Middlesex County’s districts student body comprised mostly of white students in 2023-24 school year

The majority of students in Middlesex County districts were white in the 2023-24 school year, according to the Connecticut State Department of Education.

Of the 17,895 students attending Middlesex County district schools, 70.1% were white.

Hispanic students made up the second-largest ethnic group among Middlesex County students (14.5%).

In the previous school year, white students were also the most common group in Middlesex County districts, representing 68.9% of the student body.

Middletown School District had the most diverse student body in the county, which included American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black, Hispanic, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, multiracial, and white.

In the 2023-24 school year, the total number of students enrolled in districts in the county increased by 1.2% when compared to the previous year.

The main offices of all districts mentioned in the story are located in cities associated with Middlesex County.

Student enrollment has been dropping in Connecticut’s public schools for over a decade now. With the exception of a slight relief in the 2021-22 school year, schools in the state have lost more than 30,000 students since 2014. 

A 2022 survey revealed that nearly 75% of Connecticut teachers were dissatisfied with their working conditions, and a similar percentage considered leaving the profession earlier than planned. Stress and burnout were cited as significant concerns.

Between 2015 and 2021, Connecticut experienced a 16% decrease in the number of graduates completing teacher preparation programs, dropping from 2,132 to 1,788. This decline contributes to the ongoing teacher shortage in the state.