The top reported proficiency rate is 28% in Science. The lowest is 23% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Great Oaks Charter School District
Great Oaks Charter School District operates a single middle and high school serving grades six through twelve in Bridgeport. The student body is predominantly Hispanic and Black, with Hispanic and Black students each making up roughly equal shares of enrollment. The overall enrollment is moderate in size.
The district faces substantial academic challenges. State assessment results from the most recent year show proficiency rates well below the midpoint among Greater Bridgeport Planning Region districts. In English language arts, sixth-grade proficiency was in the single digits; by eighth grade it rose to around one-third of students meeting the standard. Mathematics proficiency in eighth grade was similar, around one-quarter of students proficient. Eighth-grade science proficiency was around one-quarter as well. The pattern across subjects and grades is one of consistently low proficiency. Among the region's districts, Great Oaks' overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile. Participation rates on state assessments have been very high, well above the state standard, so these results reflect actual student performance rather than opt-out patterns.
The school's data on chronic absenteeism is also a concern. Around one-third of students are chronically absent, a rate that places the district in the bottom quartile within its region and well above both district and state medians. The state has tied addressing chronic absenteeism directly to the school's charter renewal, requiring bi-monthly progress reports on improvement efforts.
A graduation rate for the district was not available in the data provided; Connecticut reports four-year graduation rates for traditional public high schools, but this metric may not apply to charter settings or may not have been reported for this entity.
The school has undergone material changes recently. Connecticut's State Board of Education renewed the charter through mid-2027, but the renewal came with corrective-action conditions tied to academic achievement and chronic absenteeism. The school must submit progress reports to the state every two months. Additionally, Great Oaks recently separated from an external charter management organization and took on governance and operational roles directly, a structural shift that affects how the school is run day to day. The school has also adopted a restorative discipline model aimed at reducing suspensions.
For families considering this school, the financial investment per student is in the lower-to-middle range within the region, and the school's operation is contractually secured through mid-2027. However, the proficiency data and absenteeism rates indicate substantial academic and engagement challenges that a parent may want to discuss directly with the school and monitor as the state oversight progresses. Understanding how the school is addressing its corrective-action mandate and what supports or programming it offers students struggling academically would be important questions for a prospective family.
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