Cromwell School District

The Cromwell School District in Cromwell, CT serves roughly 1,816 students across four schools — one high school (grades 9–12), one middle school (grades 6–8), and two elementary schools (grades PK–2 and 3–5) — and ranks in the 53rd percentile of Connecticut districts with a 3-star SchoolDigger rating. In the most recent school year, every tested subject at every grade level in all three tested schools was above the Connecticut state average. The standout is Cromwell High School, which improved dramatically to the 80th percentile of Connecticut high schools and boasts a 97% graduation rate, far above the state's 91.2%.

Among the elementary and middle schools, Woodside Intermediate School is the district's most improved school, climbing from the 49th to the 58th percentile over three years, with the lowest chronic absenteeism rate in the district at just 7.4% — less than half the state rate. Cromwell Middle School ranks in the 67th percentile, remains consistently above state proficiency levels, and posted notable math gains in grades 7 and 8, though its ELA proficiency declined in every grade — a mixed trend worth monitoring. Edna C. Stevens School, serving the district's youngest students in PK–2, has no test data but posts the highest free/reduced lunch rate (32.2%) and highest chronic absenteeism rate (14.5%) in the district, signaling an early-years watch item.

Math is the district's relative weakness: while above state averages, math proficiency trails ELA and science at nearly every level, falling to 47.8% at the high school and 48.1% in 5th grade at Woodside. One striking finding is the high school's science surge from 45.0% to 68.3% proficiency in a single year — a 23-point swing likely reflecting a strong cohort, a curriculum change, or both. With per-pupil spending from about $13,500 at the elementary schools to nearly $18,000 at the high school (2018-19 data) and student-teacher ratios between 10.5 and 13.4, the district is well-resourced. Overall, the Cromwell School District is a solidly above-average district with a proud high school, improving elementary schools, and clear opportunities for growth in math, middle school literacy, and early-grade attendance.