Elementary Schools in Branford School District

Branford School District in Connecticut is served by three elementary schools — Mary R. Tisko School, Mary T. Murphy School, and John B. Sliney School — all covering grades PK–4 and enrolling about 935 students combined. The district as a whole ranks in the middle of the state, but the schools themselves vary widely. Mary R. Tisko School is the clear standout: it ranks 94th out of 491 Connecticut elementary schools (81st percentile, 4 stars) and is the only school in the district in the top quarter statewide. Tisko also has the lowest poverty rate (17.8% free/reduced-price lunch) and the lowest chronic absenteeism at just 4.6%, far below the district average of 10.7% and the state rate of 16.4%. Its students post the highest SBAC proficiency scores in nearly every subject and grade, with 4th grade math and ELA proficiency around 25 points above state averages.

By contrast, Mary T. Murphy School and John B. Sliney School sit closer to the middle of the pack. Murphy ranks 239th (51st percentile, 3 stars) and shows a troubling pattern in 4th grade: its 4th grade math proficiency (50.7%) is the only reported score in the district below the state average, and it dropped 16.9 points in 4th grade ELA and 7.9 points in 4th grade math year over year. Sliney ranks 204th (58th percentile, 3 stars) and spends the most per pupil ($19,675) with the smallest class sizes (8.8 student-teacher ratio), yet it does not outperform Tisko, which spends less ($18,441) and has larger classes (11.8). Sliney also has the highest poverty rate at 47.2% free/reduced-price lunch. Both Murphy and Sliney have chronic absenteeism rates near the district average (10.7–10.9%), well below the state average but much higher than Tisko's.

For parents, the takeaway is that socioeconomic factors align closely with outcomes: Tisko, with far fewer students in poverty, shows the strongest academic performance and attendance. Meanwhile, the district's middle-ranking schools receive comparable or greater resources but still trail Tisko academically, suggesting that funding and class size alone do not drive success. If your child is entering 4th grade, Tisko's exceptional results stand out, while Murphy's recent 4th grade declines may warrant attention. Sliney's missing 4th grade math data also makes it harder to fully assess its math program. Overall, Branford's elementary schools are all below the state chronic absenteeism average, but the differences in rank, test scores, and poverty levels are substantial within this small district.