Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 10 schools in district

Ridge Hill School

120 Carew Rd., Hamden, CT 06517Hamden School District →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–06Non-Charter
294
Students
Total enrolled
$33,145
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 131% vs nat'l
11.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 24% vs nat'l
42/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 16% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 294 students in grades PK–06 in Hamden, Connecticut.
131% above average funding
District spends $33,145 per pupil, 131% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 42th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Ridge Hill School is a mid-sized elementary in Hamden, Connecticut, serving grades PK–06 with 294 students. The district invests $33,145 per student — 131% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 11.8:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 56% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at Ridge Hill School

294
Total Students
11.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
56%
Free Lunch
25
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–06) are served by this school
Gender Distribution135 male · 159 female
46%
54%
Male 46%Female 54%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility56%
National avg 52% · 164 students
Student Composition
9%
31%
27%
26%
Asian9%
White31%
Hispanic / Latino27%
Black26%
Multiracial7%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 090186000345

Academic Outcomes at Ridge Hill School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
42
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 42th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 40th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 06517

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$33,145Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$33,145
State avg
$28,931
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$14,584
Student Support$6,298
Administration$3,977
Operations$4,972
Other$3,314
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $33,145 spent per student, an estimated $14,683 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
32%
62%
State government
31.5%
Local (property tax)
61.6%
Federal programs
6.8%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $33,145/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 11.8:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Bear Path SchoolSpring Glen SchoolHelen Street SchoolWest Woods School
+3 more
↓
Middle
Hamden Middle School
↓
High School
Hamden High School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 06
Location—
CountySouth Central Connecticut Planning Region
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictHamden School District →
Phone: (203)407-2035
NCES ID: 090186000345
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Hamden seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Hamden School District
High
Hamden High School
1,672 students · 09–12
● 48 opp39% FRL
Mid
Hamden Middle School
811 students · 07–08
● 57 opp39% FRL
Elem
Bear Path School
406 students · KG–06
● 48 opp32% FRL
Elem
Spring Glen School
370 students · KG–06
● 42 opp24% FRL
Elem
Helen Street School
325 students · PK–06
● 48 opp62% FRL
Elem
West Woods School
294 students · KG–06
● 57 opp25% FRL
Elem
Shepherd Glen School
288 students · KG–06
● 48 opp56% FRL
Elem
Church Street School
277 students · PK–06
● 48 opp68% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
120 Carew Rd., Hamden, CT 06517
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.