Summary:
Redding, Connecticut is served by three top-rated public schools—Joel Barlow High School (grades 9–12, 698 students), Redding Elementary School (grades PK–4, 471 students), and John Read Middle School (grades 5–8, 381 students)—for a combined enrollment of 1,550. The elementary and middle schools belong to the Redding School District, while the high school is part of Regional School District 09, an important structural detail when comparing district-level metrics. Every school holds a 5-star SchoolDigger rating and ranks in the top 20 of its school-type ranking statewide.
Joel Barlow High School is the standout overall performer, ranked #2 out of 133 high schools in Connecticut (98th percentile), with a 97.8% graduation rate and 11th-grade proficiency of 89.7% in ELA, 92.1% in science, and 66.9% in math—all far above state averages. Redding Elementary School is the early-grades powerhouse, ranked #18 out of 491 elementary schools and improving steadily over three years; its 3rd-grade math (89.5%) and ELA (86.8%) proficiency lead the district. John Read Middle School, ranked #19 out of 258 middle schools (93rd percentile), has the lowest percentile of the three but still posts excellent results, including 83.3% 5th-grade science proficiency.
Chronic absenteeism rises with grade level—4.9% at Redding Elementary, 6.1% at John Read, and 8.9% at Joel Barlow—yet all three remain far below the state's 16.4%. The relative weak point is high school math at 66.9%, though that is still more than double the state rate. With per-pupil spending between $23,477 and $25,029, student-teacher ratios of 10.0–11.0, and free/reduced lunch rates of 7.22%–11.29%, these schools operate in a well-resourced environment. Overall, Redding offers a consistently high-performing public school system with exceptional results at every level.
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