West School

Summary:

West School is an exceptional elementary school located in New Canaan, Connecticut, serving grades PK-4 with a total enrollment of 483 students. As part of the highly-ranked New Canaan School District, which is ranked 1 out of 158 districts in the state, West School has consistently been one of the top-performing elementary schools in Connecticut, ranking within the top 5 schools for several years.

West School's academic performance is truly impressive, with students consistently outperforming the state and district averages in both English Language Arts and Mathematics on the SBAC assessments. For example, in 2023-2024, 89% of 3rd graders and 89.1% of 4th graders at West School were proficient or better in ELA, compared to just 45.9% and 49.4% statewide, respectively. The school also has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 11.5 to 12.8 in recent years, which is lower than the ratios of many nearby schools like Ox Ridge Elementary in Darien.

While West School has a majority white student population (around 80%), it is more racially diverse than some of the other nearby schools, such as those in the Stamford School District. Additionally, West School has an extremely low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, at around 0.6% in recent years, significantly lower than the state and district averages. This suggests that the student population comes from relatively high-income families, which likely contributes to the school's exceptional academic performance.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-4

769 Ponus Ridge
New Canaan, CT 06840

(203) 594-4410

District: New Canaan School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
5^th of 497 Connecticut Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $24,226

Students who attend West School usually attend:

Middle:	Saxe Middle School
High:	New Canaan High School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.8

Number of students: 499

Racial breakdown:

White:

80.8%

Two or more races:

7.0%

Asian:

5.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 0.6%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details West School ranks better than 99% of elementary schools in Connecticut. It also ranks 2^nd among 3 ranked elementary schools in the New Canaan School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 94.72. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details West School has the smallest elementary school student body size in the New Canaan School District. Racial makeup is: White (80.8%), two or more races (7%), Asian (5.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at West School is 12.8, which is the highest among 3 elementary schools in the New Canaan School District! (See more...)

Compare West School employs 38.9 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at West School is $24,226. 1 elementary schools in the New Canaan School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

West School:

SchoolDigger ranks West School 5^th of 497 Connecticut public elementary schools. (See West School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

New Canaan School District:

SchoolDigger ranks New Canaan School District 1^st of 158 Connecticut school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for West School

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Rank History for all students at West School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CT State Percentile
2006	86.48	11^th	570	98.1%
2007	82.96	39^th	568	93.1%
2008	87.42	1^st	565	99.8%
2009	87.35	1^st	566	99.8%
2010	89.40	1^st	579	99.8%
2011	87.82	2^nd	565	99.6%
2012	86.69	1^st	564	99.8%
2013	87.66	2^nd	557	99.6%
2015	94.31	4^th	551	99.3%
2016	94.65	3^rd	518	99.4%
2017	95.35	1^st	519	99.8%
2018	95.90	1^st	532	99.8%
2019	92.66	15^th	522	97.1%
2021	97.35	1^st	538	99.8%
2022	96.41	1^st	490	99.8%
2023	94.65	4^th	491	99.2%
2024	94.72	5^th	497	99.0%

See the entire list of Connecticut Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Female students at West School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CT State Percentile
2021	96.72	1^st	455	99.8%
2023	90.39	5^th	230	97.8%
2024	91.30	4^th	237	98.3%

See the entire list of Best Connecticut Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at West School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CT State Percentile
2019	92.96	2^nd	247	99.2%
2021	96.66	3^rd	445	99.3%
2023	93.68	3^rd	231	98.7%
2024	93.03	2^nd	233	99.1%

See the entire list of Best Connecticut Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at West School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CT State Percentile
2018	95.73	1^st	296	99.7%
2019	87.88	16^th	295	94.6%
2021	94.69	3^rd	327	99.1%
2022	95.03	1^st	252	99.6%
2023	91.01	6^th	262	97.7%
2024	92.44	4^th	250	98.4%

See the entire list of Best Connecticut Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Connecticut State Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Connecticut State Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:
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Enrollment information for West School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	356	1	3	3	0	n/a	n/a	363
1989	352	0	3	2	0	n/a	n/a	357
1990	357	n/a	3	2	n/a	n/a	n/a	362
1991	374	4	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	381
1992	376	4	3	3	0	n/a	n/a	386
1993	426	3	9	3	0	n/a	n/a	441
1994	436	4	14	3	0	n/a	n/a	457
1995	468	1	13	4	0	n/a	n/a	486
1996	468	1	13	4	0	n/a	n/a	486
1997	494	0	10	4	0	n/a	n/a	508
1998	532	0	8	3	0	n/a	n/a	543
1999	590	0	3	3	0	n/a	n/a	596
2000	616	0	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	617
2001	534	0	13	8	0	n/a	n/a	555
2002	519	0	10	3	0	n/a	n/a	532
2003	519	0	10	3	0	n/a	n/a	532
2004	498	0	7	5	0	n/a	n/a	510
2005	520	3	5	2	0	n/a	n/a	530
2006	607	0	7	3	0	n/a	n/a	617
2007	518	0	5	4	0	n/a	n/a	527
2008	506	3	7	9	1	n/a	n/a	526
2009	498	1	8	11	1	n/a	n/a	519
2010	469	1	12	10	0	n/a	n/a	492
2011	454	1	18	14	0	0	6	493
2012	470	1	16	17	1	1	5	511
2013	489	2	21	12	1	1	5	531
2014	488	2	21	18	1	1	6	537
2015	494	2	25	18	1	0	7	547
2016	496	2	27	15	1	1	5	547
2017	466	2	33	14	0	0	9	524
2018	438	2	28	15	0	0	8	491
2019	432	4	24	14	0	0	10	484
2020	398	4	30	11	0	0	18	461
2021	389	3	30	20	0	0	21	463
2022	370	3	28	26	1	0	29	457
2023	388	5	26	25	1	1	37	483
2024	403	5	29	25	1	1	35	499

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at West School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	363	26.0	13.9	n/a
1989	357	26.6	13.4	n/a
1990	362	26.6	13.6	n/a
1991	381	27.0	14.1	n/a
1992	386	29.9	12.9	n/a
1993	441	30.7	14.4	0
1994	457	31.5	14.5	0.4
1995	486	36.1	13.5	0.4
1996	486	36.1	13.5	0.4
1997	508	34.4	14.8	0.2
1998	543	34.5	15.7	0.2
1999	596	35.5	16.8	0.5
2000	617	44.4	13.9	0
2001	555	40.8	13.6	n/a
2002	532	40.7	13.1	0
2003	532	40.7	13.1	0
2004	510	39.9	12.8	0
2005	530	34.6	15.3	n/a
2006	617	35.9	17.2	0
2007	527	39.9	13.2	0
2008	526	39.6	13.3	n/a
2009	519	48.0	12.5	n/a
2010	492	41.6	11.8	n/a
2011	493	42.4	11.6	n/a
2012	511	44.9	11.3	n/a
2013	531	47.0	11.2	0
2014	537	46.9	11.4	0
2015	547	43.0	12.7	0
2016	547	44.0	12.4	0
2017	524	43.7	11.9	0.6
2018	491	39.8	12.3	0.6
2019	484	35.9	13.4	0.6
2020	461	36.5	12.6	0.7
2021	463	36.1	12.8	0.6
2022	457	37.2	12.2	0.7
2023	483	41.9	11.5	0.6
2024	499	38.9	12.8	n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio West School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	363	26.0	13.9	n/a
1989	357	26.6	13.4	n/a
1990	362	26.6	13.6	n/a
1991	381	27.0	14.1	n/a
1992	386	29.9	12.9	n/a
1993	441	30.7	14.4	0
1994	457	31.5	14.5	0.4
1995	486	36.1	13.5	0.4
1996	486	36.1	13.5	0.4
1997	508	34.4	14.8	0.2
1998	543	34.5	15.7	0.2
1999	596	35.5	16.8	0.5
2000	617	44.4	13.9	0
2001	555	40.8	13.6	n/a
2002	532	40.7	13.1	0
2003	532	40.7	13.1	0
2004	510	39.9	12.8	0
2005	530	34.6	15.3	n/a
2006	617	35.9	17.2	0
2007	527	39.9	13.2	0
2008	526	39.6	13.3	n/a
2009	519	48.0	12.5	n/a
2010	492	41.6	11.8	n/a
2011	493	42.4	11.6	n/a
2012	511	44.9	11.3	n/a
2013	531	47.0	11.2	0
2014	537	46.9	11.4	0
2015	547	43.0	12.7	0
2016	547	44.0	12.4	0
2017	524	43.7	11.9	0.6
2018	491	39.8	12.3	0.6
2019	484	35.9	13.4	0.6
2020	461	36.5	12.6	0.7
2021	463	36.1	12.8	0.6
2022	457	37.2	12.2	0.7
2023	483	41.9	11.5	0.6
2024	499	38.9	12.8	n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for West School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$20,718
2019	$23,074
2020	$23,046
2021	$23,434
2022	$23,487
2023	$24,226

Data source: Connecticut Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on West School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 15^th of 522 Elementary schools	Ranks 4^th of 491 Elementary schools	2.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (West School)	82.1	81.6	0.5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (New Canaan School District)	88.4	78.8	9.6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Connecticut)	54.3	45.5	8.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (West School)	84.2	89.7	5.5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (New Canaan School District)	90	86.1	3.9%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Connecticut)	55	49.8	5.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (West School)	89.7	85.4	4.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (New Canaan School District)	88	88.3	0.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Connecticut)	54.6	48.8	5.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (West School)	95.3	89	6.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (New Canaan School District)	91.9	91	0.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Connecticut)	52.5	48.3	4.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	484	483	0.2%
African American	4	5	25%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	24	26	8.3%
Hispanic	14	25	78.6%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	432	388	10.2%
Two or More Races	10	37	270%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	0.6%	0.6%	0%

Schools Near West School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				NGSS Science (2024)	SBAC English Language Arts (2024)			SBAC Mathematics (2024)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	NGSS Science 5th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 3rd Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 4th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 5th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 3rd Grade	SBAC Mathematics 4th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 5th Grade	Total
West School	Public	PK, KG-4	769 Ponus Ridge	New Canaan	06840	Fairfield County	New Canaan School District	No	No	No	No	(203) 594-4410	499	39	12.8		403 (80.8%)	5 (1.0%)	25 (5.0%)	29 (5.8%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	35 (7.0%)	94.7	5^th of 497 public elementary schools	99.0%		94.6	4^th of 491 public elementary schools	99.2%	1		89.0	89.1		85.7	85.9		$24,226
Northeast School	Public	K-5	82 Scofieldtown Rd.	Stamford	06903	Fairfield County	Stamford School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 977-4469	475	44	10.8	41.7%	191 (40.2%)	56 (11.8%)	185 (38.9%)	12 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	29 (6.1%)	30.3	323^rd of 497 public elementary schools	35.0%		33	316^th of 491 public elementary schools	35.6%	7	46.9	32.3	37.1	41.5	38.5	41.6	35.4	$24,370
South School	Public	K-4	8 Farm Rd.	New Canaan	06840	Fairfield County	New Canaan School District	No	No	No	No	(203) 594-4313	507	45	11.2		397 (78.3%)	3 (0.6%)	40 (7.9%)	33 (6.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (6.5%)	95.2	3^rd of 497 public elementary schools	99.4%		96.5	1^st of 491 public elementary schools	99.8%	2		83.7	89.2		91.8	86.9		$24,613
Davenport Ridge School	Public	K-5	1300 Newfield Ave.	Stamford	06905	Fairfield County	Stamford School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 977-4291	693	51	13.6	39.1%	284 (41.0%)	54 (7.8%)	294 (42.4%)	37 (5.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	23 (3.3%)	31.4	316^th of 497 public elementary schools	36.4%		32.3	319^th of 491 public elementary schools	35.0%	3	42.6	31.5	45.5	39.5	37.3	45.5	37.7	$19,264
East School	Public	K-4	54 Little Brook Rd.	New Canaan	06840	Fairfield County	New Canaan School District	No	No	No	No	(203) 594-4219	570	46	12.2		450 (78.9%)	12 (2.1%)	47 (8.2%)	34 (6.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (4.7%)	94.5	7^th of 497 public elementary schools	98.6%		88.9	48^th of 491 public elementary schools	90.2%	41		89.6	86.4		93.0	80.5		$22,525
Springdale School	Public	K-5	1127 Hope St.	Stamford	06907	Fairfield County	Stamford School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 977-4575	580	48	12.1	53.8%	152 (26.2%)	71 (12.2%)	310 (53.4%)	21 (3.6%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (4.0%)	20.4	365^th of 497 public elementary schools	26.6%		20.7	360^th of 491 public elementary schools	26.7%	5	30.7	19.3	39.3	39.8	36.1	28.1	29.5	$20,257
Ox Ridge Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	395 Mansfield Ave.	Darien	06820	Fairfield County	Darien School District	No	No	No	No	(203) 655-2579	598	45	13.3		484 (80.9%)	6 (1.0%)	46 (7.7%)	31 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (5.2%)	92	17^th of 497 public elementary schools	96.6%		89.9	38^th of 491 public elementary schools	92.3%	21	82.1	78.7	77.8	88.5	87.2	80.0	83.3	$23,150
Newfield School	Public	K-5	345 Pepper Ridge Rd.	Stamford	06905	Fairfield County	Stamford School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 977-4282	543	47	11.5	48.6%	134 (24.7%)	79 (14.5%)	283 (52.1%)	22 (4.1%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (4.2%)	30.8	319^th of 497 public elementary schools	35.8%		30.7	323^rd of 491 public elementary schools	34.2%	4	40.5	50.0	34.3	32.1	50.0	36.4	33.3	$22,037
Roxbury School	Public	K-5	751 Westhill Rd.	Stamford	06902	Fairfield County	Stamford School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 977-4287	545	51	10.7	54.7%	122 (22.4%)	70 (12.8%)	303 (55.6%)	30 (5.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (3.5%)	25.1	352^nd of 497 public elementary schools	29.2%		27.2	335^th of 491 public elementary schools	31.8%	17	42.9	32.4	26.7	39.3	47.9	27.7	34.5	$22,777
Fox Run Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	228 Fillow Street	Norwalk	06850	Fairfield County	Norwalk School District	No	No	No	No	(203) 899-2860	370	31	11.8	50.8%	91 (24.6%)	61 (16.5%)	185 (50.0%)	12 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (5.7%)	27.5	339^th of 497 public elementary schools	31.8%		33.3	313^th of 491 public elementary schools	36.3%	26	31.0	50.8	35.5	35.2	51.7	23.3	28.2	$25,960

Frequently Asked Questions about West School

Is West School a good school?

Yes! West School is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 5^th of 497 Connecticut elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of West School attend?

Students who attend West School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Saxe Middle School
High : New Canaan High School

What district is West School in?

New Canaan School District

What is the racial makeup of West School?

Students at West School are 81% White, 7% Two or more races, 6% Asian, 5% Hispanic, 1% African American.

How many students attend West School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 499 students attended West School.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Connecticut Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.