Ansonia Middle School

Ansonia Middle School serves 560 students in grades 6–8 in Ansonia, CT, and sits within the Ansonia School District, which ranks near the bottom of Connecticut districts at 149 out of 153. The school itself holds a 1-star rating and ranks 225 out of 258 Connecticut middle schools (13th percentile). About 64% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and chronic absenteeism was 21.9% in 2025–26—an improvement from prior years but still above the state average of 16.4%.

Academically, proficiency rates are dramatically below state averages and far behind nearby schools. On the 2025–26 SBAC assessments, ELA proficiency was about 25% across grades 6–8, roughly half the state average, while math proficiency was about 15% across grades, about one-third of the state average. Only 18.4% of 8th graders scored proficient in science, compared to 50.9% statewide. The contrast with nearby schools is stark: Amity Middle School: Orange and Jockey Hollow School both exceed 70% ELA proficiency and 60% math proficiency, while Oxford Middle School posts similarly strong results. Even Derby Middle School, located less than a mile away with similar poverty rates and higher chronic absenteeism, outperforms Ansonia in both ELA and math.

There are a few encouraging signs. Chronic absenteeism dropped meaningfully from 27.2% to 21.9%, and 8th-grade ELA scores have improved. However, math remains a critical weakness, and subgroup rankings are near the bottom of the state—White students rank last among 150 comparable schools, and low-income students rank in the 5th percentile. Hispanic students rank highest at the 28th percentile, though still below the statewide median. Ansonia also spends slightly less per student ($15,150) than most neighboring middle schools and has a higher student-teacher ratio of 14:1. These structural challenges suggest that closing the gap with nearby districts will require continued investment in math instruction, attendance support, and student services.