Joel Barlow High School

100 Black Rock Turnpike

School District

Regional 09
Grade

9-12
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:12
Type

public

School Map for Regional School District 09

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by parent on July 16, 2024

National ranking is not impressive. Testing scores are low. Lots of bullying and hard drinking at this school as there isn't much of an outlet for boredom in the town.
Submitted by parent on May 14, 2024

The school test scores and proficiency rates are embarrassing for this region. The administration needs to do what it can to make our schools better and handle the difficult bullying problems. Our town is becoming more diverse but the bullying toward students that are new and different is getting worse.
Submitted by student on April 27, 2024

Joel Barlow is not as rigorous as it once was. The town needs to fix the schools to stay competitive with nearby towns.
Submitted by parent on March 24, 2024

The school is an underperformer for fairfield county.
Submitted by student on January 25, 2024

It’s an amazing school in my opinion, but you get out what you put it. Your experience depends on your effort and who you chose to be friends with. I made the right choices for myself, and I’ve had an incredible experience so far at Joel Barlow. I used to dread going to school in Middle School. While I might not want to get out of bed in the morning, I enjoy going to the school. Everyone’s experience will be different, but from mine, Joel Barlow has been an incredible school.
Submitted by parent on October 25, 2023

Math program needs improvement. The math test scores of the students, on average, are not that great.
Submitted by parent on July 26, 2023

Test scores are sharply declining. Rampant bullying problems.
Submitted by parent on April 23, 2023

Good instruction from the teachers. However bullying is a problem for the school.
Submitted by parent on March 16, 2023

Barlow is a strong school. However, the school climate needs to improve as peers bully and are competitive. The school, at times, can feel toxic. The same quality of education but friendlier schools can be founf d in neighboring towns.
Submitted by parent on February 28, 2023

Our family wish we chose Weston over Easton-Redding as the schools are much stronger with the same rural setting. I would still recommend.
Submitted by parent on February 23, 2023

This school is not as academically strong as it used to be. School culture is toxic with bullying. Kids drink and partake in drugs too often.
Submitted by parent on January 01, 2023

Test scores are better in adjacent towns. You don't get what you pay for with very high taxes and low amenities. The ER9 scores Elementary, Middle and Highschool are sad for a DGRA school.
Submitted by parent on December 31, 2022

My child is not thriving while at Joel Barlow. Many peers have drug and alcohol problems. There is an epidemic of underage substance abuse.
Submitted by student on December 23, 2022

I moved here from Virginia in 2020. I haven’t found the classes to be as rigorous and challenging as the schools in which I came from. The teachers aren’t very competent. I am considering going private to Greens Farms and forking over ludicrous tuition money for a better education.
Submitted by parent on October 31, 2022

No support socio-emotionally. Nobody seems to care about the toll of the pandemic on us. There isn’t much in the way of academic support to catch us up. Lots of depressed classmates. Everybody is drinking and getting high way too much. Thank
Submitted by parent on October 28, 2022

This school has been disappointing post Covid. Teachers are not well equipped to catch students up. Our SAT scores are dropping, this school just feels mediocre. Schools like Weston, Westport and Fairfield are doing so much better than us. Just disappointing. Bullying is more commonplace now.
Submitted by parent on September 26, 2022

Excessive homework, lack of support academically and socio-emotionally. This school is failing it’s students post-covid. No support for students that are struggling.
Submitted by other on July 27, 2022

Horrible special education program. Nobody should send their child to this school if they have a disability. The school treats people with learning disabilities as second rate and don’t even provide specialized programs for specific disabilities. They lump all the kids into one “special Ed” program and take them out of crucial classes for essentially another study hall where they get no help overcoming their disability. If I was faculty at this school I’d be ashamed.
Submitted by parent on August 31, 2021

it is a amazing school to be with
Submitted by student on October 14, 2020

1/10. The only reason it gets the 1 point is because if it wasn’t for Joel Barlow I wouldn’t have such tough skin to overcome any problem I may have.