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

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

Of the 19,809 students attending Litchfield County district schools, 71% were white.

Hispanic students made up the second-largest ethnic group among Litchfield County students (19.9%).

In the previous school year, white students were also the most common group in Litchfield County districts, representing 70.5% of the student body.

Torrington School District had the most even distribution of races among the student body in the county, represented by most ethnic groups, which included 46% white students, 41.3% Hispanic students, 6.2% Black students, 4.1% Asian students, and 2.3% multiracial students.

In the 2023-24 school year, the total number of students enrolled in districts in the county increased by 0.5% when compared to the previous year.

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