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Great Neck Elementary School

Q: Is Great Neck Elementary School a good school?

Great Neck Elementary School ranks 231 st of 491 Connecticut elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

231^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 491 Connecticut Elementary Schools

Better than 53% of Connecticut elementary schools

Summary

Great Neck Elementary School serves 309 students in grades PK–5 in Waterford, CT, as part of the Waterford School District. The school currently holds a 3-star rating, ranking at the 53rd percentile statewide for 2025-2026. That places it behind same-district Oswegatchie Elementary School (64th percentile) and well below nearby Niantic Center School (97th percentile). Great Neck has also declined from its own recent past: from 2015-2016 through 2022-2023, it consistently earned 4-star ratings and ranked at or above the 70th percentile statewide, including a peak at the 82nd percentile in 2018-2019.

Parents will find a school with genuine strengths. Chronic absenteeism is exceptionally low—6.4% in 2025-2026 and just 4.0% the year before—compared to 16.4% across Connecticut and far worse rates at nearby schools like C.B. Jennings International Elementary Magnet (29.8%) and The Friendship School (36.5%). Great Neck also spends more per student than any comparable school in the area ($19,557 in 2018-2019) and maintains a favorable 10.2-to-1 student-teacher ratio. Fifth-grade academics are a clear bright spot: in 2025-2026, 66.7% of 5th graders were proficient in ELA and 63.3% in math, comfortably above district and state averages.

That said, Great Neck's recent academic trends are worth watching. Fourth-grade performance is a relative weak point—only 40.6% of 4th graders were proficient in ELA in 2025-2026, below the district's 53.9% and the state's 50.9%. The school's overall ranking has drifted downward, and some student subgroups have seen more significant declines than others. In the broader local landscape, Great Neck sits in the middle: stronger than several New London and Groton magnet schools such as Nathan Hale Arts Magnet School and Winthrop STEM Elementary Magnet School, but not as strong as Lillie B. Haynes School (72nd percentile). With excellent attendance, strong funding, and small class sizes, Great Neck has a solid foundation—the key question is whether it can reverse its recent test-score declines.

309

Students ?

10.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$25,350

Per pupil spending ?

29.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

165 Great Neck Rd.
Waterford, CT 06385

(860) 442-2593

District: Waterford School District

Students who attend Great Neck Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Clark Lane Middle School
High:	Waterford High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

71.2%

Hispanic:

16.5%

Two or more races:

8.4%

See top rated Connecticut elementary schools

Compare Great Neck Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 70th percentile in 2016 → 53rd in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Connecticut average (56% vs 51% meeting standards)

✓Above the Connecticut median (53rd percentile)

✓Small classes — about 10 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 17 percentile points since 2016

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school56%

District avg60%

Connecticut avg51%

231^st of 491

Connecticut public elementary schools ?

Top 47%▼ down 17 pts since 2016

From top 30% (2016) to top 47% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Connecticut Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 3Elementary Schools in the Waterford School District

78^th of 153Waterford 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	56.9	231 of 491	53.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	65.8	199 of 493	59.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	73.8	151 of 497	69.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	80.4	112 of 491	77.2%	★★★★☆
2022	77.6	119 of 490	75.7%	★★★★☆
2021	77.7	137 of 538	74.5%	★★★★☆
2019	82.9	94 of 522	82.0%	★★★★☆
2018	74.0	157 of 532	70.5%	★★★★☆
2017	80.8	118 of 519	77.3%	★★★★☆
2016	72.9	156 of 518	69.9%	★★★★☆
2015	72.6	187 of 551	66.1%	★★★☆☆
2013	69.7	223 of 557	60.0%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2023	82.5	45 of 230	80.4%	★★★★☆
2022	68.6	101 of 234	56.8%	★★★☆☆
2021	79.4	95 of 455	79.1%	★★★★☆
2018	75.1	73 of 259	71.8%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2023	61.7	117 of 231	49.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	59.3	126 of 232	45.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	65.7	154 of 445	65.4%	★★★☆☆
2019	73.5	83 of 247	66.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	66.9	113 of 262	56.9%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2025	30.7	196 of 248	21.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	45.1	169 of 250	32.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	62.1	115 of 262	56.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	56.9	128 of 252	49.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	62.8	127 of 327	61.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	73.5	69 of 295	76.6%	★★★★☆
2018	51.9	162 of 296	45.3%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Female (2023)80th percentile+3 vs school

Male (2023)49th percentile-28 vs school

White (2025)21st percentile-39 vs school

By subject vs Connecticut (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics59%+10 vs state

English Language Arts53%~ state avg

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Wednesday, March 27, 2019

the best school hands down. we have a child there now and one that just went to middle school. they are great. the teachers are all excellent with the children. they learn so much. the school very clean. we you go there you are greeted with a smile. Close Quote

Schools Near Great Neck Elementary 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
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
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
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
Niantic Center School	Public	K-4	7 West Main St.	Niantic	06357	Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region	East Lyme School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 739-3961	198	19	10.2	19.2%	162 (81.8%)	2 (1.0%)	15 (7.6%)	4 (2.0%)	2 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (6.6%)	92.5	16^th of 491 public elementary schools	96.7%		92.2	16^th of 493 public elementary schools	96.8%				81.1			84.2	91.9			$26,396
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
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
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
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

Frequently Asked Questions about Great Neck Elementary School

Is Great Neck Elementary School a good school?

Great Neck Elementary School ranks 231^st of 491 Connecticut elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Great Neck Elementary School?

Students at Great Neck Elementary School are 71% White, 17% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 2% Asian, 1% African American.

How many students attend Great Neck Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 309 students attended Great Neck Elementary School.

What district is Great Neck Elementary School in?

Waterford School District

What schools do graduates of Great Neck Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Great Neck Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Clark Lane Middle School
High : Waterford High 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.