Side By Side Charter School

Charter School 236 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 8th

School Overview

Side By Side Charter School, located in Norwalk, Connecticut, is a public charter school that serves students in grades K–8. Founded on the principles of progressive education, the school emphasizes a constructivist approach to learning, where students are encouraged to be active participants in their own education. The curriculum is designed to be thematic and integrated, often moving beyond traditional subject silos to help students understand the interconnectedness of concepts while fostering critical thinking and collaborative problem-solving skills.

The school is well-known for its commitment to social justice and the development of the "whole child," placing a strong emphasis on community service, emotional intelligence, and democratic citizenship. By maintaining smaller class sizes and fostering close relationships between students, staff, and families, Side By Side creates a tight-knit, inclusive environment. It is intentionally diverse and seeks to provide an equitable learning experience that prepares students not just for academic success, but to become engaged and empathetic members of their community.

236

Total Students

14.0

Full-Time Teachers

16.9

Student/Teacher Ratio

60.6%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Side By Side Charter School
Demographic	Student Count
White	24
Hispanic	136
Black	60
Asian	6
Two or More	10

Hispanic
136 (57.6 %)
Black
60 (25.4 %)
White
24 (10.2 %)
Two or More
10 (4.2 %)
Asian
6 (2.5 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Charter School
Virtual Instruction:	Supplemental Virtual
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Side By Side Charter School District
Phone:	(203)857-0306
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 8th
Total Students:	236
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	14.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	16.9
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	116
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	27

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Pre-Kindergarten 38

Kindergarten 22

Grade 1 22

Grade 2 23

Grade 3 23

Grade 4 23

Grade 5 23

Grade 6 22

Grade 7 19

Grade 8 21