Barack H. Obama Magnet University School

Summary:

Barack H. Obama Magnet University School is an elementary public magnet school in New Haven, Connecticut, serving grades PK-4 with 311 students. Despite being a magnet school, the school struggles academically, with consistently low proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics compared to the New Haven School District and the state of Connecticut.

The school has a significantly higher percentage of African American (44.05%) and Hispanic (44.05%) students compared to nearby schools, which tend to have a more diverse racial composition. Additionally, the school has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 69.09% to 81.03% over the past 3 years, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population. While Barack H. Obama Magnet University School has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, it consistently ranks in the bottom 10% of Connecticut elementary schools, with a 0-1 star rating from SchoolDigger.

Interestingly, other nearby magnet schools like Mauro-Sheridan Magnet School and Beecher School perform significantly better academically, with higher proficiency rates in both English Language Arts and Mathematics. The higher per-student spending at Barack H. Obama Magnet University School compared to nearby non-magnet schools also raises questions about the effective allocation of resources and the need for a deeper analysis of the school's educational programs and strategies.

Detail:

Public, Magnet PK, KG-4

69 Farnham Ave
New Haven, CT 06515

(475) 220-4800

District: New Haven School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
490^th of 497 Connecticut Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $21,618

Student/teacher ratio: 10.3

Number of students: 311

Racial breakdown:

African American:

44.1%

Hispanic:

44.1%

Two or more races:

5.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 81%

See top rated Connecticut elementary schools

Compare Barack H. Obama Magnet University School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Barack H. Obama Magnet University School ranks worse than 98.6% of elementary schools in Connecticut. It also ranks last among 22 ranked elementary schools in the New Haven School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 4.57. (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 Barack H. Obama Magnet University School has the largest elementary school student body size in the New Haven School District. (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details

Compare

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Barack H. Obama Magnet University School is $21,618, which is the 3^rd highest among 22 elementary schools in the New Haven School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Barack H. Obama Magnet University School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

New Haven School District:

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

Average Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Barack H. Obama Magnet University School.

What do you think?

Your rating for Barack H. Obama Magnet University School?

(Ranking FAQ)

Rank History for Barack H. Obama Magnet University School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CT State Percentile
2015	6.78	514^th	551	6.7%
2016	6.88	467^th	518	9.8%
2017	5.23	490^th	519	5.6%
2018	9.79	463^rd	532	13.0%
2019	10.53	461^st	522	11.7%
2024	4.57	490^th	497	1.4%

See the entire list of Connecticut Elementary School Rankings!

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

Data source: Connecticut State Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

Reviews:

by a teacher
Thursday, September 9, 2021

I thought that the performance of a president was supposed to be independent of the performance of a school. Instead, this school is much lauded for doing nothing, mostly black, and not very good at its purported task. Based on how much was spent for this disaster, the people doing the budget went to a similar school and also failed to learn math. Therefore, as a good teacher, I recommend honorary university-level accreditation on the basis of diversity. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Barack H. Obama Magnet University School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2009	8	80	2	108	1	n/a	n/a	199
2010	16	104	11	136	0	n/a	n/a	267
2011	24	134	6	141	1	0	0	306
2012	26	193	5	197	0	0	1	422
2013	38	237	12	184	0	0	5	476
2014	35	204	6	201	0	0	4	450
2015	34	185	2	205	0	0	3	429
2016	28	152	2	209	0	0	6	397
2017	19	131	0	186	0	0	8	344
2018	18	91	3	167	0	0	10	289
2019	11	81	11	152	0	0	12	267
2020	11	86	9	151	0	0	10	267
2021	11	116	11	138	0	0	8	284
2022	16	132	10	147	0	0	12	317
2023	15	137	6	137	0	0	16	311

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 Barack H. Obama Magnet University School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2009	199	10.6	21.9	84.9
2010	267	14.1	18.9	74.5
2011	306	14.9	20.5	55.6
2012	422	21.2	19.9	17.3
2013	476	23.1	20.6	65.5
2014	450	24.1	18.6	67.6
2015	429	25.0	17.1	84.6
2016	397	27.0	14.7	91.4
2017	344	26.9	12.7	59
2018	289	24.9	11.6	45.3
2019	267	23.4	11.4	78.7
2020	267	23.2	11.5	75.7
2021	284	27.0	10.5	79.2
2022	317	31.2	10.1	69.1
2023	311	30.0	10.3	81

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 Barack H. Obama Magnet University School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2009	199	10.6	21.9	84.9
2010	267	14.1	18.9	74.5
2011	306	14.9	20.5	55.6
2012	422	21.2	19.9	17.3
2013	476	23.1	20.6	65.5
2014	450	24.1	18.6	67.6
2015	429	25.0	17.1	84.6
2016	397	27.0	14.7	91.4
2017	344	26.9	12.7	59
2018	289	24.9	11.6	45.3
2019	267	23.4	11.4	78.7
2020	267	23.2	11.5	75.7
2021	284	27.0	10.5	79.2
2022	317	31.2	10.1	69.1
2023	311	30.0	10.3	81

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 Barack H. Obama Magnet University School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$17,136
2019	$19,107
2020	$18,420
2021	$21,119
2022	$19,814
2023	$21,618

Data source: Connecticut Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Barack H. Obama Magnet University 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.

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Barack H. Obama Magnet University School)	13.8	17	3.2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (New Haven School District)	30.6	16.5	14.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Connecticut)	55	49.8	5.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Barack H. Obama Magnet University School)	43.9	25.6	18.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (New Haven School District)	32.3	19.6	12.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Connecticut)	54.6	48.8	5.8%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	267	311	16.5%
African American	81	137	69.1%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	11	6	45.5%
Hispanic	152	137	9.9%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	11	15	36.4%
Two or More Races	12	16	33.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	78.7%	81%	2.4%

Schools Near Barack H. Obama Magnet University 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	NGSS Science 8th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 3rd Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 4th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 5th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 6th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 7th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 8th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 3rd Grade	SBAC Mathematics 4th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 5th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 6th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 7th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 8th Grade	Total
Barack H. Obama Magnet University School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-4	69 Farnham Ave	New Haven	06515	New Haven County	New Haven School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(475) 220-4800	311	30	10.3	81.0%	15 (4.8%)	137 (44.1%)	137 (44.1%)	6 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (5.1%)	4.6	490^th of 497 public elementary schools	1.4%					(n/a)			16.0	14.3					14.0						$21,618
Beecher School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-8	100 Jewel Street	New Haven	06511	New Haven County	New Haven School District	No	Yes	No	No	(475) 220-3800	480	32	15.1	71.5%	49 (10.2%)	248 (51.7%)	152 (31.7%)	9 (1.9%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.2%)	15.5	393^rd of 497 public elementary schools	20.9%		19.5	368^th of 491 public elementary schools	25.1%	25	26.5		21.3	37.5		26.1	30.4	20.0	23.4	31.3	24.5	19.6			$18,144
Elm City Montessori School	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	495 Blake Street	New Haven	06515	New Haven County	Elm City Montessori School District	Yes	No	No	Yes	(475) 220-4100	298	1	282.0	39.9%	105 (35.2%)	70 (23.5%)	89 (29.9%)	8 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (8.4%)	35.2	306^th of 497 public elementary schools	38.4%					(n/a)			40.0		60.0				30.0						$17,658
King/Robinson Magnet School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-8	150 Fournier St.	New Haven	06511	New Haven County	New Haven School District	No	Yes	No	No	(475) 220-2700	418	36	11.5	79.9%	22 (5.3%)	274 (65.6%)	87 (20.8%)	20 (4.8%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (3.3%)	6.4	471^st of 497 public elementary schools	5.2%					(n/a)	17.0				17.0	14.3	13.2	21.7							$21,113
Mauro-Sheridan Magnet School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-8	191 Fountain St.	New Haven	06515	New Haven County	New Haven School District	No	Yes	No	No	(475) 220-2800	507	39	12.8	66.5%	78 (15.4%)	259 (51.1%)	130 (25.6%)	18 (3.6%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (3.9%)	30.5	322^nd of 497 public elementary schools	35.2%		21.9	357^th of 491 public elementary schools	27.3%	35			42.0	36.7	63.5	21.4	40.7	53.1	44.0	36.2	32.7	14.6	30.5	18.4	$19,721
Edgewood School	Public	K-8	737 Edgewood Ave.	New Haven	06515	New Haven County	New Haven School District	No	No	No	No	(475) 220-8000	401	33	12.3	58.4%	89 (22.2%)	184 (45.9%)	81 (20.2%)	9 (2.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (9.2%)	14.3	399^th of 497 public elementary schools	19.7%		14.8	394^th of 491 public elementary schools	19.8%	5	23.9	34.1		36.2	19.6				21.4	32.6					$18,678
Brennan Rogers School	Public	PK, KG-8	200 Wilmot Rd.	New Haven	06515	New Haven County	New Haven School District	No	No	No	Yes	(475) 220-2200	317	28	11.3	87.1%	13 (4.1%)	179 (56.5%)	111 (35.0%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.5%)								(n/a)							23.3						0.0		$21,652
Lincoln-Bassett School	Public	PK, KG-6	130 Bassett St.	New Haven	06511	New Haven County	New Haven School District	No	No	No	Yes	(475) 220-8500	237	26	9.1	94.9%	10 (4.2%)	164 (69.2%)	58 (24.5%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.3%)	8.8	446^th of 497 public elementary schools	10.3%		8.3	448^th of 491 public elementary schools	8.8%	2			22.6			20.0			19.4						$23,421
Davis Academy for Arts & Design Innovation	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-8	35 Davis St.	New Haven	06515	New Haven County	New Haven School District	No	Yes	No	No	(475) 220-7800	481	35	13.6	55.9%	53 (11.0%)	287 (59.7%)	111 (23.1%)	5 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (5.2%)	12.6	417^th of 497 public elementary schools	16.1%		14.4	399^th of 491 public elementary schools	18.7%	18	25.5		26.1		29.4	20.0		42.9		22.2	23.5	13.3	15.7	21.4	$19,093
Augusta Lewis Troup School	Public	PK, KG-8	259 Edgewood Ave.	New Haven	06511	New Haven County	New Haven School District	No	No	No	Yes	(475) 220-3000	413	33	12.4	90.6%	18 (4.4%)	198 (47.9%)	154 (37.3%)	15 (3.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (6.5%)								(n/a)						14.6	20.0								$17,932

Frequently Asked Questions about Barack H. Obama Magnet University School

What district is Barack H. Obama Magnet University School in?

New Haven School District

Is Barack H. Obama Magnet University School a good school?

Barack H. Obama Magnet University School ranks in the bottom 1.4% of Connecticut elementary schools.

What is the racial makeup of Barack H. Obama Magnet University School?

Students at Barack H. Obama Magnet University School are 44% African American, 44% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 5% White, 2% Asian.

How many students attend Barack H. Obama Magnet University School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 311 students attended Barack H. Obama Magnet University School.

Rate Barack H. Obama Magnet University School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

CTConnecticut Elementary School Rankings

CTConnecticut District Rankings

Schools in New Haven, CT

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Barack H. Obama Magnet University School!

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.