Summary:
Zip code 06051, located in New Britain, Connecticut, is served by a single public high school: New Britain High School, which enrolls roughly 2,521 students in grades 9 through 12 as part of the New Britain School District.
Because only one high school operates in this zip code, the area's performance is defined entirely by New Britain High School. The school faces significant academic challenges compared to Connecticut state averages. Only 29.1% of 11th graders are proficient in SAT English Language Arts versus the state's 55.3%, while math proficiency is a critical concern at just 8.6% compared to the state's 31.3%. Science proficiency stands at 28.2% against the state's 50.5%, though this marks a notable 9-point improvement from the prior year. The graduation rate is 74.6%, which is above the district's 72.6% but well below the state's 91.2%, meaning roughly one in four students does not graduate on time. Chronic absenteeism is severe, affecting 43.7% of students — nearly 2.7 times the state rate of 16.4%.
Context is important when evaluating this school. About 71.5% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high-poverty population. The New Britain School District itself ranks 150 out of 153 districts in Connecticut, placing it in the 2nd percentile, yet New Britain High School generally performs a few points above district averages in test scores and graduation. The school's state percentile ranking improved from the 9th percentile in 2024-2025 to the 14th percentile in 2025-2026. For families, the biggest red flags are math achievement and attendance, while the improved science scores and the gains in state ranking offer modest signs of progress.
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