127. Meanwhile, Bassick High School, the largest school with 1,075 students, struggles the most: a 64.7% graduation rate, chronic absenteeism above 50%, and the weakest test scores in most subjects. It also spends the most per student at $15,453. Great Oaks Charter School falls in between, with a 77.4% graduation rate and low absenteeism similar to Bridgeport Military Academy, but it trails on ELA and has no reported SAT math score.
The biggest takeaway is that school-level factors matter. Bassick and Bridgeport Military Academy serve similar high-poverty populations in the same district, yet Bridgeport Military Academy's graduation rate is 29 points higher and its absenteeism is half that of Bassick. Chronic absenteeism is a major dividing line: Bassick's 50.5% rate is nearly double the other two schools. Higher spending does not guarantee better outcomes — Bassick spends the most yet performs the worst. All three schools remain far below state proficiency averages, especially in science and math. Great Oaks leads in science at 23.1% proficient, but the state average is 50.5%. For parents, Bridgeport Military Academy stands out as the strongest choice based on graduation and attendance, while Bassick represents the highest needs.
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