Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 06040

Middle schools in zip code 06040 (Manchester, CT) consist of two public schools—Elisabeth M. Bennet Academy (grades 5–8) and Illing Middle School (grades 7–8)—both part of the Manchester School District and serving roughly 1,627 students in a high-need community with elevated poverty and chronic absenteeism rates.

Elisabeth M. Bennet Academy is the larger school with 864 students and serves the full middle-school span from 5th to 8th grade. It shows higher average test proficiency (35.2% across reported subjects) than Illing Middle School (31.5%), and does particularly well in 6th grade math (37.3%) and 5th grade science (40.4%). However, its year-over-year performance is mixed—5th grade ELA, math, and science declined, while 6th grade improved. Illing, with 763 students in grades 7–8, has lower absolute scores but is the standout for improvement. It gained ground in every reported subject and grade from 2024–2025 to 2025–2026, including 7th grade math (21.6% to 26.7%) and 8th grade science (36.4% to 39.9%). Illing also moved from a 1-star to a 2-star school ranking, while Bennet’s trends remain inconsistent.

Both schools trail Connecticut state averages significantly—especially in math, where 8th grade proficiency at Illing is just 21.6% versus the state’s 41.9%. Chronic absenteeism is higher than the state rate (19–21% vs. 16.4%), and free/reduced lunch eligibility is high (Bennet 64.5%, Illing 58.5%), indicating that economic challenges likely play a major role. A concerning pattern emerges across the feeder system: math proficiency drops from 37.3% in 6th grade (Bennet) to 26.7% in 7th and 21.6% in 8th (Illing). Illing spends more per pupil ($18,221 vs. $17,772) and has a lower student-teacher ratio (9.7 vs. 11.0), and its across-the-board improvements suggest those resources may be starting to pay off. For parents, the key takeaway is that this is a struggling district, but Illing’s recent momentum offers a bright spot while Bennet’s mixed results and the overall math slide warrant close monitoring.