Windham School District

The Windham School District in Connecticut serves over 4,000 students across 7 schools, including 5 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and 1 high school. The district faces significant challenges, with low-performing schools and wide achievement gaps, but also has a bright spot in the Charles H. Barrows STEM Academy, a public magnet school that consistently outperforms the district and state averages.

The Windham High School consistently ranks in the bottom quarter of Connecticut high schools, with low test scores, high chronic absenteeism, and a high percentage of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. In contrast, the Charles H. Barrows STEM Academy stands out as a relative success story, with test scores that significantly outpace the district and state averages, suggesting that the STEM-focused curriculum and magnet school model may be effective in improving student outcomes.

Across the district, there are significant equity concerns, with high rates of free/reduced lunch eligibility and large achievement gaps between the district's schools and the state averages, particularly in Math and English Language Arts. The data reveals that the district faces significant challenges, but the success of the Charles H. Barrows STEM Academy provides a model for how targeted, high-quality educational programs can help improve outcomes for students in the Windham School District.