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Francis Walsh Intermediate School

Q: Is Francis Walsh Intermediate School a good school?

Francis Walsh Intermediate School ranks 113 th of 258 Connecticut middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Q: How many students attend Francis Walsh Intermediate School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 775 students attended Francis Walsh Intermediate School.

Q: What is the racial makeup of Francis Walsh Intermediate School?

Students at Francis Walsh Intermediate School are 65% White, 18% Hispanic, 6% African American, 5% Asian, 5% Two or more races.

Public Grades 5-8

113^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 258 Connecticut Middle Schools

Better than 56% of Connecticut middle schools

Summary

Francis Walsh Intermediate School is a mid-sized middle school in Branford, CT, serving 775 students in grades 5 through 8 as part of the Branford School District. It ranks 113th out of 258 Connecticut middle schools, placing it in the 56th percentile with a 3-star rating for 2025-2026, and it has stayed in that solidly mid-tier range for a decade.

Walsh's biggest academic challenge is a clear slide from 5th to 8th grade. In 5th grade, Walsh students beat the state average by a wide margin — 73.2% proficient in ELA and 57.0% in math, versus 53.5% and 45.8% statewide. By 8th grade, proficiency drops to 50.0% in ELA and 38.7% in math, at or below the state average. Nearby schools show no such decline: Walter C. Polson Middle School in Madison posts 79.1% ELA and 81.3% math, while E.C. Adams Middle School in Guilford posts 74.2% and 72.1%. Since Walsh is a single 5-8 school rather than a split structure like Guilford's A. Baldwin Middle School and E.C. Adams Middle School, the school has direct control over this four-year trajectory.

Walsh's results look stronger when compared to schools serving similar or higher-poverty populations. With a free/reduced-price lunch rate of 42.45%, Walsh outperforms Hamden Middle School, Joseph Melillo Middle School in East Haven, Betsy Ross Arts and Design Academy in New Haven, and Carrigan 5/6 Intermediate School in West Haven. The school also earns high relative marks for key subgroups: Hispanic students rank in the 76th percentile and low-income students in the 65th–72nd percentile, while White students and boys rank lower at the 21st and 39th percentiles respectively. Chronic absenteeism is a genuine strength at just 8.9% — far better than the state's 16.4% and closer to Walter C. Polson Middle School than to similar-poverty urban schools. The combination of steady attendance and strong elementary preparation makes Walsh a dependable choice, though families should watch how the school addresses its upper-grade math slide.

775

Students ?

10.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$35,515

Per pupil spending ?

42.5%

Free/discounted lunch ?

185 Damascus Rd.
Branford, CT 06405

(203) 488-8317

District: Branford School District

Students who attend Francis Walsh Intermediate School usually attend:

High:

Branford High School

Feeder schools for Francis Walsh Intermediate School:

Elementary:	John B. Sliney School
	Mary R. Tisko School
	Mary T. Murphy School

Racial breakdown:

White:

65.2%

Hispanic:

17.8%

African American:

5.7%

See top rated Connecticut middle schools

Compare Francis Walsh Intermediate School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 57th percentile in 2016 → 56th in 2026

Strengths

✓Above the Connecticut median (56th percentile)

✓Small classes — about 11 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school53%

District avg54%

Connecticut avg49%

113^th of 258

Connecticut public middle schools ?

Top 44%▼ down 1 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Connecticut Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

83^rd of 153Branford School District among Connecticut districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2026	56.2	113 of 258	56.2%	★★★☆☆
2025	56.4	108 of 252	57.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	60.3	96 of 250	61.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	53.7	113 of 249	54.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	52.4	109 of 250	56.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	59.7	108 of 275	60.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	64.1	101 of 259	61.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	54.1	124 of 249	50.2%	★★★☆☆
2017	58.8	104 of 250	58.4%	★★★☆☆
2016	58.2	106 of 246	56.9%	★★★☆☆
2015	69.8	92 of 280	67.1%	★★★☆☆
2013	67.3	116 of 278	58.3%	★★★☆☆
2012	71.4	102 of 272	62.5%	★★★☆☆
2011	70.3	107 of 269	60.2%	★★★☆☆
2010	71.4	97 of 268	63.8%	★★★☆☆
2009	69.1	104 of 255	59.2%	★★★☆☆
2008	76.5	53 of 252	79.0%	★★★★☆
2007	68.7	97 of 250	61.2%	★★★☆☆
2006	70.0	84 of 248	66.1%	★★★☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2021	0.7	27 of 27	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	13.7	9 of 10	10.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2021	48.6	49 of 104	52.9%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2026	53.5	83 of 164	49.4%	★★★☆☆
2025	51.4	81 of 164	50.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	53.7	78 of 161	51.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	47.6	85 of 160	46.9%	★★☆☆☆
2022	44.9	94 of 166	43.4%	★★☆☆☆
2021	51.9	104 of 235	55.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	50.8	98 of 169	42.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	49.9	96 of 160	40.0%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2026	67.6	27 of 115	76.5%	★★★★☆
2025	71.9	23 of 105	78.1%	★★★★☆
2024	61.8	24 of 104	76.9%	★★★★☆
2023	45.4	45 of 99	54.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	62.7	22 of 97	77.3%	★★★★☆
2021	60.1	50 of 146	65.8%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2026	59.9	39 of 112	65.2%	★★★☆☆
2025	66.6	36 of 117	69.2%	★★★★☆
2024	71.4	32 of 114	71.9%	★★★★☆
2023	49.9	49 of 109	55.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	52.5	51 of 106	51.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	65.0	69 of 218	68.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	66.6	33 of 104	68.3%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2026	38.2	100 of 164	39.0%	★★☆☆☆
2025	44.0	92 of 162	43.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	49.2	82 of 157	47.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	43.0	95 of 158	39.9%	★★☆☆☆
2022	48.8	90 of 169	46.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	59.3	88 of 224	60.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	60.1	76 of 167	54.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	41.9	101 of 164	38.4%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2021	64.5	74 of 244	69.7%	★★★★☆
2018	14.1	23 of 23	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2026	24.1	118 of 150	21.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	23.5	117 of 153	23.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	30.7	109 of 154	29.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	26.6	123 of 158	22.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	27.4	111 of 151	26.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	37.0	107 of 175	38.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	39.8	103 of 166	38.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	28.3	126 of 168	25.0%	★☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Hispanic (2026)77th percentile+20 vs school

Special Education (2021)70th percentile+9 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)65th percentile+9 vs school

Disabled (2021)53rd percentile-8 vs school

Female (2026)49th percentile-7 vs school

Male (2026)39th percentile-17 vs school

White (2026)21st percentile-35 vs school

Asian (2021)<1st percentile-61 vs school

By subject vs Connecticut (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts57%+5 vs state

Mathematics50%+6 vs state

1.0

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What people are saying

by a citizen
Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Forget this school, test scores are deceptive, as students from the Tisko district boost the average score up tremendously. I learned nothing here, most of the kids were bad, we watched movies frequently and did little in the way of academics in general. Classes were nothing more than glorified circuses, there are no walls, and there are often fights. I have even heard of teachers assaulting students! The student body is very very cliquey....the school does not have a community feel at all. Bullying is common place, and teachers often encourage and or contribute to it. The principal is a joke, there is no control over students or staff alike. Strong preferences are shown between students as well with some getting worse or better treatment than others, even if the same behavior was exhibited. Special ed kids are thrown off to a lonely, windowless corner of the school, totally isolated in a galaxy far, far away. Walsh intermediate is not a safe school at all. There is no security in the halls, at the entrance or on the buses. Many desks, lockers, or walls are vandalized with graffiti and profane language,and there is no effort made to clean it. Town hall does nothing to fix the building problem, preferring to attempt to build truck stops in residential neighborhoods, and cater to the interests of vacationers from New York and their second homes than give their average-income residents a decent place to send their kids to middle school. In short, this place fails on every level, heed this warning, nobody likes it here, don't put your child here and expect success. If you do have your child at Walsh I would recommend watching your kid closely and making sure that they are up to speed and getting a good education, cause the school certainly won't do that. Close Quote

Schools Near Francis Walsh Intermediate School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

School	Students/Teachers	Ranking (2026)	Ranking (2025)	NGSS Science (2026)	SBAC English Language Arts (2026)	SBAC Mathematics (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Francis Walsh Intermediate School	Public	5-8	185 Damascus Rd.	Branford	06405	South Central Connecticut Planning Region	Branford School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 488-8317	775	72	10.7	42.5%	505 (65.2%)	44 (5.7%)	138 (17.8%)	42 (5.4%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (5.4%)	56.2	113^th of 258 public middle schools	56.2%	56.4	108^th of 252 public middle schools	57.1%	5	506.0	801.0	73.2	51.9	53.8	50.0	57.0	51.4	51.4	38.7	$35,515
North Branford Intermediate School	Public	6-8	654 Foxon Rd.	North Branford	06471	South Central Connecticut Planning Region	North Branford School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 484-1500	352	33	10.6	23.9%	294 (83.5%)	1 (0.3%)	43 (12.2%)	4 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.8%)	59.6	102^nd of 258 public middle schools	60.5%	57.4	106^th of 252 public middle schools	57.9%	4		49.1		65.2	48.3	55.6		50.9	41.4	54.7	$22,689
Joseph Melillo Middle School	Public	6-8	67 Hudson St.	East Haven	06512	South Central Connecticut Planning Region	East Haven School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 468-3227	461	49	9.4	65.3%	150 (32.5%)	38 (8.2%)	242 (52.5%)	18 (3.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.2%)	31.5	160^th of 258 public middle schools	38.0%	26.9	164^th of 252 public middle schools	34.9%	4		791.0		28.1	45.5	43.5		27.4	34.1	32.4	$22,295
A. Baldwin Middle School	Public	5-6	68 Bullard Dr.	Guilford	06437	South Central Connecticut Planning Region	Guilford School District	No	No	No	No	(203) 457-0222	463	42	11.1	14.7%	360 (77.8%)	3 (0.6%)	52 (11.2%)	24 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (5.2%)							(n/a)	73.6		76.2	74.2			63.2	72.9			$23,173
E. C. Adams Middle School	Public	7-8	233 Church St.	Guilford	06437	South Central Connecticut Planning Region	Guilford School District	No	No	No	No	(203) 453-2755	478	46	10.3	14.4%	399 (83.5%)	4 (0.8%)	40 (8.4%)	17 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	16 (3.3%)	88.3	26^th of 258 public middle schools	89.9%	90.9	15^th of 252 public middle schools	94.0%	11		73.9			71.4	74.2			71.3	72.1	$22,909
North Haven Middle School	Public	6-8	55 Bailey Rd.	North Haven	06473	South Central Connecticut Planning Region	North Haven School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 239-1683	752	64	11.7	22.6%	519 (69.0%)	39 (5.2%)	108 (14.4%)	57 (7.6%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (3.6%)	74	70^th of 258 public middle schools	72.9%	71.9	80^th of 252 public middle schools	68.3%	10		67.4		69.6	65.6	63.5		53.2	51.1	54.6	$19,786
Betsy Ross Arts and Design Academy	Public, Magnet	6-9	150 Kimberly Ave.	New Haven	06519	South Central Connecticut Planning Region	New Haven School District	No	Yes	No	No	(475) 220-5300	348	34	10.2	73.9%	36 (10.3%)	139 (39.9%)	146 (42.0%)	4 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (6.0%)	12.3	220^th of 258 public middle schools	14.7%	12.5	209^th of 252 public middle schools	17.1%	11		25.6		32.3	25.9	2516.0		11.3	12.3	10.6	$24,308
Walter C. Polson Middle School	Public	6-8	302 Green Hill Rd.	Madison	06443	South Central Connecticut Planning Region	Madison School District	No	No	No	No	(203) 245-6480	541	55	9.8	6.5%	431 (79.7%)	5 (0.9%)	51 (9.4%)	24 (4.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (5.4%)	94.3	8^th of 258 public middle schools	96.9%	95.9	3^rd of 252 public middle schools	98.8%	5		84.6		81.1	82.2	79.1		77.3	84.9	81.3	$25,769
Edmonds Cofield Preparatory Academy for Young Men Inc.	Public, Charter	5-6	794 Dixwell	New Haven	06511	South Central Connecticut Planning Region	Edmonds Cofield Preparatory Academy for Young Men Inc. Distr	Yes	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(203) 710-4998																		(n/a)
Hamden Middle School	Public	7-8	2623 Dixwell Ave.	Hamden	06518	South Central Connecticut Planning Region	Hamden School District	No	No	No	No	(203) 407-3140	845	74	11.4	48.8%	206 (24.4%)	269 (31.8%)	256 (30.3%)	59 (7.0%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	51 (6.0%)	28.8	167^th of 258 public middle schools	35.3%	36.1	149^th of 252 public middle schools	40.9%	18		35.8			40.8	36.0			27.8	30.2	$26,617

Frequently Asked Questions about Francis Walsh Intermediate School

What is the racial makeup of Francis Walsh Intermediate School?

Students at Francis Walsh Intermediate School are 65% White, 18% Hispanic, 6% African American, 5% Asian, 5% Two or more races.

Is Francis Walsh Intermediate School a good school?

Francis Walsh Intermediate School ranks 113^th of 258 Connecticut middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Francis Walsh Intermediate School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 775 students attended Francis Walsh Intermediate School.

What district is Francis Walsh Intermediate School in?

Branford School District

What high school do graduates of Francis Walsh Intermediate School attend?

Students who attend Francis Walsh Intermediate School usually go on to attend Branford High School

Rate Francis Walsh Intermediate School!

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Latest Connecticut data All new data »

2024–25 through 2025–26 attendance data & graduation ratesAug 31, 2026

2025–26 NGSS, SAT & SBAC test scoresAug 31, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataApr 2, 2026

2024–25 attendance dataNov 6, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Connecticut Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				NGSS Science (2026)		SBAC English Language Arts (2026)				SBAC Mathematics (2026)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	NGSS Science 5th Grade	NGSS Science 8th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 5th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 6th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 7th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 8th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 5th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 6th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 7th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 8th Grade	Total
Francis Walsh Intermediate School	Public	5-8	185 Damascus Rd.	Branford	06405	South Central Connecticut Planning Region	Branford School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 488-8317	775	72	10.7	42.5%	505 (65.2%)	44 (5.7%)	138 (17.8%)	42 (5.4%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (5.4%)	56.2	113^th of 258 public middle schools	56.2%		56.4	108^th of 252 public middle schools	57.1%	5	506.0	801.0	73.2	51.9	53.8	50.0	57.0	51.4	51.4	38.7	$35,515
North Branford Intermediate School	Public	6-8	654 Foxon Rd.	North Branford	06471	South Central Connecticut Planning Region	North Branford School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 484-1500	352	33	10.6	23.9%	294 (83.5%)	1 (0.3%)	43 (12.2%)	4 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.8%)	59.6	102^nd of 258 public middle schools	60.5%		57.4	106^th of 252 public middle schools	57.9%	4		49.1		65.2	48.3	55.6		50.9	41.4	54.7	$22,689
Joseph Melillo Middle School	Public	6-8	67 Hudson St.	East Haven	06512	South Central Connecticut Planning Region	East Haven School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 468-3227	461	49	9.4	65.3%	150 (32.5%)	38 (8.2%)	242 (52.5%)	18 (3.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.2%)	31.5	160^th of 258 public middle schools	38.0%		26.9	164^th of 252 public middle schools	34.9%	4		791.0		28.1	45.5	43.5		27.4	34.1	32.4	$22,295
A. Baldwin Middle School	Public	5-6	68 Bullard Dr.	Guilford	06437	South Central Connecticut Planning Region	Guilford School District	No	No	No	No	(203) 457-0222	463	42	11.1	14.7%	360 (77.8%)	3 (0.6%)	52 (11.2%)	24 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (5.2%)								(n/a)	73.6		76.2	74.2			63.2	72.9			$23,173
E. C. Adams Middle School	Public	7-8	233 Church St.	Guilford	06437	South Central Connecticut Planning Region	Guilford School District	No	No	No	No	(203) 453-2755	478	46	10.3	14.4%	399 (83.5%)	4 (0.8%)	40 (8.4%)	17 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	16 (3.3%)	88.3	26^th of 258 public middle schools	89.9%		90.9	15^th of 252 public middle schools	94.0%	11		73.9			71.4	74.2			71.3	72.1	$22,909
North Haven Middle School	Public	6-8	55 Bailey Rd.	North Haven	06473	South Central Connecticut Planning Region	North Haven School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 239-1683	752	64	11.7	22.6%	519 (69.0%)	39 (5.2%)	108 (14.4%)	57 (7.6%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (3.6%)	74	70^th of 258 public middle schools	72.9%		71.9	80^th of 252 public middle schools	68.3%	10		67.4		69.6	65.6	63.5		53.2	51.1	54.6	$19,786
Betsy Ross Arts and Design Academy	Public, Magnet	6-9	150 Kimberly Ave.	New Haven	06519	South Central Connecticut Planning Region	New Haven School District	No	Yes	No	No	(475) 220-5300	348	34	10.2	73.9%	36 (10.3%)	139 (39.9%)	146 (42.0%)	4 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (6.0%)	12.3	220^th of 258 public middle schools	14.7%		12.5	209^th of 252 public middle schools	17.1%	11		25.6		32.3	25.9	2516.0		11.3	12.3	10.6	$24,308
Walter C. Polson Middle School	Public	6-8	302 Green Hill Rd.	Madison	06443	South Central Connecticut Planning Region	Madison School District	No	No	No	No	(203) 245-6480	541	55	9.8	6.5%	431 (79.7%)	5 (0.9%)	51 (9.4%)	24 (4.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (5.4%)	94.3	8^th of 258 public middle schools	96.9%		95.9	3^rd of 252 public middle schools	98.8%	5		84.6		81.1	82.2	79.1		77.3	84.9	81.3	$25,769
Edmonds Cofield Preparatory Academy for Young Men Inc.	Public, Charter	5-6	794 Dixwell	New Haven	06511	South Central Connecticut Planning Region	Edmonds Cofield Preparatory Academy for Young Men Inc. Distr	Yes	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(203) 710-4998																			(n/a)
Hamden Middle School	Public	7-8	2623 Dixwell Ave.	Hamden	06518	South Central Connecticut Planning Region	Hamden School District	No	No	No	No	(203) 407-3140	845	74	11.4	48.8%	206 (24.4%)	269 (31.8%)	256 (30.3%)	59 (7.0%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	51 (6.0%)	28.8	167^th of 258 public middle schools	35.3%		36.1	149^th of 252 public middle schools	40.9%	18		35.8			40.8	36.0			27.8	30.2	$26,617