Summary:
Regional School District 07 contains a single middle school, Northwestern Regional Middle School, serving grades 7–8 in Winsted, CT, with 218 students and a very low 8.4:1 student-teacher ratio.
Because there is only one middle school in this district, all attention falls on Northwestern Regional Middle School, and the news is largely positive. The school ranks in the 80th percentile of Connecticut middle schools (52nd out of 258) and earned 4 out of 5 stars in 2025–2026 after dipping to 3 stars the year before. In the most recent testing year, the school outperformed both the district and the state in every tested subject. Across all five reported subject/grade combinations, the school’s average proficiency was 64.6%, compared to 62.1% for the district and 48.0% statewide — a 16.6 percentage-point edge over Connecticut as a whole. Science is a standout: 76.5% of 8th graders were proficient, versus 50.9% statewide. The school also has a lower chronic absenteeism rate (12.4%) than the district (17.7%) or state (16.4%), and its 22% free/reduced lunch rate indicates a moderate share of economically disadvantaged students.
Year-over-year trends deserve a closer look. While 8th grade scores improved sharply — especially science, which jumped from 45.3% to 76.5% proficiency — 7th grade scores fell in both ELA (77.2% to 68.0%) and math (67.5% to 59.4%). This suggests the school’s overall upward movement is being driven by 8th graders, while 7th grade performance needs monitoring. The school remains well ahead of state averages and its lead is growing, from 11.8 points above the state in 2024–2025 to 16.6 points in 2025–2026. For parents, the bottom line is that Northwestern Regional Middle School is a strong, well-resourced school with small classes, low absenteeism, and excellent science outcomes, though the recent dip in 7th grade ELA and math is worth watching.
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