Schools in Suffield, CT

Suffield, Connecticut is served by the Suffield School District, which includes three public schools—McAlister Intermediate School (grades 3–5), A. Ward Spaulding School (grades PK–2), and Suffield Middle School (grades 6–8)—covering the PK–8 pathway with a district ranking in the 54th percentile statewide.

The clear academic leader is Suffield Middle School, ranked 75th out of 258 Connecticut middle schools (71st percentile, 4 stars). It posts the district’s strongest results, especially in math and science—8th-grade science proficiency is 76.8% versus 50.3% statewide, and 6th-grade math is 65.2% versus 44.4%. This is notable because it also has the highest percentage of economically disadvantaged students (16% free/reduced lunch) and the lowest student–teacher ratio (10.9), along with the highest spending per student ($18,398). McAlister Intermediate School is a solid 3-star school (57th percentile), with strong 4th-grade math (64.1% vs. 52.1% statewide) and 5th-grade science (62.1% vs. 52.9%), but its 3rd-grade ELA is the district’s only below-state tested area (43.8% vs. 47.3%). A. Ward Spaulding School is not ranked because it serves only PK–2, but it excels at attendance with just 5.6% chronic absenteeism—well below the district's 10.3% and the state's 16.4%.

Across the board, math is a district strength, with middle school proficiency running 16–21 points above state averages. However, both ranked schools have declined from their 2024–2025 peak—for example, McAlister’s 3rd-grade ELA dropped 14.4 points, and Suffield Middle’s 8th-grade math fell 12.1 points. Chronic absenteeism at the middle school (12.5%) has emerged as a concern, potentially tied to these dips. The district overall is “average to slightly above” in Connecticut, but the middle school’s high investment and strong science/math results make it the standout. The biggest opportunity for improvement is early literacy, since 3rd-grade reading is the only area below the state average, and strengthening it could boost later academic performance.