Summary:
Schools in zip code 06043 (Bolton, Connecticut) serve 685 students across two schools in the Bolton School District: Bolton Center School (PK–8) and Bolton High School (9–12). Despite a 3-star district rating, both schools individually hold 4-star ratings, making this a small but consistently strong district.
Bolton Center School is a standout for its rapid improvement, climbing from a ranking of 185th to 104th in Connecticut over three years and now sitting in the 79th percentile. Its test scores far exceed state averages in almost every grade and subject, and chronic absenteeism is just 4.6% compared to the state's 16.4%. However, 7th grade math proficiency (47.1%) is only slightly above the state average and much lower than the school's other math scores. In contrast, Bolton High School ranks 20th out of 145 high schools in the state, with a 97.9% graduation rate and SAT ELA proficiency that beats the state by 12–18 percentage points. The high school spends considerably more per student ($23,195 vs. $16,338) and benefits from a very low student-teacher ratio of 7.4.
Key differences between the two schools include economic disadvantage and absenteeism: Bolton High School has a higher free/reduced lunch rate (27.36% vs. 21.78%) and notably higher chronic absenteeism (11.3% vs. 4.6%), though both remain well below the state average. Together, the schools maintain a combined chronic absenteeism rate near 6.7%, reflecting strong engagement. While SAT math data is missing for the high school, and the district-level rating may understate individual school performance, the overall picture is of two efficient, well-run schools — with Bolton Center on a sharp upward trajectory and Bolton High delivering elite outcomes for its size.
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