Summary:
Zip code 06074 is home to five elementary schools serving grades PK/K through 5, with combined enrollment of 2,813 students, and these schools belong to two very different districts: the South Windsor School District and the Capitol Region Education Council. The four South Windsor schools are consistently strong performers, while the single CREC school, Academy of International Studies Elementary School, faces substantial challenges.
Among the South Windsor schools, Philip R. Smith School is the highest performer, ranking 57th in the state with strong ELA and science scores and the lowest chronic absenteeism at 5.4%. Pleasant Valley School is the largest school with 736 students and posts excellent math achievement, while Eli Terry School showed major improvement, jumping to the 85th percentile and offering the lowest student-teacher ratio. Orchard Hill School declined significantly, especially in 3rd grade ELA and 5th grade math, even though its 4th grade math was the best in the zip code. In contrast, the Academy of International Studies has 60.6% free/reduced lunch eligibility, 20.5% chronic absenteeism, and only about 30% average proficiency, placing it in the bottom 20% statewide despite higher per-pupil spending.
Key takeaways for parents: district and poverty levels strongly track performance—the South Windsor schools average around 17.8% free/reduced lunch and 7.1% chronic absenteeism versus about 60.6% and 20.5% at the Academy. Spending per student does not predict outcomes; the two highest-spending schools sit at opposite ends of the performance spectrum. Grade-level patterns show 4th grade is often a strength, while 5th grade math tends to be a weak point across South Windsor schools. Overall, families in zip 06074 have excellent options within South Windsor, led by Philip R. Smith, but should be aware of sharp contrasts between districts.
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