Bridgeport school officials report 517-student decline in October 1 head count, warn of funding impact

Bridgeport Public Schools officials told the Board of Education on Oct. 14 that the district’s October 1 collection shows about 517 fewer students than at the same time last year, a shortfall superintendent staff said could reduce future state funding if the trend continues.

The report, delivered by Chief Information Officer Paratha during the superintendent’s report in place of Dr. Avery, said the district’s October 1 data (the state’s snapshot used for funding) remains open for corrections through the state’s freeze date of Jan. 31, 2026. Paratha said the district’s head count as of Oct. 9 was approximately 19,132 students and that specific grade-level declines include about 165 fewer first-graders and about 133 fewer fourth-graders compared with last year.

The report mattered to board members because Connecticut’s school funding model uses the October 1 count for state payments. “As of today, we’re about 517 students short of where we were last year,” Paratha told the board, adding that the October 1 number drives the state’s payment calculations and that students who enter after the…