Middle Schools in Berlin School District

Berlin School District has exactly one middle school, Catherine M. McGee Middle School, serving grades 6 through 8 with 595 students and ranking 68th out of 258 Connecticut middle schools (74th percentile) with a 4-star rating for 2025–2026. This is a genuine standout, especially because Berlin School District itself ranks only 80th out of 153 districts (48th percentile, 2 stars), meaning the middle school is performing well above its district's overall standing. Catherine M. McGee has held steady in the 74th–77th percentile over the past three years, and it beats the Connecticut state average in every tested subject and grade level for both 2024–2025 and 2025–2026.

Math is the school's biggest comparative strength: 7th grade math proficiency is 62.4% versus 44.1% statewide (+18.3 points), 6th grade math is 61.3% versus 44.4% (+16.9), and even 8th grade math at 55.3% beats the state's 41.9% by a solid margin. ELA scores are also strong, ranging from 60.3% to 63.2% across grades 6–8, all well above state averages. Chronic absenteeism is just 11.6%, which is lower than the district rate of 14.7% and the state rate of 16.4%, indicating strong attendance and engagement. With a favorable 11.3:1 student-teacher ratio and a moderate free/reduced-price lunch rate of 22.35%, the school achieves these results despite only mid-level economic need.

The most notable year-over-year change is a 6-point drop in 7th grade ELA, from 66.3% to 60.3%, while 6th grade ELA and math improved by 3.4 and 5.0 points respectively. Eighth grade math remains the relative weak point at 55.3% proficient, though still well above state averages, and 8th grade science is strong and stable at 62.0% (+11.1 over the state). Overall, Catherine M. McGee Middle School is a clear academic bright spot in its district, excelling in math, maintaining strong ELA and science scores, and benefiting from a healthy attendance culture. The main areas to watch are the recent 7th grade ELA decline and the persistently lower 8th grade math scores.