Best Public Schools in Simsbury, CT

Simsbury, Connecticut is served by four public schools in the highly rated Simsbury School District, which covers grades PK through 12 and ranks in the 90th percentile among Connecticut districts. The district includes Simsbury High School (grades 9–12, 1,187 students), Squadron Line School (PK–6, 710 students), Henry James Memorial School (grades 7–8, 685 students), and Central School (K–6, 393 students). Simsbury High stands out with a 97.7% graduation rate and a #6 state ranking, while Henry James has shown steady improvement, moving into the top 10% of middle schools. Among the elementary schools, Central School matches or exceeds much larger Squadron Line in math and ELA proficiency despite having nearly half the enrollment.

Across the district, all schools rank in the top 10% of their peer groups. Simsbury High posts an 86.1% ELA proficiency and 88.5% science proficiency, both more than 30 points above state averages. Central School posts the highest elementary math average (78.8%) and the strongest 3rd-grade math score in the district (86.5%). Squadron Line, despite having the lowest per-student spending ($15,310) and the highest student-teacher ratio (13.1:1), still achieves strong results and has the lowest chronic absenteeism at 4.7%. Henry James, the middle school, has the highest chronic absenteeism at 11.4%, while the two secondary schools also serve slightly higher free/reduced-price lunch populations and spend more per student than the elementary schools.

The most consistent academic challenge is math, where proficiency runs 10 to 28 points below ELA across all schools. Chronic absenteeism also increases with grade level, with secondary schools above the district average of 7.9%, though still well below the state's 16.4%. Notable year-over-year shifts include an impressive 10.2-point jump in Henry James 8th-grade math and significant drops in 4th-grade ELA at both elementary schools. While these changes may reflect different student cohorts, they are worth monitoring. Overall, Simsbury families have access to a group of consistently high-achieving schools, with particular strengths in ELA and science, and clear opportunities to focus on math and attendance at the secondary level.