Best Public Schools in Tolland, CT

Tolland, Connecticut is a suburban community served by the Tolland School District, which educates about 2,122 students across four schools: Birch Grove Primary School (PK–2), Tolland Intermediate School (3–5), Tolland Middle School (6–8), and Tolland High School (9–12). The district ranks 40th out of 153 Connecticut districts, placing it in the 74th percentile with a 4-star rating.

Tolland Intermediate School stands out as the district's academic powerhouse, ranked 65th out of 491 Connecticut elementary schools. Its 5th-grade math proficiency of 79.8% exceeds the state average by 34 points, and 5th-grade science proficiency is 78.5% versus 52.9% statewide. Tolland Middle School has ranked in the 81st percentile for three consecutive years and boasts the district's best student-teacher ratio at 10.5 students per teacher. Tolland High School posts an excellent 96.2% graduation rate and strong SAT ELA scores (76.6%), but math proficiency is just 41.9%, a striking 34.7-point gap between subjects.

Chronic absenteeism follows a clear progression across grade levels: Birch Grove Primary School has an exceptionally low 1.9% rate and Tolland Intermediate School just 2.0%, but Tolland High School spikes to 18.3%, above the state average of 16.4%. The high school's state ranking has slipped from the 84th to the 70th percentile over three years. Middle school math also dips in 7th grade, falling to 51.4% proficiency. The district invests most heavily in middle school years, with per-student spending of $17,840 and the lowest student-teacher ratio, while Birch Grove serves a slightly higher-need population with 19.2% free/reduced-price lunch eligibility.