Stafford School District

The Stafford School District in Connecticut serves about 1,256 students across four schools — West Stafford School (PK-K), Stafford Elementary School (1-5), Stafford Middle School (6-8), and Stafford High School (9-12) — and is ranked in the 30th percentile of Connecticut districts, though individual schools generally perform better than that overall rating.

Parents will find that each school has its own strengths. Stafford High School ranks at the 51st percentile statewide with a strong 91.1% graduation rate, excellent science proficiency (58.8% vs. 50.5% statewide), and SAT ELA near the state average. However, only 21.8% of juniors are proficient in SAT math — a major red flag. Stafford Middle School ranks at the 52nd percentile, and its 8th graders shine in science (62.2% proficient) and math (46.1% vs. 41.9% statewide), though 6th grade math is very weak (30.6%). Stafford Elementary School ranks at the 41st percentile, with bright spots in 5th grade ELA and science and 3rd grade math, but 4th grade scores lag significantly. West Stafford School serves only PK-K and has no academic test data, but reports the district’s highest chronic absenteeism (16.5%) and highest per-student spending ($20,403) despite also having the highest student-teacher ratio (12.3) — an unusual combination worth questioning.

Among the most important takeaways: math is a district-wide weakness, especially at the high school level, while science and upper-grade middle school math are genuine bright spots. Also notable is a dramatic 24.6-point one-year drop in high school SAT ELA proficiency (from 80.9% to 56.3%), which deserves close monitoring. Chronic absenteeism is near or below the state average at all schools except West Stafford, and free/reduced lunch rates are remarkably consistent (39.2% to 42.5%), meaning poverty levels are similar across the district. Overall, Stafford School District offers a mix of solid achievements and clear challenges — with math intervention and early-grade attendance as the top priorities.