Summary
McAlister Intermediate School serves 472 students in grades 3–5 in Suffield, CT, as part of the Suffield School District, which ranks 71st out of 153 Connecticut districts. Over the past decade, McAlister has consistently earned a solid 3-star rating. In the most recent school year, it ranked 212th out of 491 schools (57th percentile), a step down from the prior year's 152nd-place finish but still above average.
Academically, McAlister exceeds the state average in nearly every subject and grade, with math and science standing out. In 5th grade math, 60.9% of students met the state standard versus 45.8% statewide, a 15-point advantage. Fourth grade math (64.1%), 5th grade ELA (63.4%), and 5th grade science (62.1%) are also strong. The one soft spot is 3rd grade ELA at 43.8%, down from 58.2% the previous year, likely reflecting a single cohort of students. McAlister also outperforms nearby schools serving grades 3–5. South Elementary School in Windsor Locks ranks in the 25th percentile, while Edgar H. Parkman School and Eli Whitney School in Enfield trail in most subjects. Even Prudence Crandall School, McAlister's closest competitor, falls short on 4th and 5th grade math and ELA.
Attendance is another major strength. McAlister's chronic absenteeism rate is just 7.5%, less than half the state average of 16.4%, and it has fallen steadily over the last few years. The school is also efficient with resources, spending about $15,741 per student — less than nearby Poquonock Elementary School ($20,205) and Allgrove School ($18,715) — while maintaining larger class sizes. Only 12.7% of McAlister students qualify for free/reduced lunch, compared to roughly half at surrounding Enfield and Windsor Locks schools, so the comparison reflects both school quality and community context. When McAlister's students are compared to similar demographic groups statewide, results are less distinctive than the overall rank suggests, though low-income students perform near the median for their subgroup. Bottom line: McAlister is a stable, above-average school with clear strengths in math, science, and attendance.
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