Summary:
The New Milford School District is home to three elementary schools serving 1,552 students across grades PK–5, with Sarah Noble Intermediate School (grades 3–5) as the only tested school, joined by Northville Elementary School and Hill And Plain School (both PK–2).
Among the three, Sarah Noble is the largest and the only one with current test scores. Its state ranking has wavered between the 34th and 41st percentiles over the past three years, placing it in the lower-middle tier of Connecticut elementary schools. Math is the biggest challenge: 3rd grade proficiency is just 35.1% versus 52.2% statewide, and 5th grade is 33.8% versus 45.8%. However, 4th grade math nearly matches the state (49.0% vs. 52.1%), and ELA scores are closer to average. Northville stands out for attendance, with the lowest chronic absenteeism rate at 9.1% and the lowest economic need (30.4% free/reduced lunch). Hill And Plain serves the highest-need population (38.5% free/reduced lunch) but also receives the highest per-student spending ($17,521) and lowest student-teacher ratio (10.9), reflecting a logical alignment of resources. Sarah Noble has the highest absenteeism (11.6%) and the highest student-teacher ratio (12.2), likely due to its larger size.
All three schools beat both district (17.4%) and state (16.4%) chronic absenteeism rates, making attendance a clear bright spot. The district ranks at the 25th percentile overall, but Sarah Noble ranks notably higher at the 34th percentile, suggesting the tested elementary school performs above the district as a whole. Historically, Hill And Plain reached the 74th percentile in 2011-2012, but that data is old. Because the two PK–2 schools are not tested, parents should recognize that academic comparisons are limited to Sarah Noble; the early-grade schools may perform better or worse than currently known. Overall, economic need is moderate, with about one in three students economically disadvantaged across the district.
Thank you for your feedback!