Sound School

Q: Is Sound School a good school?

Sound School ranks 84 th of 145 Connecticut high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Sound School is a public high school in New Haven, Connecticut, serving 343 students in grades 9-12. It is part of the New Haven School District, which is ranked 149 out of 158 districts in the state and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Sound School has a more diverse student population compared to nearby schools, with a higher percentage of White (44.02%) and Hispanic (38.78%) students. Academically, the school's performance on standardized tests is generally higher than the district average but lower than the state average. For example, 52% of 11th-grade students at Sound School were proficient or better in SAT/English Language Arts, compared to 35.3% for the district and 54.8% for the state. Sound School also has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 8.7 to 9.6 over the past few years, which is lower than most nearby schools.

However, Sound School's statewide ranking has declined in recent years, from 59 out of 132 Connecticut high schools in 2015-2016 to 84 out of 145 in 2023-2024. The school's performance varies significantly among different student subgroups, with Hispanic students ranking 13 out of 63 Connecticut high schools, while White students ranked 148 out of 155. When compared to nearby schools, Sound School generally performs better than lower-ranked schools like James Hillhouse High School and Hill Regional Career High School, but lags behind higher-performing magnet schools like Engineering - Science University Magnet School and Cooperative High School - Inter-District Magnet. This may be due to differences in funding and resources, as Sound School's per-student spending is lower than some of the nearby magnet schools.

Detail:

Public 9-12

60 South Water St.
New Haven, CT 06519

(475) 220-2300

District: New Haven School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
84^th of 145 Connecticut High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $28,519

Student/teacher ratio: 8.7

Number of students: 343

Racial breakdown:

White:

44.0%

Hispanic:

38.8%

African American:

14.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 51.9%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Sound School ranks worse than 57.9% of high schools in Connecticut. It also ranks 2^nd among 7 ranked high schools in the New Haven School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 35.97. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Sound School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

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 Sound School has the largest high school student body size in the New Haven School District. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Sound School is $28,519, which is the highest among 9 high schools in the New Haven School District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Sound School:

SchoolDigger ranks Sound School 84^th of 145 Connecticut public high schools. (See Sound School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Hispanic students:

New Haven School District:

SchoolDigger ranks New Haven School District 149^th of 158 Connecticut school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Sound School

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Rank History for all students at Sound School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CT State Percentile
2007	56.23	111^th	176	36.9%
2008	30.49	139^th	176	21.0%
2009	48.94	115^th	176	34.7%
2010	57.60	108^th	186	41.9%
2011	56.51	111^th	189	41.3%
2012	70.84	74^th	188	60.6%
2013	60.37	103^rd	193	46.6%
2015	45.18	112^th	196	42.9%
2016	55.59	59^th	132	55.3%
2017	42.28	74^th	140	47.1%
2019	37.72	81^st	121	33.1%
2021	19.26	158^th	200	21.0%
2022	15.20	115^th	139	17.3%
2023	34.45	89^th	142	37.3%
2024	35.97	84^th	145	42.1%

See the entire list of Connecticut High School Rankings!

Rank History for Female students at Sound School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CT State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	16.42	157^th	189	16.9%
2023	16.30	83^rd	103	19.4%

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

Rank History for Male students at Sound School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CT State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	21.61	147^th	182	19.2%
2022	5.93	98^th	102	3.9%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Sound School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CT State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	59.62	13^th	63	79.4%

See the entire list of Best Connecticut High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Sound School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CT State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	4.92	148^th	155	4.5%

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

Data source: test scores: Connecticut 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

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Enrollment information for Sound School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1989	60	78	5	39	0	n/a	n/a	182
1990	59	66	1	39	n/a	n/a	n/a	165
1991	50	68	3	42	0	n/a	n/a	163
1992	50	58	4	48	0	n/a	n/a	160
1993	55	64	5	46	0	n/a	n/a	170
1994	59	55	4	53	0	n/a	n/a	171
1997	119	59	3	71	0	n/a	n/a	252
1998	120	59	3	62	0	n/a	n/a	244
1999	140	51	7	64	0	n/a	n/a	262
2000	134	47	4	47	0	n/a	n/a	232
2001	165	40	0	46	0	n/a	n/a	251
2002	199	40	1	64	0	n/a	n/a	304
2003	199	40	1	64	0	n/a	n/a	304
2004	213	36	1	69	1	n/a	n/a	320
2005	219	41	2	56	1	n/a	n/a	319
2006	192	31	3	38	1	n/a	n/a	265
2007	222	39	2	68	1	n/a	n/a	332
2008	231	32	3	63	0	n/a	n/a	329
2009	231	23	3	74	0	n/a	n/a	331
2010	227	23	5	73	0	n/a	n/a	328
2011	226	21	7	66	0	0	0	320
2012	228	27	6	76	0	0	0	337
2013	220	33	6	69	0	0	1	329
2014	209	36	5	81	0	2	1	334
2015	196	37	4	91	0	2	0	330
2016	201	37	4	96	0	1	1	340
2017	192	32	1	106	0	1	1	333
2018	182	37	3	108	0	0	1	331
2019	173	31	2	111	0	0	1	318
2020	159	43	1	130	1	0	1	335
2021	155	39	1	128	1	0	4	328
2022	154	40	0	138	1	0	7	340
2023	151	48	0	133	1	1	9	343

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 Sound School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	182	10.0	18.2	n/a
1990	165	10.0	16.5	n/a
1991	163	9.0	18.1	n/a
1992	160	11.2	14.2	20.6
1993	170	12.2	13.9	1.8
1994	171	13.2	13.0	47.4
1997	252	21.1	11.9	38.9
1998	244	24.2	10.1	28.3
1999	262	26.4	9.9	25.6
2000	232	27.2	8.5	31
2001	251	30.0	8.4	n/a
2002	304	39.0	7.8	28.6
2003	304	39.0	7.8	28.6
2004	320	37.4	8.6	32.5
2005	319	26.4	12.1	n/a
2006	265	30.0	8.8	39.2
2007	332	33.5	9.9	33.4
2008	329	39.0	8.4	29.2
2009	331	46.1	7.7	38.1
2010	328	41.1	7.9	40.2
2011	320	39.3	8.1	45
2012	337	39.2	8.5	45.7
2013	329	40.2	8.1	54.1
2014	334	39.2	8.5	30.5
2015	330	39.0	8.4	40.3
2016	340	38.0	8.9	39.1
2017	333	40.6	8.2	30.6
2018	331	37.6	8.8	26
2019	318	40.6	7.8	45.9
2020	335	35.0	9.5	40.3
2021	328	34.0	9.6	41.8
2022	340	37.0	9.1	44.7
2023	343	39.0	8.7	51.9

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 Sound School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	182	10.0	18.2	n/a
1990	165	10.0	16.5	n/a
1991	163	9.0	18.1	n/a
1992	160	11.2	14.2	20.6
1993	170	12.2	13.9	1.8
1994	171	13.2	13.0	47.4
1997	252	21.1	11.9	38.9
1998	244	24.2	10.1	28.3
1999	262	26.4	9.9	25.6
2000	232	27.2	8.5	31
2001	251	30.0	8.4	n/a
2002	304	39.0	7.8	28.6
2003	304	39.0	7.8	28.6
2004	320	37.4	8.6	32.5
2005	319	26.4	12.1	n/a
2006	265	30.0	8.8	39.2
2007	332	33.5	9.9	33.4
2008	329	39.0	8.4	29.2
2009	331	46.1	7.7	38.1
2010	328	41.1	7.9	40.2
2011	320	39.3	8.1	45
2012	337	39.2	8.5	45.7
2013	329	40.2	8.1	54.1
2014	334	39.2	8.5	30.5
2015	330	39.0	8.4	40.3
2016	340	38.0	8.9	39.1
2017	333	40.6	8.2	30.6
2018	331	37.6	8.8	26
2019	318	40.6	7.8	45.9
2020	335	35.0	9.5	40.3
2021	328	34.0	9.6	41.8
2022	340	37.0	9.1	44.7
2023	343	39.0	8.7	51.9

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 Sound School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$16,183
2019	$15,403
2020	$22,208
2021	$18,440
2022	$27,352
2023	$28,519

Data source: Connecticut Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Sound 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 81^st of 121 High schools	Ranks 89^th of 142 High schools	4.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts (Sound School)	63	48.1	14.9%
11th Grade English Language Arts (New Haven School District)	34.3	26.8	7.5%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Connecticut)	61.6	52.4	9.2%
11th Grade Math (Sound School)	17.3	16.9	0.4%
11th Grade Math (New Haven School District)	12.1	11.4	0.7%
11th Grade Math (Connecticut)	40.6	34.1	6.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	318	343	7.9%
African American	31	48	54.8%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	2	0	100%
Hispanic	111	133	19.8%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	173	151	12.7%
Two or More Races	1	9	800%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	45.9%	51.9%	6%

Schools Near Sound School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				NGSS Science (2024)		SAT English Language Arts (2024)	SAT Math (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 8th Grade	NGSS Science 11th Grade	SAT English Language Arts 11th Grade	SAT Math 11th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 6th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 7th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 8th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 6th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 7th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 8th Grade	Total
Sound School	Public	9-12	60 South Water St.	New Haven	06519	New Haven County	New Haven School District	No	No	No	No	(475) 220-2300	343	39	8.7	51.9%	151 (44.0%)	48 (14.0%)	133 (38.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	9 (2.6%)	36	84^th of 145 public high schools	42.1%		34.4	89^th of 142 public high schools	37.3%	5		36.0	52.0	18.7							$28,519
High School In The Community	Public, Magnet	9-12	175 Water St.	New Haven	06511	New Haven County	New Haven School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(475) 220-6200	284	27	10.5	78.9%	20 (7.0%)	123 (43.3%)	135 (47.5%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.4%)	12.6	123^rd of 145 public high schools	15.2%		7.3	131^st of 142 public high schools	7.7%	8		26.1	22.6								$24,040
Metropolitan Business Academy	Public, Magnet	9-12	115 Water Street	New Haven	06511	New Haven County	New Haven School District	No	Yes	No	No	(475) 220-7700	405	32	12.6	72.8%	38 (9.4%)	148 (36.5%)	199 (49.1%)	13 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.7%)								(n/a)		15.9									$19,920
Cooperative High School - Inter-District Magnet	Public, Magnet	9-12	177 College Street	New Haven	06511	New Haven County	New Haven School District	No	Yes	No	No	(475) 220-2400	557	54	10.3	63.7%	86 (15.4%)	245 (44.0%)	198 (35.5%)	8 (1.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (2.7%)	29.3	96^th of 145 public high schools	33.8%		19.2	109^th of 142 public high schools	23.2%	13		27.5	50.9	15.7							$20,980
Hill Regional Career High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	140 Legion Ave.	New Haven	06519	New Haven County	New Haven School District	No	Yes	No	No	(475) 220-5000	651	60	10.8	78.5%	46 (7.1%)	262 (40.2%)	305 (46.9%)	22 (3.4%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.0%)	9.6	130^th of 145 public high schools	10.3%		13.6	118^th of 142 public high schools	16.9%	12		18.0	25.4	5.1							$21,242
Engineering - Science University Magnet School	Public, Magnet	6-12	500 Boston Post Road	West Haven	06516	New Haven County	New Haven School District	No	Yes	No	No	(475) 220-6000	598	57	10.4	49.5%	163 (27.3%)	192 (32.1%)	154 (25.8%)	52 (8.7%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (5.7%)	60.7	59^th of 145 public high schools	59.3%		65	54^th of 142 public high schools	62.0%	5	58.0	43.4	72.3	31.3	60.5	58.0	73.9	40.7	53.4	50.0	$21,018
West Haven High School	Public	9-12	1 McDonough Plaza	West Haven	06516	New Haven County	West Haven School District	No	No	No	No	(203) 937-4360	1,780	120	14.8	52.6%	437 (24.6%)	468 (26.3%)	738 (41.5%)	70 (3.9%)	2 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	59 (3.3%)	25	106^th of 145 public high schools	26.9%		32.3	90^th of 142 public high schools	36.6%	16		38.7	37.1	10.8							$17,211
New Haven Academy	Public, Magnet	9-12	444 Orange Street	New Haven	06511	New Haven County	New Haven School District	No	Yes	No	No	(475) 220-6600	336	22	15.2	61.3%	43 (12.8%)	169 (50.3%)	110 (32.7%)	4 (1.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.4%)								(n/a)				16.2							$19,452
James Hillhouse High School	Public	9-12	480 Sherman Parkway	New Haven	06511	New Haven County	New Haven School District	No	No	No	Yes	(475) 220-7500	1,139	76	14.9	79.4%	57 (5.0%)	540 (47.4%)	474 (41.6%)	39 (3.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (2.2%)	8.7	132^nd of 145 public high schools	9.0%		6.5	133^rd of 142 public high schools	6.3%	1		14.4	22.7	7.1							$19,579
Wilbur Cross High School	Public	9-12	181 Mitchell Dr.	New Haven	06511	New Haven County	New Haven School District	No	No	No	No	(475) 220-7400	1,633	129	12.6	75.9%	169 (10.3%)	352 (21.6%)	1,058 (64.8%)	39 (2.4%)	3 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (0.7%)	11.5	126^th of 145 public high schools	13.1%		13.8	117^th of 142 public high schools	17.6%	9		17.1	29.0	8.3							$18,689

Frequently Asked Questions about Sound School

What is the racial makeup of Sound School?

Students at Sound School are 44% White, 39% Hispanic, 14% African American, 3% Two or more races.

Is Sound School a good school?

Sound School ranks 84^th of 145 Connecticut high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What district is Sound School in?

New Haven School District

How many students attend Sound School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 343 students attended Sound School.

Rate Sound 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.