Elementary Schools in Salem School District

The Salem School District contains just one school, Salem Elementary School, located at 200 Hartford Rd. in Salem, CT, serving grades PK–8 with 389 students enrolled.

Because the district and school are the same entity, all attention falls on this single campus. Salem Elementary has earned a consistent 3-star SchoolDigger rating over the past three years while improving its statewide rank from #250 of 497 in 2023–2024 to #214 of 491 in 2025–2026, placing it in the top half of Connecticut schools. English Language Arts is the school's clearest strength: in 2025–2026, it exceeded the state average in every tested grade, most notably with 7th graders reaching 78% proficiency versus a 52.2% state average. Fourth grade math is also exceptional at 78.7% proficiency compared to 52.1% statewide. However, upper-grade math is uneven, with 5th grade (40%) and 8th grade (37.5%) falling below state averages. The school enjoys a strong 11:1 student-teacher ratio and per-student spending of $17,929. Chronic absenteeism is remarkably low: the school-level rate was 12.5% in 2024–2025, and the district rate dropped to 7.9% in 2025–2026, less than half the state's 16.4%.

Parents should note the school's rank is notably stronger than the district's rank—the school sits in the 56th percentile of schools while the district sits in the 45th percentile of districts, an unusual positive distinction. The main concern is upper-grade mathematics, especially 8th grade, which improved substantially from 23.7% to 37.5% proficiency year over year but still trails the state. Large fluctuations, such as 4th grade ELA jumping 17 points from 48.8% to 66.0%, and 3rd grade math dropping 10 points from 65.9% to 55.9%, suggest small grade cohorts where individual students can heavily influence results. With 23.91% of students eligible for free/reduced-price lunch, solid attendance, and strong literacy outcomes, Salem Elementary School is a well-resourced, above-average option; math consistency across grades remains the key trend to watch.