Schools in Zip Code 06256

Zip code 06256 (North Windham, CT) is served by two public elementary schools in the Windham School District — Charles H. Barrows STEM Academy, a K-8 school with 535 students, and North Windham School, a K-4 school with 445 students — with no standalone middle or high schools in the area.

Charles H. Barrows STEM Academy is the clear standout. It ranks in the 47th percentile statewide (2 stars) for 2024-2025, far better than its district's 8th-percentile rating, and it excels in science — 68.3% of 5th graders and 59% of 8th graders are proficient, both above state averages. Its chronic absenteeism rate is just 12.2%, well below both the district's 23.6% and the state's 16.4%. About 48% of its students qualify for free/reduced-price lunch, and its student-teacher ratio is 11.3:1. By contrast, North Windham School faces significant challenges: 80.2% poverty, 20.3% chronic absenteeism, and a 15th-percentile ranking. Its test scores are very low — only 15.6% of 3rd graders are proficient in ELA and 17% in math, versus state averages above 47%.

Despite nearly identical per-student spending ($17,320 vs. $16,713) and similar student-teacher ratios, Barrows outperforms North Windham in virtually every academic metric. The 32-point gap in poverty rates is a key factor, as is absenteeism. Barrows also shows notable year-to-year volatility in test scores, with 6th grade math dropping from 55.9% to 23.9% proficiency between 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 — likely reflecting different cohorts rather than school-wide changes. Families should note that no high school exists in the zip code; Barrows covers grades through 8th, while North Windham ends at 4th grade. Ultimately, these two schools offer very different experiences within the same district, with Barrows serving as a bright spot in a low-ranked system.