Summary:
Zip code 06607 in Bridgeport, CT is served by two public elementary schools—Jettie S. Tisdale School and Paul Laurence Dunbar School—both covering grades PK–8 within the Bridgeport School District, a district ranked near the bottom of Connecticut’s 153 districts.
These are high-poverty schools, with roughly 92% of students at each eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. Chronic absenteeism is a major concern: Tisdale’s rate is 34.9%, while Dunbar’s hits 40.5%—more than double the state average of 16.4%. Academically, Tisdale is clearly the stronger school. It outperforms the district in several areas, including 8th grade math (27.1% proficient vs. a 17.0% district rate) and 7th grade ELA (29.9% vs. 24.1%). Tisdale also benefits from a lower student-teacher ratio (11.8 vs. 16.2) and higher per-student spending ($16,267 vs. $13,271), which may help explain its better outcomes. Dunbar, by contrast, shows extreme warning signs: in 2024–2025, its 4th grade math proficiency was 0%—no tested student scored proficient—while its most recent rankings placed it near the bottom of the state (517 out of 519 in 2016–2017).
For parents, the takeaway is that Tisdale is the higher-performing option, with more recent data, better attendance, smaller classes, and some bright spots relative to the district. Dunbar is struggling more severely, with absenteeism above 40% and almost no recent testing data available. Both schools remain far below Connecticut state averages in ELA, math, and science, where proficiency rates typically sit around 50%. If you are choosing between the two, Tisdale’s stronger resources and results make it the more stable choice, though families should consider that both schools face the challenges common to high-poverty urban districts.
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