Fox Run Elementary School, Norwalk CT

Original Research by School Decision on Fox Run Elementary School

Fox Run Elementary serves preK through fifth grade in Norwalk, a mixed-use coastal city defined by distinct neighborhoods ranging from the transit-oriented South Norwalk waterfront district to suburban residential areas like the one where Fox Run sits. The school draws from a diverse student body reflective of Norwalk's demographics: roughly half the enrollment is Hispanic, a quarter is white, and a sixth is Black, with about half of all students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The school is compact for its grade band, operating with an enrollment that keeps class sizes manageable.

Academic performance at Fox Run is below the midpoint for elementary schools in the Western Connecticut Planning Region. In the most recent state assessments, fourth-grade English language arts stands out at a higher level of proficiency, while third-grade math and English language arts, fifth-grade math, and fifth-grade English language arts all show lower rates of proficiency. Science data for fifth grade was suppressed, though all students participated in testing. Across all tested grades and subjects, the school's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile among the county's elementary schools. These numbers suggest students are working through grade-level material but many are not yet meeting mastery, and a parent may want to ask the school directly about intervention supports, reading and math instructional approaches, and progress-monitoring systems for students working below grade level.

Norwalk itself is undergoing substantial transformation. The district has just completed its first new elementary school in decades and is opening a second new neighborhood school in South Norwalk for the 2025-26 school year, the first to serve that area in over a generation. A newly constructed Norwalk High School and P-TECH building is slated to open by fall 2027, reshaping secondary options. These projects are being financed at unusually favorable state reimbursement rates, limiting the property-tax burden on residents. The district also secured a five-year federal Magnet Schools Assistance Program grant to develop school-choice magnet options spanning elementary through high school, expanding alternatives for families. Additionally, Norwalk residents now have access to the state's Open Choice program, allowing applications to neighboring suburban districts with transportation provided.

Housing in Norwalk reflects its development pace and coastal location. Home values have appreciated steadily, and median rents have climbed sharply despite thousands of new apartments added to the market over the past decade. The city's February 2025 Affordable Housing Action Plan identified a significant gap between available units and what residents need, particularly at lower price points. For families considering Fox Run or Norwalk schools broadly, housing costs and availability are worth researching carefully alongside school assignment policies, especially given the active construction reshaping the district's capacity and boundaries.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 343%

School 43% · District 45% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▼ 19 pts below county median

Grade 444%

School 44% · District 38% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▼ 23 pts below county median

Grade 536%

School 36% · District 33% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▼ 10 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 336%

School 36% · District 41% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▼ 22 pts below county median

Grade 459%

School 59% · District 44% · ▲ 15 pts above district

▲ 3 pts above state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

Grade 542%

School 42% · District 42% · ▲ 1 pts above district

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

This schoolNorwalk 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.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income31%Higher-income44%12 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income47%Higher-income77%30 pp gap