The top reported proficiency rate is 20% in Math. The lowest is 15% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Madison School
Madison School is a public elementary school serving prekindergarten through sixth grade in Bridgeport, located on Wayne Street. It enrolls a small school population across its eight grades, with an approximately even distribution of students through the primary grades, peaking slightly in grade six.
The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial African American enrollment and smaller numbers of white, multiracial, and Asian students. A very large share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the school's location in a high-poverty urban neighborhood. Data on special education enrollment and English learner status were not available.
Test results paint a picture of considerable academic challenge. On state assessments in 2024-25, math proficiency starts at roughly one-third of students in grade three and drops sharply through the upper grades, falling below one-fifth by grade five and remaining near that level in grade six. English language arts shows similar or slightly lower proficiency across grades, with grade three at roughly one-third and grades five and six each under one-fourth. One grade-level proficiency rate was suppressed, likely due to small cell size. Science proficiency in grade five sits around one-seventh of students. When proficiency is averaged across all tested subjects and grades, the school's overall index places it in the bottom quartile among districts in Greater Bridgeport Planning Region.
The school sits within the Bridgeport School District, which is undergoing substantial upheaval. A fiscal crisis that intensified in late 2024 has driven successive rounds of staffing cuts, including the loss of classroom teachers, paraprofessionals, busing for many students, school librarians, and arts programs. In January 2025 the state education department intervened, deploying a technical assistance team, mandating governance training for the local school board, and reserving authority over superintendent hiring. The intervention was triggered by budget deficits, documented failures in special education service delivery, and leadership instability. Alongside these cuts, the district adopted new standardized curricula across subjects, including a scripted English language arts program for grades six through twelve with tight pacing requirements and limited teacher input.
Bridgeport itself is a mid-sized coastal city with distinct neighborhoods. The school's area is predominantly renter-occupied with older multifamily housing stock. The area surrounding the school reads as urban working-class, with limited walkability relative to national averages and concentrated commercial corridors. The city is undergoing waterfront redevelopment with new mixed-use and transit-oriented projects, though concerns about gentrification and displacement have surfaced. Major employers include hospitals, utilities, and higher education; public transit connects downtown to New York City in roughly an hour and a half.
A parent considering Madison School should understand that it serves a student population facing significant economic hardship and that the school is operating within a district in genuine fiscal and operational distress. Test scores indicate that most students are not meeting grade-level proficiency standards across core subjects, with gaps widening as students move through upper elementary grades. The district's fiscal crisis has reduced support services, transportation, and enrichment offerings. At the same time, the school functions within a neighborhood anchored by long-time residents and community institutions, and the city's trajectory includes ongoing public investment in parks, libraries, and transit. A parent may want to ask the school directly about how cuts have affected classroom staffing, what interventions are in place for students not meeting standards, and how the new curricula are being implemented in practice.
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