Schools in Zip Code 06118

Zip code 06118 in East Hartford, Connecticut is home to 10 public schools serving roughly 5,293 students across elementary, middle, and high school grades. The schools belong to three districts: the East Hartford School District, Goodwin University Educational Services (GUES), and the Hartford School District. School quality varies dramatically within this small area, from one of the state's top middle schools to elementary schools ranked near the bottom.

Sunset Ridge Middle School is the clear standout, ranking 58th out of 258 Connecticut middle schools (78th percentile, 4 stars) with just 6.7% chronic absenteeism and test scores well above state averages in every subject. Connecticut IB Academy, the smallest school at 200 students, has the highest graduation rate (97.7%) and lowest chronic absenteeism (3.6%) in the zip code, plus science proficiency of 77.8%. Among traditional elementary schools, Governor William Pitkin School is the best East Hartford School District option, ranking at the 50th percentile and meeting or exceeding state proficiency in several subjects. East Hartford High School is the most improved, rising from the 23rd percentile in 2023-2024 to the 44th percentile in 2025-2026.

Chronic absenteeism is the clearest divider between successful and struggling schools in 06118. Strong performers — Connecticut IB Academy, Sunset Ridge, Pitkin, Dr. Thomas S. O'Connell School, and East Hartford High School — all have absenteeism below the state average of 16.4%, while the lowest-performing schools — Riverside Magnet School, Silver Lane School, Connecticut River Academy, and Pathways Academy — all exceed 25%, with Pathways reaching 40.1%. Math is the weakest subject across the board, while science is a relative bright spot at several schools. Notably, high graduation rates don't always mean college readiness: Pathways and Connecticut River Academy graduate over 94% of students despite test scores far below state averages. And spending doesn't predict success — Silver Lane spends the most per student ($20,817) yet ranks in the bottom 6% of elementary schools, while Sunset Ridge spends about $15,391 and is the area's top-ranked school.