Stafford Middle School

Stafford Middle School serves grades 6–8 in Stafford Springs, CT, a small town in northeastern Connecticut, with a tight-knit student body of 285 students. The school ranks near the middle of Connecticut's middle schools—124th out of 258, placing it at the 52nd percentile—while its home district, Stafford School District, ranks 107th out of 153 districts statewide. For parents, this is a small school where your child is likely to be known by name.

The school's clearest academic strength is 8th grade science, where 62.2% of students met proficiency in 2025–26, more than 11 points above the state average of 50.9%. That edge has held for three straight years. Eighth grade math also beats the state (46.1% vs. 41.9%), though 6th grade math trails at 30.6% vs. 44.4% statewide—an unusual pattern that may reflect strong instruction in later middle school years. Stafford also stands out for its economically disadvantaged students, who perform well above comparable students at similar Connecticut schools. And with a student-teacher ratio of 9.6, class sizes are smaller than at nearby Timothy Edwards School or Ellington Middle School.

Chronic absenteeism has improved dramatically, dropping from 25.6% in 2023–24 to 13.1% in 2024–25—now below the state average of 16.4%. That said, Stafford sits between two groups of neighbors: higher-performing schools like Tolland Middle School, Mabelle B. Avery Middle School, and Capt. Nathan Hale School, and lower-performing peers like John F. Kennedy Middle School, Vernon Center Middle School, and East Windsor Middle School. Stafford's results are closer to the latter group, though it serves a higher share of low-income students than its affluent neighbors. For parents, this is a school with real bright spots—especially in science and for economically disadvantaged students—and clear room to grow in early middle school math and reading.