MacDonough School

Macdonough School is a K-5 elementary school in Middletown, CT, serving 218 students as part of the Middletown School District. The school serves a high-need population: 72.5% of students qualified for free/reduced lunch in 2024-2025, the highest rate among all nearby Middletown elementary schools. Chronic absenteeism is also elevated at 23.0%, the highest in the surrounding area and well above the state average of 16.4%. The school has a relatively favorable student-teacher ratio of 13.2:1 and spends about $18,580 per student, which is moderate-to-high compared to nearby schools.

Macdonough School's state ranking has fallen sharply in recent years, dropping from the 44th percentile in 2021-2022 to the 21st percentile in 2025-2026, placing it in the bottom quintile of Connecticut elementary schools. Academic proficiency is generally below district and state levels: 3rd grade ELA proficiency was 22.2% (district 39.0%, state 47.3%), and 5th grade science was 32.0% (district 42.9%, state 52.9%). The contrast with Moody School, in the same district just 2.9 miles away, is striking — Moody's 3rd grade ELA proficiency was 59%, its 4th grade math was 62.1%, and its 5th grade science reached 79.4%. Only Bielefield School ranks lower among nearby Middletown elementaries.

There are notable bright spots, though they are inconsistent. In 2023-2024, 5th grade ELA proficiency reached 62.5% and 5th grade science hit 64.1%, both well above district and state averages. In 2022-2023, 4th grade math reached 60%. However, these gains have not persisted across cohorts, partly reflecting small class sizes. Attendance appears to be a critical lever: when chronic absenteeism dropped to 15.0% in 2024-2025, some early-grade scores improved relative to the district, and the latest spike in absenteeism coincides with lower test scores. For parents, this suggests that Macdonough's challenges are real but not fixed — the school has demonstrated it can produce strong outcomes when attendance and supports align.