Windham School District

The Windham School District serves roughly 2,642 students across 6 schools in eastern Connecticut — one high school, one middle school, and four elementary schools — and ranks in the 8th percentile statewide with a 0-star rating. The district as a whole ranks 141 out of 153 Connecticut districts, and roughly 70% of students districtwide qualify for free or reduced lunch. That said, there are meaningful differences among individual schools that parents will want to consider.

Charles H. Barrows STEM Academy is the clear standout. It has the lowest poverty rate (48.2% free/reduced lunch) and the lowest chronic absenteeism (12.2% vs. the district's 23.6%). It is the only school in the district to earn a 2-star rating, and it outperforms state averages in 5th grade science (68.3% vs. 52.9%) and 8th grade science (59.0% vs. 50.9%). Natchaug School also deserves attention for posting a 10.2% chronic absenteeism rate — better than the state average — despite serving a high-poverty population. However, strong attendance has not translated into academic proficiency there. At the other end, W.B. Sweeney School has the highest poverty rate at 84.4% and among the lowest test scores, with just 18.4% of 4th graders proficient in ELA and 18.9% in math.

The biggest academic weakness is middle school math. At Windham Middle School, only 14.9% of 6th graders and 16.9% of 8th graders are proficient in math, versus state rates of 44.4% and 41.9%. Windham High School spends the most per student ($21,209) yet has the district's highest chronic absenteeism (31.4%) and a science proficiency rate near half the state average — evidence that spending alone doesn't drive outcomes. Rankings are also slipping districtwide: Barrows dropped from the 47th to the 29th percentile, and Sweeney fell from the 20th to the 10th percentile. For parents, Barrows offers the strongest academic environment, while middle school math and high school chronic absenteeism are the areas of greatest concern.