Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 06401

Zip code 06401 in Ansonia, Connecticut is served by two public elementary schools — Prendergast School and Mead School — both serving grades PK–5 within the Ansonia School District, which ranks 149th out of 153 Connecticut districts. The schools are very similar in size (588 vs. 578 students), poverty level (about two-thirds of students qualify for free/reduced lunch), spending, and student-teacher ratios. The key difference is momentum: Mead School ranks 388th of 491 elementary schools and has improved its rank for three straight years, while Prendergast School ranks 407th and slipped this year after a brief improvement.

Academically, Mead School is the stronger school, with 31.4% average ELA proficiency across grades 3–5 versus Prendergast School's 26.4%, while math scores are nearly identical (27.4% vs. 27.0%). Mead School's 4th grade is the standout bright spot: 41.6% proficient in math and 38.9% in ELA — the highest scores at either school. Prendergast School's best results come in 5th grade, where math (30.9%) and ELA (35.1%) exceed district averages. However, every test score at both schools falls well below state averages, with gaps of 25–30 points. Attendance is one positive: chronic absenteeism is 13.5% at Prendergast School and 15.2% at Mead School, both below the district rate of 18.2% and the state rate of 16.4%.

Scores are also highly volatile from year to year — Mead School's 5th grade math dropped 8.5 points while its 4th grade math rose 6.9 points, and Prendergast School saw 10-point swings in 4th grade. This suggests individual cohorts and teachers have an outsized impact, and gains may not be sustained. Mead School spends slightly less per student ($13,347 vs. $13,568) yet achieves better outcomes, so the spending gap does not explain the results. For parents, Mead School is the school to watch — particularly its 4th grade model — while Prendergast School offers a stronger 5th grade year. Both schools operate within a low-performing district, so families should weigh these relative strengths against the broader state comparison.