New London Visual and Performing Arts Magnet Pathway

The New London Visual and Performing Arts Magnet Pathway (NLVPA) is a small arts-focused magnet school in New London, CT, that serves 268 students in grades 6 through 12 within the New London School District, which ranks near the bottom of Connecticut's 153 districts. With a student-teacher ratio of 11:1 and 81.3% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, it serves a predominantly low-income population. The school also has the highest per-pupil spending among nearby schools at $20,786 per student — more than New London High School and even high-performing East Lyme High School.

Despite its challenges, NLVPA outperforms its district in several subjects. In 2025-26, 6th-grade English language arts proficiency reached 27.9%, above the district average of 22.6%, and 8th-grade science proficiency hit 30.8% versus the district's 26.6%. However, math remains the school's most critical weakness, with fewer than 10% of 6th and 7th graders meeting proficiency — about one-fifth of the state average. Science scores have been a bright spot, though volatile, dropping from 43.8% to 30.8% between 2024-25 and 2025-26, a pattern common in small schools where a single cohort can cause large swings.

NLVPA's graduation rate of 84.6% is higher than New London High School's 78.5% and above the district average, though below the Science and Technology Magnet Pathway's 92.6% and Marine Science Magnet High School's 98.4%. Chronic absenteeism has improved significantly, falling from 38.3% to 25.5% over four years — now below the district average and well below New London High School's 38.4%, though still above the state average of 16.4%. The school's unique 6-12 structure allows arts-focused students to stay on a consistent path from middle school through graduation, but it also means high school test data aren't available for direct comparison with traditional high schools. Overall, NLVPA appears to be quietly outperforming its challenged district while still facing major academic hurdles, particularly in math.