Best Public Schools in Zip Code 06029

Zip code 06029 in Ellington, Connecticut is served by five schools in the Ellington School District, covering grades PK through 12 with about 2,474 students combined. The district ranks 55th out of 153 Connecticut districts (64th percentile, 3 stars), placing it above average statewide. Families here have access to one high school, one middle school, and three elementary schools within a single, cohesive district.

Center School is the standout elementary school, ranking 51st out of 491 Connecticut elementary schools (90th percentile, 4 stars) with steady improvement over three years. Its average proficiency across state tests is roughly 76%, well above the district average of 70% and the state average of 50%, while chronic absenteeism is just 7.2% — the best in the area. In contrast, Crystal Lake School has declined sharply, falling from the 82nd to 66th percentile over three years, with average proficiency around 64% and the highest free/reduced lunch rate in the district at 28.25%. Ellington High School remains a strong performer with a 95% graduation rate and SAT/NGSS scores above state averages, though its state rank slipped from the 82nd to 68th percentile recently. Ellington Middle School also dropped from the 89th to 76th percentile, while Windermere School has been unstable, fluctuating between the 86th and 72nd percentiles.

Chronic absenteeism is a clear district-wide strength, with every school below the state average of 16.4%. However, lower student-teacher ratios and higher per-student spending do not automatically produce better results — Windermere has a lower ratio than Center School but posts lower scores, while Center achieves top results with the second-lowest spending. Economic need appears to track with performance, as Crystal Lake has both the highest free/reduced lunch rate and the lowest elementary scores, while Center has the lowest rate and the highest scores. For parents, this is a solid district with excellent attendance and strong graduation outcomes, but the growing gap between Center School and Crystal Lake School deserves attention, as does the recent test-score dip at Ellington High School.