Irving A. Robbins Middle School

Irving A. Robbins Middle School in Farmington, CT, serves 670 students in grades 7–8 and is part of the highly regarded Farmington School District. The school ranks 27th out of 258 Connecticut middle schools (90th percentile) for 2025–2026 and has never dropped below the 90th percentile over the past decade. Students outperform state averages by roughly 20–25 points: 73.6% of 7th graders and 75.2% of 8th graders were proficient in ELA versus about 51–52% statewide, and 8th-grade science proficiency was 76.7% versus 50.9% statewide.

Robbins also stands out for strong attendance and resources. Only 7.4% of students were chronically absent in 2025–2026 — less than half the state rate of 16.4% — and the school spends about $18,513 per student with a favorable 12.5:1 student-teacher ratio. The school also posts strong results for specific student groups: low-income students and Hispanic students each ranked in the 89th percentile statewide, while female students ranked in the 88th percentile versus 80th for male students.

Compared with nearby schools, Robbins is a clear leader. It posts notably higher 8th-grade scores than Sedgwick Middle School in West Hartford (75.2% vs. 66.0% in ELA; 65.7% vs. 53.9% in math) and outpaces John Wallace Middle School, Martin Kellogg Middle School, and Middle School of Plainville. The gap is starkest versus New Britain's Pulaski Middle School and Slade Middle School, where proficiency is in the single digits to low teens and chronic absenteeism reaches 27–37%. HALS Academy, a small New Britain magnet school, ranks 3rd statewide and outranks Robbins, but Robbins achieves its results in a larger, traditional school setting. West Woods Upper Elementary School, the district's other upper school, shows nearly identical outcomes, reflecting consistent strength across Farmington. Areas to watch include a gradual ranking drift from 9th to 27th and relatively weaker special education results.