Best High Schools in Manchester, CT

The city of Manchester, Connecticut is home to three high schools: Manchester High School, Howell Cheney Technical High School, and Great Path Academy at MCC. These schools serve students in grades 9-12 and provide a range of educational opportunities within the Manchester School District, the Connecticut Technical Education and Career System, and the Hartford School District.

Among the three high schools, Manchester High School stands out as the largest, with 1,739 students enrolled, and the highest state-wide ranking, placing in the top 100 Connecticut high schools. In contrast, Howell Cheney Technical High School and Great Path Academy at MCC are smaller, with 669 and 303 students respectively, and have lower state-wide rankings, placing in the bottom half of Connecticut high schools. Great Path Academy at MCC is also unique as a public magnet school, which may attract a different student population compared to the other two traditional public high schools.

While the schools have similar four-year graduation rates around 88.4%, their academic performance varies. Manchester High School students outperform the district and state averages on ELA, Math, and Science assessments, but still lag behind state-level proficiency. In contrast, Howell Cheney Technical High School and Great Path Academy at MCC students score below both the district and state averages on ELA and Math assessments, although Great Path Academy at MCC students outperform the district on Science assessments. These differences in academic performance may be influenced by factors such as school policies, curriculum, and resource allocation, rather than student demographics.