Summary:
Middlefield, Connecticut is served by one elementary school, John Lyman School, which enrolls 207 students in grades 2 through 4 as part of Regional School District 13. This small, well-resourced school stands out for its exceptionally low chronic absenteeism rate of just 4.0% in 2025-2026, compared to 8.7% for the district and 16.4% statewide, suggesting students are consistently attending and engaged.
Academically, the school’s biggest strength is English Language Arts, particularly in 4th grade, where 64.6% of students scored proficient on the SBAC in 2025-2026, well above the state average of 50.9%. Third-grade ELA also beat the state at 53.3% versus 47.3%. Mathematics is a relative weakness: 4th-grade math proficiency was only 44.8% compared to 52.1% statewide, and 3rd-grade math was slightly below the state average at 51.4% versus 52.2%. This creates a striking 19.8-point gap between the school’s own 4th-grade ELA and math scores, signaling a clear area for improvement.
John Lyman also benefits from a favorable 10.7:1 student-to-teacher ratio and a low free/reduced lunch rate of 18.36%, and per-student spending was $21,173 in 2018-2019. Despite these positives, its statewide ranking has declined from the 76th percentile in 2020-2021 to the 49th percentile in 2025-2026, placing it exactly at the median of Connecticut elementary schools. Parents should note the school only serves grades 2–4, so test performance reflects just two grade levels. Overall, John Lyman offers excellent attendance, strong ELA outcomes, and a supportive environment, while math proficiency and the recent ranking trend are worth monitoring.
Thank you for your feedback!