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Best Public Schools in Zip Code 06365

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At a glance

Schools

425

Students

Top rankedPreston Veterans' Memorial School90^th of 492 Connecticut elementary schools

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Biggest riser

Preston Veterans' Memorial School up 97 spots statewide this year

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Summary:

Zip code 06365 covers Preston, CT, and contains just 2 schools serving elementary and middle grades: Preston Veterans' Memorial School (PK–5, 284 students) and Preston Plains School (6–8, 141 students), with no high school in the area, meaning families face a transition point after 8th grade. Both schools belong to the Preston School District, which ranks in the middle of Connecticut districts (52nd percentile, 3 stars), though that ranking masks a large gap between the two schools.

The elementary school is the clear standout. Preston Veterans' Memorial School jumped from the 48th percentile (2 stars) in 2023-2024 to the 82nd percentile (4 stars) in 2025-2026, now ranking 90th out of 491 elementary schools statewide. Its early-grade scores are exceptional: 3rd grade ELA proficiency is 81.6% and math is 79.6%, both roughly 27-30 points above state averages. However, 5th grade math was just 28.9% proficient in 2024-2025, showing a sharp drop in upper elementary. Meanwhile, Preston Plains School has remained stable, sitting at the 53rd percentile (3 stars) for two consecutive years. Its biggest strength is 8th grade math (53.8% proficient vs. 41.9% statewide), but 6th grade math is a weakness (31.7% vs. 44.4%), and 7th grade ELA lags the state. Both schools share the same 11.9:1 student-teacher ratio and similar spending near $19,500 per student, so resources alone do not explain the performance gap.

The most pressing issue is chronic absenteeism. Preston Veterans' Memorial School has a 28.9% chronic absenteeism rate—nearly double the state average of 16.4%—while Preston Plains School sits at 21.0%. Despite this, the elementary school is still performing well, but absenteeism remains a risk for future growth. For parents, the picture is clear: the elementary school is rising quickly with excellent early-grade results, the middle school is a dependable mid-tier option with a bright spot in 8th grade math, and the lack of a local high school means planning ahead for 9th grade is essential.

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				NGSS Science (2026)		SBAC English Language Arts (2026)						SBAC Mathematics (2026)						Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	NGSS Science 5th Grade	NGSS Science 8th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 3rd Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 4th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 5th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 6th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 7th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 8th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 3rd Grade	SBAC Mathematics 4th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 5th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 6th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 7th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 8th Grade	Total
Preston Plains School	Public	6-8	1 Route 164	Preston	06365	Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region	Preston School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 889-3831	141	12	11.9	32.6%	109 (77.3%)	5 (3.5%)	16 (11.3%)	5 (3.5%)	1 (0.7%)	1 (0.7%)	4 (2.8%)	50.5	121^st of 258 public middle schools	53.1%		51.5	118^th of 252 public middle schools	53.2%	3		807.0				2524.0	46.0	2587.0				31.7	46.0	53.8	$29,544
Preston Veterans' Memorial School	Public	PK, KG-5	325 Shetucket Tpke.	Preston	06365	Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region	Preston School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 887-3113	284	24	11.9	28.2%	238 (83.8%)	3 (1.1%)	25 (8.8%)	3 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.4%)	11 (3.9%)	82.8	90^th of 492 public elementary schools	81.7%		66.8	187^th of 493 public elementary schools	62.1%	97	510.0		81.6	62.2	75.0				79.6	2487.0	2516.0				$27,352

Cities Near Zip Code 06365

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Preston	1.37 mi	2	110^th
Norwich	3.39 mi	15	162^nd
Taftville	4.81 mi	1	177^th
Ledyard	5.23 mi	2	97^th
Uncasville	5.52 mi	1	149^th

See the top CT Connecticut cities

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Connecticut Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.