Middle Schools in Norwich School District

The Norwich School District serves two middle schools — Kelly STEAM Magnet Middle School (593 students) and Teachers' Memorial Middle School (447 students) — both covering grades 6 through 8, in a district that ranks 146th out of 153 Connecticut districts (5th percentile) and serves high-poverty populations, with 73.9% and 82.3% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch, respectively.

Kelly STEAM Magnet Middle School is the stronger academic performer. It ranks higher in state school rankings — 190 of 258 (26th percentile) vs. Teachers' Memorial's 218 of 258 (16th percentile) for 2025–2026 — and it exceeds district averages in most subjects, especially in 8th grade: 37.6% proficiency in ELA vs. a 31.5% district average, 26.5% in math vs. 21.1%, and 31.9% in science vs. 27.8%. However, Teachers' Memorial stands out for its attendance and momentum. Its chronic absenteeism rate of 16.3% matches the state average (16.4%), while Kelly's is 25.1%. Teachers' Memorial also improved sharply from 2024–2025 to 2025–2026, with average math proficiency more than doubling from 7.6% to 17.2% and its percentile rank rising from the 8th to the 16th percentile, while Kelly's rank slipped slightly.

Both schools are well below state averages — proficiency rates are roughly half the statewide level in every subject and grade, a gap that aligns with the district's high-poverty profile. Grade-level patterns tell a nuanced story: in the most recent year, Teachers' Memorial outperformed Kelly in 6th grade (ELA: 32.8% vs. 26.8%; math: 27.0% vs. 18.5%), while Kelly dominates in 7th and 8th grades. Interestingly, Teachers' Memorial has a lower student-teacher ratio (10.7 vs. 11.4) and higher spending per student ($19,553 vs. $18,530), yet Kelly still posts higher scores in most subjects — a reminder that resources are not the only factor in student achievement. For families seeking the strongest academic outcomes, Kelly currently stands out, but Teachers' Memorial's improving trend and better attendance make it a school worth watching.