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Nathan Hale Arts Magnet School

Public, Magnet Grades PK, KG-5

453^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 491 Connecticut Elementary Schools

Better than 8% of Connecticut elementary schools

Summary

Nathan Hale Arts Magnet School is an elementary magnet school in New London, CT, serving 445 students in grades PK-5 within the New London School District, which is ranked among the lowest-performing districts in Connecticut. The school serves a high-poverty population, with 77.1% of students eligible for free/reduced lunch. Academically, proficiency rates are far below state averages: in 2025-2026, only 18.5% of 3rd graders met ELA standards compared to 47.3% statewide, and just 14.8% of 3rd graders were proficient in math versus 52.2% across Connecticut. Science scores, while still below state averages, are comparatively less concerning. One notable resource advantage is the school's very low student-teacher ratio of 8:1, which is among the lowest in the region.

Within New London, Nathan Hale falls in the middle of the district's three elementary magnets. Winthrop STEM Elementary Magnet School, serving a similar population with 73.9% free/reduced lunch, posts substantially stronger results — 38.4% of 3rd graders proficient in math versus Nathan Hale's 14.8%. Meanwhile, Nathan Hale outperforms C.B. Jennings International Elementary Magnet in most tested areas. Even more striking is the comparison to Regional Multicultural Magnet School, located just 2.6 miles away in the Learn district with a similar 70.6% free/reduced lunch rate, where 4th-grade ELA proficiency reaches 36.5% compared to Nathan Hale's 17.7%. This suggests higher achievement is possible for schools serving similarly disadvantaged populations nearby.

On a positive note, chronic absenteeism has improved significantly, dropping from 25.2% in 2022-2023 to 19.0% in 2025-2026, now below the New London district average of 26.6%, though still above the state average of 16.4%. The school's state ranking has declined over the past decade, falling from the 18th–25th percentile range between 2015 and 2019 to the 5th–8th percentile in recent years. Despite the arts magnet focus and small class sizes, academic outcomes remain low, suggesting that factors beyond staffing — such as poverty and absenteeism — are likely driving performance. For parents, Nathan Hale offers an arts-centered environment and small classes, but the data indicates significant academic challenges that families should carefully consider.

445

Students ?

8.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$25,644

Per pupil spending ?

77.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

37 Beech Drive
New London, CT 06320

(860) 447-6060

District: New London School District

Students who attend Nathan Hale Arts Magnet School usually attend:

Middle:	Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School
High:	New London High School
	New London Visual and Performing Arts Magnet Pathway
	Science and Technology Magnet Pathway for High School Grades

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

54.4%

White:

15.5%

Two or more races:

14.2%

See top rated Connecticut elementary schools

Compare Nathan Hale Arts Magnet School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 18th percentile in 2016 → 8th in 2026

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 8 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Connecticut average (20% vs 50% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (8th percentile)

!Ranking has slipped — down 10 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school20%

District avg21%

Connecticut avg50%

453^rd of 491

Connecticut public elementary schools ?

Bottom 8%▼ down 10 pts since 2016

From bottom 18% (2016) to bottom 8% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Connecticut Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 3Elementary Schools in the New London School District

151^st of 153New London 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	7.6	453 of 491	7.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	7.0	469 of 493	4.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	7.4	460 of 497	7.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	10.2	426 of 491	13.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	10.8	425 of 490	13.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	15.9	435 of 538	19.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	26.5	389 of 522	25.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	20.7	417 of 532	21.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	13.8	427 of 519	17.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	14.2	427 of 518	17.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	23.3	430 of 551	22.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	49.7	352 of 557	36.8%	★★☆☆☆
2012	59.2	311 of 564	44.9%	★★☆☆☆
2011	43.6	402 of 565	28.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	45.1	401 of 579	30.7%	★★☆☆☆
2009	29.7	454 of 566	19.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	19.3	484 of 565	14.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	15.0	499 of 568	12.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	6.5	545 of 570	4.4%	☆☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2021	14.5	381 of 455	16.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	22.9	198 of 242	18.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	13.9	226 of 259	12.7%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2025	11.3	127 of 132	3.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	36.0	69 of 99	30.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	25.9	127 of 173	26.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	50.2	49 of 112	56.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	40.0	61 of 101	39.6%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2021	31.0	204 of 302	32.5%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2021	11.5	387 of 445	13.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	17.1	213 of 247	13.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	18.7	219 of 262	16.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2021	27.2	268 of 371	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

Low Socio Economic Status (2021)32nd percentile+13 vs school

Special Education (2021)28th percentile+9 vs school

Female (2021)16th percentile-3 vs school

Male (2021)13th percentile-6 vs school

Hispanic (2025)4th percentile~ school

By subject vs Connecticut (2025-2026) ?

Science31%-22 vs state

English Language Arts20%-30 vs state

Mathematics14%-35 vs state

★

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Schools Near Nathan Hale Arts Magnet School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

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	SBAC English Language Arts 3rd Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 4th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 5th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 6th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 3rd Grade	SBAC Mathematics 4th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 5th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 6th Grade	Total
Nathan Hale Arts Magnet School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	37 Beech Drive	New London	06320	Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region	New London School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(860) 447-6060	445	56	8.0	77.1%	69 (15.5%)	61 (13.7%)	242 (54.4%)	8 (1.8%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	63 (14.2%)	7.6	453^rd of 491 public elementary schools	7.7%		7	469^th of 493 public elementary schools	4.9%	16	31.4	18.5	17.7	27.5		14.8		11.8		$25,644
Great Neck Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	165 Great Neck Rd.	Waterford	06385	Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region	Waterford School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 442-2593	309	30	10.2	29.1%	220 (71.2%)	4 (1.3%)	51 (16.5%)	5 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.0%)	26 (8.4%)	56.9	231^st of 491 public elementary schools	53.0%		65.8	199^th of 493 public elementary schools	59.6%	32			40.6	66.7			54.7	63.3		$25,350
Thames River Magnet School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	250 Brandegee Avenue	Groton	06340	Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region	Groton School District	No	Yes	No	No	(860) 980-8230	501	41	12.2	74.3%	200 (39.9%)	48 (9.6%)	127 (25.3%)	39 (7.8%)	5 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	81 (16.2%)	52.8	247^th of 491 public elementary schools	49.7%		51.5	247^th of 493 public elementary schools	49.9%			54.1	49.2	61.2		53.2	48.3	53.7		$22,566
The Friendship School	Public, Magnet	PK-K	24 Rope Ferry Rd.	Waterford	06385	Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region	Learn	No	Yes	No	Yes	(860) 447-4049	460	26	17.6	66.7%	138 (30.0%)	50 (10.9%)	195 (42.4%)	11 (2.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	65 (14.1%)								(n/a)										$18,767
C.B. Jennings International Elementary Magnet	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	50 Mercer Street	New London	06320	Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region	New London School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(860) 447-6050	406	43	9.4	91.6%	26 (6.4%)	81 (20.0%)	266 (65.5%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	28 (6.9%)	4.1	487^th of 491 public elementary schools	0.8%		4.6	486^th of 493 public elementary schools	1.4%	1	21.3	11.8	13.6	17.0		10.4	10.6			$26,349
Regional Multicultural Magnet School	Public, Magnet	1-6	1 Bulkeley Place	New London	06320	Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region	Learn	No	Yes	No	Yes	(860) 437-7775	469	35	13.5	70.6%	88 (18.8%)	43 (9.2%)	264 (56.3%)	6 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	68 (14.5%)	17.7	384^th of 491 public elementary schools	21.8%		21.8	363^rd of 493 public elementary schools	26.4%	21	31.7	26.6	36.5	41.3	38.3	29.1	24.3	20.6	25.5	$19,820
Catherine Kolnaski Magnet School	Public, Magnet	K-5	500 Poquonnock Rd.	Groton	06340	Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region	Groton School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(860) 449-5608	375	31	11.9	80.3%	144 (38.4%)	18 (4.8%)	114 (30.4%)	30 (8.0%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	67 (17.9%)	54.5	242^nd of 491 public elementary schools	50.7%		53.5	242^nd of 493 public elementary schools	50.9%		66.1	50.9	56.1	50.0		58.2	54.4	46.4		$21,873
Winthrop STEM Elementary Magnet School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	74 Grove Street	New London	06320	Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region	New London School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(860) 447-6070	449	42	10.8	73.9%	74 (16.5%)	75 (16.7%)	243 (54.1%)	5 (1.1%)	4 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	47 (10.5%)	15.1	398^th of 491 public elementary schools	18.9%		22.8	355^th of 493 public elementary schools	28.0%	43	33.9	29.7	22.9	27.9		38.4	25.7	19.7		$23,813
Charles Barnum Magnet School	Public	K-5	68 Briar Hill Rd.	Groton	06340	Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region	Groton School District	No	No	No	No	(860) 449-5640	339	29	11.7	51.3%	174 (51.3%)	24 (7.1%)	93 (27.4%)	8 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	39 (11.5%)	34.4	315^th of 491 public elementary schools	35.8%		37.5	295^th of 493 public elementary schools	40.2%	20		45.2	32.8	46.8		50.0		44.7		$22,716
Oswegatchie Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	470 Boston Post Rd.	Waterford	06385	Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region	Waterford School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 442-4331	292	30	9.6	32.9%	209 (71.6%)	4 (1.4%)	55 (18.8%)	14 (4.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	9 (3.1%)	70.6	176^th of 491 public elementary schools	64.2%		84.5	70^th of 493 public elementary schools	85.8%	106		66.0	71.4	53.6		72.3	80.0	50.0		$25,004

Frequently Asked Questions about Nathan Hale Arts Magnet School

What is the racial makeup of Nathan Hale Arts Magnet School?

Students at Nathan Hale Arts Magnet School are 54% Hispanic, 16% White, 14% Two or more races, 14% African American, 2% Asian.

What schools do graduates of Nathan Hale Arts Magnet School attend?

Students who attend Nathan Hale Arts Magnet School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School
High : New London High School
High : New London Visual and Performing Arts Magnet Pathway
High : Science and Technology Magnet Pathway for High School Grades

How many students attend Nathan Hale Arts Magnet School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 445 students attended Nathan Hale Arts Magnet School.

What district is Nathan Hale Arts Magnet School in?

New London School District

Is Nathan Hale Arts Magnet School a good school?

Nathan Hale Arts Magnet School ranks in the bottom 7.7% of Connecticut elementary schools.

Rate Nathan Hale Arts Magnet School!

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Latest Connecticut data All new data »

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

2025–26 NGSS, SAT & SBAC test scoresNewAug 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.