Summary:
The Wallingford School District in Wallingford, Connecticut, serves approximately 4,822 students across 11 schools — 7 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 2 high schools spanning grades PK-12 — and holds an overall ranking of 96 out of 153 Connecticut districts (37th percentile, 2-star rating), placing it slightly below the state average in aggregate performance despite wide variation among individual schools.
Pond Hill School is the district's standout elementary school, ranking in the 56th percentile statewide with 3rd grade math proficiency of 68.4% (vs. 52.2% statewide) and 5th grade science at 58.9% (vs. 52.9%), all while serving a 40% free/reduced lunch population. Lyman Hall High School is the stronger academic high school, jumping to the 63rd percentile in 2025-2026 with 11th grade science at 65.0% (vs. 50.5% statewide) and a 93.5% graduation rate — though it also posts the district's highest chronic absenteeism at 17.0%. Mark T. Sheehan High School offers a stark contrast with just 9.0% chronic absenteeism and a 93.9% graduation rate, but lacks recent academic ranking data. Dag Hammarskjold Middle School leads the middle schools at the 60th percentile, with 8th grade science at 64.4% vs. 50.9% statewide.
Math is the district's most consistent weakness — Lyman Hall's 11th grade SAT math proficiency is just 29.5% vs. 31.1% statewide, and middle school math trails the state in several grades. Science, by contrast, is a clear strength across all levels. Spending does not predict results: Pond Hill spends the least per student ($17,274) yet achieves the best elementary outcomes, while Parker Farms School has the highest economic need (47.39% free/reduced lunch) and the lowest elementary test scores. The four PK-2 schools, including Highland School with the district's best attendance at 5.9%, lack current test data, leaving a gap in evaluating early elementary readiness.
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