Stafford Elementary School

Stafford Elementary School in Stafford Springs, CT, serves 438 students in grades 1 through 5 as part of the Stafford School District. In 2025–2026, the school ranked 290th out of 491 Connecticut elementary schools, placing it at the 41st percentile — a slight improvement from the prior year but below its 2022–2023 level. Over the past decade, Stafford has generally hovered between the mid-30s and mid-50s percentiles, with its strongest recent showing in 2020–2021.

Among nearby schools, Stafford Elementary currently holds the lowest ranking of any non-primary school in the immediate area. Center School in Ellington sits at the 90th percentile, Tolland Intermediate School at the 87th, Crystal Lake School at the 66th, Somers Elementary School at the 65th, and Northeast School at the 63rd. The proficiency gaps are striking: only 34.8% of Stafford 4th graders are proficient in reading, compared with 87.0% at Center School and 72.5% at Tolland Intermediate. Math follows a similar pattern. Notably, even Northeast School, which serves a much higher-poverty population, outperforms Stafford in most tested grades and subjects.

Stafford does have genuine strengths. The school serves its economically disadvantaged students well, ranking at the 65th percentile for that subgroup — well above its overall standing. Chronic absenteeism is 14.5%, better than both the district and state rates. Fifth graders have exceeded state averages in reading and science in recent years, even as 4th grade has remained a consistent weak spot. At the same time, Stafford spends $18,240 per student and maintains a low 10.8-to-1 student-teacher ratio — more than several higher-performing neighboring schools. That gap between resources and outcomes suggests the most promising opportunities lie in curriculum, professional development, and instructional leadership rather than additional funding or staffing.