Read School, Bridgeport CT - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Read School

Read School is a PK-8 school in Bridgeport serving roughly 800 students. The enrollment is predominantly Hispanic and Black, with a substantial share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The school operates in a city undergoing active waterfront redevelopment while facing a long-running fiscal strain that has reshaped district conditions over the past two years.

Student performance on state assessments is low across tested grades and subjects. In mathematics, proficiency ranges from single digits in grades five and six to the low twenties in grade three, with most grades showing under 15 percent meeting state standards. English language arts shows a similar pattern, with rates in the midteens to low twenties for most grades, though grade eight reaches just above 20 percent. Science proficiency in the tested grades sits around 14 to 17 percent. When all tested grades and subjects are combined, the school's overall proficiency falls well below the median among districts in the Greater Bridgeport Planning Region.

The data reflect a school where most students are not meeting grade-level standards. A parent may want to look into how the school is responding to these results, what interventions or additional support are in place for struggling students, and whether recent curriculum changes are showing early signs of impact. State testing data offer one snapshot; classroom experience and the availability of tutoring, small-group instruction, or specialized support depend on factors not captured here.

Bridgeport School District itself is navigating significant structural challenges. In January 2025 the state authorized intervention in the district following a growing budget deficit, failures in special education service delivery, and leadership changes. A technical assistance team was deployed to guide finance and special education improvement, and the state gained approval authority over superintendent hiring. Months before that, in November 2024, the district had announced a major budget shortfall tied to the expiration of federal pandemic relief, flat city funding, and rising special education costs. Since then cuts have cascaded: the district eliminated teaching positions, paraprofessional roles, busing for a large number of students, a performing arts program, and all school librarians. These reductions have a direct effect on classroom staffing levels, the availability of support services, and the scope of programming families can access.

Alongside fiscal cuts, the district adopted new curricula beginning in 2024-25, including a scripted English language arts program for grades 6-12 that prescribes daily instruction with tight pacing mandates. This approach represents a significant shift in how teachers deliver lessons and represents a departure from more flexible classroom practice. The adoption drew criticism for limited teacher input before rollout.

Read School's location in Bridgeport places it in a neighborhood-based city with distinct residential enclaves and commercial cores. The city has been investing in waterfront redevelopment, including large mixed-use projects that promise hundreds of market-rate and affordable apartments over the coming years. Downtown offers a library system with multiple branches, parks, transit access via rail and bus, and cultural venues. However, walkability outside downtown is limited, and much of the city is car-dependent. The median home value in the area is modest compared to state and national benchmarks, and rental costs are broadly affordable, though housing stability varies across neighborhoods.

For families considering Read School, the key realities are the school's low state proficiency levels, the district's ongoing fiscal and service-delivery challenges, and the direct impact those constraints have on classroom resources and programs. The state's intervention signals that improvement is expected and monitored, but change under fiscal pressure takes time. School visits, conversations with educators and families, and inquiry into specific support services available to students would be essential steps in deciding whether this school matches a family's needs.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 324%

School 24% · District 18% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▼ 31 pts below state median · ▼ 16 pts below county median

Grade 419%

School 19% · District 14% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▼ 33 pts below state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

Grade 58%

School 8% · District 11% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▼ 35 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Grade 68%

School 8% · District 15% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▼ 32 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Grade 812%

School 12% · District 18% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▼ 27 pts below state median · ▼ 13 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 316%

School 16% · District 17%

▼ 32 pts below state median · ▼ 20 pts below county median

Grade 418%

School 18% · District 18%

▼ 38 pts below state median · ▼ 39 pts below county median

Grade 518%

School 18% · District 19% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 39 pts below state median · ▼ 31 pts below county median

Grade 715%

School 15% · District 26% · ▼ 11 pts below district

▼ 35 pts below state median · ▼ 24 pts below county median

Grade 820%

School 20% · District 26% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▼ 30 pts below state median · ▼ 16 pts below county median

Science

Grade 514%

School 14% · District 20% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 38 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Grade 817%

School 17% · District 23% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▼ 32 pts below state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

This schoolBridgeport School District, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.