Derby School District

The Derby School District in Connecticut consists of 5 schools, including 3 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and 1 high school, serving students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. The district faces some challenges, with most schools performing below state averages on key metrics, but there are also some bright spots worth highlighting.

The standout school in the district is Bradley School, an elementary school that outperforms the other schools on measures like test scores and the SchoolDigger rating. In 2024-2025, 49% of 4th graders and 47.5% of 5th graders at Bradley School were proficient or better in English Language Arts, significantly higher than the district and state averages. In contrast, Derby Middle School has the highest SchoolDigger rating (2 out of 5 stars) and stronger test scores compared to the other schools in the district, but is still below state averages.

Across the Derby School District, there are some concerning trends, such as high chronic absenteeism rates of 17.7% in 2023-2024, well above the state average. Test scores are generally below state averages, with the exception of Bradley School, and the district has high rates of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 47.79% at Bradley School to 66.31% at Derby Middle School. While Derby High School had an 88.4% four-year graduation rate in 2022-2023, a positive metric, the district as a whole faces significant challenges in improving student outcomes and addressing equity concerns.