Joel Barlow High School

Summary:

Joel Barlow High School is a public high school serving grades 9-12 in Redding, Connecticut, with a student population of 768. The school is part of the highly-ranked Regional School District 09, which is rated 5 out of 5 stars by SchoolDigger.

Joel Barlow High School consistently ranks among the top high schools in Connecticut, with exceptional academic performance. In 2023-2024, 89.2% of 11th-grade students were proficient or better in SAT/English Language Arts, and 60.2% were proficient or better in SAT/Math, significantly higher than the state averages. The school also excels in supporting diverse student subgroups, ranking 3rd out of 102 Connecticut high schools for female students and 7th out of 100 for male students. With a relatively high per-student spending of $23,477 and a low student-teacher ratio of 11.4, the school has access to substantial resources to support its educational programs.

When compared to nearby schools, Joel Barlow High School stands out as a high-performing institution. For example, Wilton High School, located just 7.87 miles away, also ranks highly in the state, but Joel Barlow outperforms it in several key metrics, such as SAT/Math proficiency. However, the analysis also highlights significant disparities in resources and performance between Joel Barlow High School and some of the nearby, more socioeconomically and racially diverse schools, particularly the Bridgeport magnet schools, which have much lower per-student spending and higher percentages of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch.

Detail:

Public 9-12

100 Black Rock Tpke.
Redding, CT 06896

(203) 938-2508

District: Regional School District 09

SchoolDigger Rank:
4^th of 145 Connecticut High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $28,715

Feeder schools for Joel Barlow High School:

Elementary:	Redding Elementary School
	Samuel Staples Elementary School
Middle:	Helen Keller Middle School
	John Read Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 11.4

Number of students: 768

Racial breakdown:

White:

81.6%

Hispanic:

8.2%

Asian:

4.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 11.7%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Joel Barlow High School ranks better than 97.2% of high schools in Connecticut. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 96.29. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Joel Barlow High 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

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Joel Barlow High School is $28,715.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Joel Barlow High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Joel Barlow High School 4^th of 145 Connecticut public high schools. (See Joel Barlow High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Regional School District 09:

SchoolDigger ranks Regional School District 09 2^nd of 158 Connecticut school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Joel Barlow High School

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Rank History for all students at Joel Barlow High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CT State Percentile
2007	81.69	9^th	176	94.9%
2008	83.46	4^th	176	97.7%
2009	79.59	21^st	176	88.1%
2010	81.98	7^th	186	96.2%
2011	82.11	12^th	189	93.7%
2012	83.85	4^th	188	97.9%
2013	81.98	7^th	193	96.4%
2015	92.71	2^nd	196	99.0%
2016	93.48	3^rd	132	97.7%
2017	93.21	4^th	140	97.1%
2018	91.05	13^th	121	89.3%
2019	94.74	3^rd	121	97.5%
2021	89.60	18^th	200	91.0%
2022	93.60	6^th	139	95.7%
2023	96.45	2^nd	142	98.6%
2024	96.29	4^th	145	97.2%

See the entire list of Connecticut High School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Joel Barlow High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CT State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	82.88	24^th	175	86.3%

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

Rank History for Female students at Joel Barlow High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CT State Percentile
2018	90.35	4^th	79	94.9%
2021	86.62	25^th	189	86.8%
2023	93.04	3^rd	103	97.1%
2024	94.50	3^rd	102	97.1%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Joel Barlow High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CT State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	89.85	4^th	57	93.0%

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

Rank History for Male students at Joel Barlow High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CT State Percentile
2019	92.01	7^th	80	91.3%
2021	89.31	17^th	182	90.7%
2022	89.32	7^th	102	93.1%
2023	93.19	4^th	100	96.0%
2024	93.14	7^th	100	93.0%

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

Rank History for White students at Joel Barlow High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CT State Percentile
2018	84.62	16^th	105	84.8%
2019	89.84	11^th	113	90.3%
2021	82.21	21^st	155	86.5%
2022	88.18	12^th	117	89.7%
2023	95.57	4^th	116	96.6%
2024	94.86	7^th	116	94.0%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

by a parent
Tuesday, March 5, 2019

Horrible experience uncaring staff. The are clows not educators. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Joel Barlow High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	695	3	10	0	0	n/a	n/a	708
1989	667	3	10	2	0	n/a	n/a	682
1990	661	5	13	3	n/a	n/a	n/a	682
1991	643	2	11	2	0	n/a	n/a	658
1992	603	3	14	5	0	n/a	n/a	625
1993	592	6	16	3	0	n/a	n/a	617
1994	574	6	20	5	0	n/a	n/a	605
1995	658	2	13	5	0	n/a	n/a	678
1996	658	2	13	5	0	n/a	n/a	678
1997	653	2	15	8	1	n/a	n/a	679
1998	675	7	8	7	0	n/a	n/a	697
1999	666	1	15	9	1	n/a	n/a	692
2000	687	2	9	9	0	n/a	n/a	707
2001	724	2	11	6	0	n/a	n/a	743
2002	878	1	11	0	1	n/a	n/a	891
2003	878	1	11	0	1	n/a	n/a	891
2004	908	3	20	3	1	n/a	n/a	935
2005	939	4	32	8	1	n/a	n/a	984
2006	939	5	32	12	0	n/a	n/a	988
2007	909	6	32	15	0	n/a	n/a	962
2008	902	4	31	23	2	n/a	n/a	962
2009	895	7	24	29	2	n/a	n/a	957
2010	895	7	28	24	4	n/a	n/a	958
2011	898	8	24	32	1	0	5	968
2012	931	7	24	30	1	0	14	1007
2013	926	8	27	34	2	0	15	1012
2014	954	9	32	45	6	0	18	1064
2015	912	11	39	57	9	0	21	1049
2016	873	8	36	56	6	1	28	1008
2017	823	8	34	53	5	1	28	952
2018	759	7	34	52	2	1	38	893
2019	734	8	33	54	0	1	45	875
2020	712	7	33	59	0	0	44	855
2021	680	9	35	58	0	0	45	827
2022	669	11	36	60	0	0	37	813
2023	627	13	35	63	0	0	30	768

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 Joel Barlow High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	708	59.0	12.0	n/a
1989	682	58.2	11.7	n/a
1990	682	58.7	11.6	n/a
1991	658	57.4	11.4	n/a
1992	625	56.0	11.1	n/a
1993	617	50.7	12.2	0
1994	605	49.7	12.2	0.5
1995	678	47.1	14.4	1
1996	678	47.1	14.4	1
1997	679	54.4	12.5	0.7
1998	697	60.1	11.6	0.6
1999	692	62.6	11.1	0.4
2000	707	64.8	10.9	0.7
2001	743	66.4	11.2	n/a
2002	891	72.8	12.2	0.2
2003	891	72.8	12.2	0.2
2004	935	76.7	12.2	1.2
2005	984	68.6	14.3	n/a
2006	988	69.4	14.2	0.6
2007	962	70.0	13.7	n/a
2008	962	74.0	13.0	0.5
2009	957	90.4	12.8	0.8
2010	958	72.9	13.1	0.7
2011	968	73.1	13.2	1.5
2012	1007	75.3	13.3	2.5
2013	1012	75.3	13.4	3.6
2014	1064	76.3	13.9	4
2015	1049	74.0	14.1	4.3
2016	1008	71.0	14.1	4.5
2017	952	70.1	13.5	4.5
2018	893	71.4	12.4	3.5
2019	875	64.2	13.6	8.6
2020	855	60.0	14.2	11
2021	827	63.0	13.1	10.5
2022	813	62.1	13.0	10.5
2023	768	67.0	11.4	11.7

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 Joel Barlow High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	708	59.0	12.0	n/a
1989	682	58.2	11.7	n/a
1990	682	58.7	11.6	n/a
1991	658	57.4	11.4	n/a
1992	625	56.0	11.1	n/a
1993	617	50.7	12.2	0
1994	605	49.7	12.2	0.5
1995	678	47.1	14.4	1
1996	678	47.1	14.4	1
1997	679	54.4	12.5	0.7
1998	697	60.1	11.6	0.6
1999	692	62.6	11.1	0.4
2000	707	64.8	10.9	0.7
2001	743	66.4	11.2	n/a
2002	891	72.8	12.2	0.2
2003	891	72.8	12.2	0.2
2004	935	76.7	12.2	1.2
2005	984	68.6	14.3	n/a
2006	988	69.4	14.2	0.6
2007	962	70.0	13.7	n/a
2008	962	74.0	13.0	0.5
2009	957	90.4	12.8	0.8
2010	958	72.9	13.1	0.7
2011	968	73.1	13.2	1.5
2012	1007	75.3	13.3	2.5
2013	1012	75.3	13.4	3.6
2014	1064	76.3	13.9	4
2015	1049	74.0	14.1	4.3
2016	1008	71.0	14.1	4.5
2017	952	70.1	13.5	4.5
2018	893	71.4	12.4	3.5
2019	875	64.2	13.6	8.6
2020	855	60.0	14.2	11
2021	827	63.0	13.1	10.5
2022	813	62.1	13.0	10.5
2023	768	67.0	11.4	11.7

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 Joel Barlow High School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$21,990
2019	$23,477
2020	$22,267
2021	$25,077
2022	$26,585
2023	$28,715

Data source: Connecticut Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Joel Barlow High 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 3^rd of 121 High schools	Ranks 2^nd of 142 High schools	1.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts (Joel Barlow High School)	90.2	86	4.2%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Regional School District 09)	90.3	86	4.3%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Connecticut)	61.6	52.4	9.2%
11th Grade Math (Joel Barlow High School)	75.6	70.4	5.2%
11th Grade Math (Regional School District 09)	75.2	70.4	4.8%
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	875	768	12.2%
African American	8	13	62.5%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	33	35	6.1%
Hispanic	54	63	16.7%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	734	627	14.6%
Two or More Races	45	30	33.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	8.6%	11.7%	3.1%

Schools Near Joel Barlow High 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)	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 11th Grade	SAT English Language Arts 11th Grade	SAT Math 11th Grade	Total
Joel Barlow High School	Public	9-12	100 Black Rock Tpke.	Redding	06896	Fairfield County	Regional School District 09	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 938-2508	768	67	11.4	11.7%	627 (81.6%)	13 (1.7%)	63 (8.2%)	35 (4.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (3.9%)	96.3	4^th of 145 public high schools	97.2%		96.5	2^nd of 142 public high schools	98.6%	2	89.8	89.2	60.2	$28,715
Bethel High School	Public	9-12	300 Whittlesey Dr.	Bethel	06801	Fairfield County	Bethel School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 794-8600	1,063	84	12.6	29.6%	659 (62.0%)	41 (3.9%)	250 (23.5%)	75 (7.1%)	11 (1.0%)	2 (0.2%)	23 (2.2%)								(n/a)	76.4			$18,368
Weston High School	Public	9-12	115 School Rd.	Weston	06883	Fairfield County	Weston School District	No	No	No	No	(203) 221-6500	722	65	11.0	1.0%	583 (80.7%)	9 (1.2%)	51 (7.1%)	35 (4.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (6.1%)	96.5	2^nd of 145 public high schools	98.6%		96.2	3^rd of 142 public high schools	97.9%	1	85.9	91.5	62.1	$27,573
Wilton High School	Public	9-12	395 Danbury Rd.	Wilton	06897	Fairfield County	Wilton School District	No	No	No	No	(203) 762-0381	1,231	112	11.0	8.4%	923 (75.0%)	17 (1.4%)	85 (6.9%)	126 (10.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	77 (6.3%)								(n/a)	92.1			$22,584
Trumbull High School	Public	9-12	72 Strobel Rd.	Trumbull	06611	Fairfield County	Trumbull School District	No	No	No	No	(203) 452-4555	2,134	147	14.5	18.6%	1,368 (64.1%)	145 (6.8%)	362 (17.0%)	206 (9.7%)	3 (0.1%)	4 (0.2%)	43 (2.0%)	88	15^th of 145 public high schools	89.7%		89.8	14^th of 142 public high schools	90.1%	1	73.4	73.8	54.3	$19,735
Masuk High School	Public	9-12	1014 Monroe Tpke.	Monroe	06468	Fairfield County	Monroe School District	No	No	No	No	(203) 452-5823	1,034	84	12.3	4.5%	757 (73.2%)	39 (3.8%)	148 (14.3%)	58 (5.6%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (2.9%)								(n/a)	53.4			$21,222
Newtown High School	Public	9-12	12 Berkshire Rd.	Sandy Hook	06482	Fairfield County	Newtown School District	No	No	No	No	(203) 426-7646	1,325	119	11.1	13.4%	1,090 (82.3%)	28 (2.1%)	141 (10.6%)	40 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	24 (1.8%)	85	19^th of 145 public high schools	86.9%		89.2	15^th of 142 public high schools	89.4%	4		72.4	50.8	$20,852
Information Technology & Software Engineering Magnet High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	840 Old Town Road	Bridgeport	06606	Fairfield County	Bridgeport School District	No	Yes	No	No	(203) 275-3372	392	30	13.0	64.3%	56 (14.3%)	93 (23.7%)	207 (52.8%)	26 (6.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.6%)	22	110^th of 145 public high schools	24.1%		24.5	101^st of 142 public high schools	28.9%	9	25.7	43.1	11.9	$16,992
Biotechnology Research & Zoological Studies Magnet High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	840 Old Town Road	Bridgeport	06606	Fairfield County	Bridgeport School District	No	Yes	No	No	(203) 275-3413	392	31	12.6	67.9%	42 (10.7%)	118 (30.1%)	193 (49.2%)	28 (7.1%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	8 (2.0%)	19.4	114^th of 145 public high schools	21.4%		29.4	93^rd of 142 public high schools	34.5%	21	26.0	41.3	7.7	$16,373
Aerospace/Hydrospace Engineering and Physical Sciences Magne	Public, Magnet	9-12	840 Old Town Road	Bridgeport	06606	Fairfield County	Bridgeport School District	No	Yes	No	No	(203) 275-3343	307	26	11.8	68.1%	41 (13.4%)	77 (25.1%)	166 (54.1%)	12 (3.9%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.9%)								(n/a)		40.8		$18,457

Frequently Asked Questions about Joel Barlow High School

What schools feed into Joel Barlow High School?

Joel Barlow High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Redding Elementary School
Elementary : Samuel Staples Elementary School
Middle : Helen Keller Middle School
Middle : John Read Middle School

Is Joel Barlow High School a good school?

Yes! Joel Barlow High School is one of the best high schools in the state. It ranks 4^th of 145 Connecticut high schools.

How many students attend Joel Barlow High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 768 students attended Joel Barlow High School.

What district is Joel Barlow High School in?

Regional School District 09

What is the racial makeup of Joel Barlow High School?

Students at Joel Barlow High School are 82% White, 8% Hispanic, 5% Asian, 4% Two or more races, 2% African American.

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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.