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Western Connecticut Planning Region – School Districts 2023-2024

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Public school systems play a crucial role in shaping local economies, influencing everything from property values to workforce development. The economic impact of local public schools extends far beyond education, affecting businesses, government budgets, and community well-being. Below are key ways in which public schools contribute to local economic health.

  1. Boosting Property Values and Municipal Revenue A strong public school system increases demand for housing in the district, driving up property values. Studies consistently show that homes in high-performing school districts command higher prices than comparable homes in weaker districts. Higher property values, in turn, generate more property tax revenue for local governments, which can be reinvested in infrastructure, public safety, and other community services.

    Additionally, businesses are more likely to establish themselves in areas with well-regarded schools, knowing that educated communities attract skilled workers and stable families. This creates a positive feedback loop where better schools lead to economic growth, which then further supports school funding.

  2. Workforce Development and Economic Competitiveness Public schools are the primary source of skilled labor for local industries. By providing foundational education, vocational training, and college preparation, schools ensure that businesses have access to qualified employees. Areas with strong school systems tend to have lower unemployment rates and higher average incomes because educated workers are more productive and adaptable to changing job markets.

    Investments in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) programs, career and technical education (CTE), and partnerships with local businesses further enhance workforce readiness. Companies often consider school quality when deciding where to locate, as they need a pipeline of talent to sustain operations.

  3. Direct Employment and Local Spending Public schools are among the largest employers in many communities, providing jobs for teachers, administrators, custodians, and support staff. These employees spend their salaries locally, supporting restaurants, retail stores, and service providers. The multiplier effect means that every dollar spent on school payroll circulates through the economy multiple times, stimulating additional business activity.

    Beyond salaries, schools also contribute to local economies through construction projects (e.g., building new facilities or renovating old ones), purchasing supplies from area vendors, and contracting services like transportation and food supply. These expenditures create jobs and generate tax revenue.

  4. Reducing Long-Term Public Costs Quality education correlates with lower crime rates, reduced reliance on social welfare programs, and better public health outcomes. Students who graduate from strong school systems are less likely to require government assistance, engage in criminal activity, or face chronic unemployment. This reduces the burden on taxpayers, who would otherwise fund prisons, healthcare for the uninsured, and social services.

    Early childhood education programs, in particular, have been shown to yield high long-term returns by improving graduation rates and future earnings while decreasing incarceration costs.

  5. Attracting and Retaining Families and Businesses Families with children prioritize school quality when choosing where to live. Communities with reputable schools experience population growth, which sustains local businesses and services. Conversely, declining school performance can lead to outmigration, shrinking the tax base and harming economic vitality.

    Similarly, corporations evaluating relocation opportunities assess school systems to ensure employees will have access to good education for their children. A weak school system can deter investment, while a strong one can attract high-paying jobs and stimulate economic diversification.

Conclusion

The local public school system is not just an educational institution but a cornerstone of economic stability and growth. By enhancing property values, developing a skilled workforce, employing residents, reducing public costs, and attracting businesses, schools create a thriving economic ecosystem. Policymakers and community leaders must recognize that investing in education yields broad economic benefits, making it one of the most impactful ways to ensure long-term prosperity.

The following report contains those school districts that are completely or partially within the county. The school districts are sorted in a left to right order based on the number of students that are estimated to live in the county, although they may actually attend a school outside the county boundary. Except where noted all figures are for the entire disctrict population and not just that portion that are in the county.

Where available, the district's name contains a link to that district's website.
 
New Fairfield School District
Weston School District  
Brookfield School District  
Bethel School District  
New Milford School District  
Wilton School District  
Newtown School District  
New Canaan School District  
Ridgefield School District  
Darien School District  
Westport School District  
Greenwich School District  
Norwalk School District  
Danbury School District  
Stamford School District  
Grade Span of Agency
Number of Schools
Total Classroom Teachers
Student/Teachers

    Prekindergarten
    Kindergarten
    Grade 1
    Grade 2
    Grade 3
    Grade 4
    Grade 5
    Grade 6
    Grade 7
    Grade 8
    Grade 9
    Grade 10
    Grade 11
    Grade 12
PK thru 12 Students
Ungraded Students
Adult Education and Other Students
Special Ed IEP Students
Total Students

White
Black
Asian
Hispanic
Native American
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
Undefined or Multiple Races

Prekindergarten Teachers
Kindergarten Teachers
Elementary Teachers
Secondary Teachers
Ungraded Class Teachers
Total FTE Teachers

Elementary School Counselors
Secondary School Counselors
School Counselors
Total Counselors

School Administrators
School Administrative Support Staff
Instr. Coord. and Super. to Staff
Student Support Services Staff
Librarians/media specialists
Library/Media Support Staff
School Psychologists
Paraprofessionals/Instructional Aides
Total School Staff

LEA Administrators
LEA Administrative Support Staff
Total LEA Staff

All Other Support Staff
Total Other Staff
PK-12
21
1,396
12.01

304
1,237
1,184
1,220
1,121
1,246
1,203
1,168
1,205
1,200
1,407
1,350
1,290
1,204
16,339
0
0
433
16,772

4,253
2,087
961
8,424
24
15
568

23
75
779
519
0
1,396

13
26
0
39

60
51
97
101
3
1
36
433
684

59
28
184

469
469
PK-12
19
862
14.35

256
882
903
999
903
856
888
905
870
949
1,112
972
871
760
12,126
0
0
245
12,371

2,538
779
543
7,772
26
1
463

14
46
522
280
0
862

9
15
0
24

41
49
60
70
18
0
20
245
442

49
27
136

350
350
PK-12
22
913
13.00

277
820
814
793
749
798
794
823
747
839
1,022
976
1,009
1,059
11,520
0
0
351
11,871

2,591
1,543
424
6,514
18
10
409

11
38
513
351
0
913

24
23
0
47

52
47
143
96
15
2
17
351
579

63
11
217

247
247
PK-12
15
772
11.32

206
634
655
608
611
603
646
607
637
672
665
696
684
665
8,589
0
0
150
8,739

5,096
174
742
2,014
16
3
541

16
27
496
233
0
772

10
18
0
28

43
59
52
38
16
16
28
150
349

23
16
90

187
187
PK-12
8
506
10.86

54
392
395
428
412
365
399
421
386
430
394
414
411
432
5,333
0
0
162
5,495

4,045
114
347
439
3
1
380

8
14
307
177
0
506

6
11
0
17

27
27
32
25
11
9
21
162
282

23
16
70

113
113
PK-12
7
423
11.38

100
337
345
358
345
382
341
337
373
342
352
372
354
343
4,681
0
0
134
4,815

3,780
35
295
331
2
3
234

9
14
253
147
0
423

8
8
0
16

24
21
24
16
8
5
20
134
227

21
14
60

191
191
PK-12
9
372
12.30

55
274
301
328
322
345
350
341
343
338
348
356
383
390
4,474
0
0
103
4,577

3,524
36
281
415
8
1
203

4
9
220
139
0
372

7
7
0
14

20
35
23
19
7
3
15
103
201

17
10
49

166
166
PK-12
5
352
12.01

52
278
304
290
307
346
292
301
351
319
305
320
324
320
4,109
0
0
118
4,227

3,242
54
293
284
7
4
223

3
17
211
121
0
352

7
7
0
14

22
24
33
26
5
3
11
118
209

25
7
65

180
180
PK-12
7
346
11.75

57
275
245
304
287
280
289
294
293
326
298
301
346
356
3,951
0
0
116
4,067

3,162
93
88
533
3
5
65

4
18
199
125
0
346

10
9
0
19

13
32
30
35
8
5
11
116
219

21
11
61

179
179
PK-12
4
326
11.94

83
249
248
275
287
252
285
263
288
291
345
291
308
344
3,809
0
0
84
3,893

2,832
43
425
249
2
2
252

6
9
187
124
0
326

5
7
0
12

12
25
23
15
9
5
11
84
159

15
8
46

113
113
PK-12
5
312
11.83

76
250
251
249
235
257
262
246
277
261
300
297
330
311
3,602
0
0
88
3,690

2,362
120
125
897
8
1
82

5
17
171
119
0
312

10
7
0
17

13
19
18
20
6
5
6
88
156

17
12
47

147
147
PK-12
5
248
13.45

84
219
189
199
205
238
230
252
256
262
259
293
294
269
3,249
0
0
86
3,335

1,801
144
235
875
45
13
132

5
12
137
94
0
248

6
4
0
10

10
17
17
15
4
3
4
86
140

11
8
36

91
91
PK-12
3
204
13.05

38
164
163
192
178
193
180
191
202
199
213
211
225
233
2,582
0
0
81
2,663

1,782
103
203
456
28
2
7

3
3
124
74
0
204

4
5
0
9

12
14
15
18
6
3
5
81
139

13
7
34

91
91
PK-12
4
183
12.24

45
147
128
142
160
163
141
152
186
182
171
183
184
184
2,168
0
0
73
2,241

1,624
30
130
210
3
0
170

3
8
101
71
0
183

3
6
0
9

9
11
12
14
3
4
4
73
118

13
2
27

76
76
PK-12
4
183
12.14

84
146
128
146
138
156
142
173
157
180
160
177
176
191
2,154
0
0
68
2,222

1,621
54
25
381
6
3
64

5
6
102
70
0
183

3
4
0
7

9
11
8
15
2
3
5
68
113

14
9
30

75
75


Sources: STI: PopStats and STI: Colossus