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Hampden County – 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.
 
Gateway School District
Monson School District  
Palmer School District  
Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District  
Ludlow School District  
East Longmeadow School District  
Longmeadow School District  
Hampden-Wilbraham School District  
Agawam School District  
West Springfield School District  
Westfield School District  
Holyoke School District  
Chicopee School District  
Springfield 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
66
2,171
11.31

1,914
1,647
1,673
1,702
1,625
1,758
1,716
1,488
1,488
1,538
1,991
1,847
1,599
1,592
23,578
115
0
853
24,546

1,852
4,165
410
16,402
25
6
810

135
79
1,304
653
0
2,171

16
39
0
55

178
256
12
370
23
38
24
853
1,742

45
121
178

144
144
PK-12
15
615
11.54

336
441
401
428
489
531
473
488
514
508
545
606
538
509
6,807
0
0
292
7,099

2,980
394
123
3,033
7
4
257

21
31
377
186
0
615

17
12
0
29

50
59
5
107
3
7
8
292
525

14
33
51

32
32
PK-12
10
419
12.14

339
338
320
324
345
333
329
320
354
329
380
402
376
409
4,898
0
0
187
5,085

598
199
27
3,979
0
1
92

18
26
247
128
0
419

17
10
0
27

61
36
6
113
3
8
3
187
410

13
43
62

77
77
PK-12
12
419
11.88

205
278
309
330
328
352
360
326
352
369
377
406
410
394
4,796
12
0
169
4,977

3,412
93
137
952
3
1
205

12
21
238
148
0
419

6
10
0
16

31
21
2
86
4
1
3
169
314

13
19
34

5
5
PK-12
8
344
11.97

125
245
287
273
307
299
296
290
318
318
335
300
286
268
3,947
19
0
152
4,118

2,319
204
286
927
1
3
213

10
17
221
96
0
344

5
6
0
11

19
21
2
63
3
2
5
152
264

6
13
21

9
9
PK-12
8
278
13.16

150
230
248
249
250
272
264
240
288
263
284
283
244
235
3,500
4
0
156
3,660

2,748
88
119
440
5
2
96

6
16
178
78
0
278

4
5
0
9

17
21
2
78
6
7
3
156
287

11
8
21

12
12
PK-12
6
204
14.37

77
188
190
201
183
204
199
192
216
206
236
263
244
238
2,837
0
0
95
2,932

2,263
104
66
272
2
2
127

5
11
120
68
0
204

1
5
0
6

12
11
1
38
1
6
5
95
167

5
11
17

10
10
PK-12
6
245
11.67

73
171
199
202
179
193
215
216
218
196
228
236
225
222
2,773
0
0
86
2,859

2,024
102
290
219
0
3
129

4
13
157
71
0
245

2
6
0
8

13
16
0
28
1
7
3
86
154

5
8
13

5
5
PK-12
5
200
12.94

57
157
165
183
183
194
183
210
198
206
181
198
181
206
2,502
5
0
80
2,587

1,828
98
134
338
3
1
104

4
8
120
68
0
200

6
4
0
10

10
18
1
36
0
0
4
80
149

3
4
8

7
7
PK-12
4
195
11.98

97
134
128
140
163
165
149
181
180
171
181
204
190
170
2,253
5
0
79
2,337

1,749
42
37
362
0
0
67

8
11
106
70
0
195

2
5
0
7

12
11
1
34
2
5
4
79
147

5
11
17

2
2
PK-12
3
119
11.45

43
85
99
93
87
98
102
94
110
116
93
107
91
96
1,314
1
0
48
1,363

1,150
15
19
90
3
0
38

2
9
75
33
0
119

0
3
0
3

7
10
1
18
1
2
2
48
87

5
5
11

6
6
PK-12
2
102
11.15

54
87
84
90
109
61
91
105
90
81
46
56
72
58
1,084
1
0
53
1,138

794
22
25
188
1
0
55

3
7
68
24
0
102

0
1
0
1

6
11
0
20
0
3
2
53
95

3
6
9

2
2
PK-12
3
88
9.67

65
60
59
56
69
74
71
58
67
70
47
37
31
38
802
5
0
44
851

687
11
10
71
3
1
22

4
7
56
21
0
88

3
2
0
5

6
8
0
9
0
2
0
44
69

4
3
7

1
1
PK-12
4
80
9.85

60
54
64
53
48
53
62
70
62
64
49
37
31
43
750
2
0
36
788

687
3
1
45
1
1
13

4
4
49
23
0
80

0
2
0
2

5
3
1
20
1
3
1
36
69

3
7
11

0
0


Sources: STI: PopStats and STI: Colossus