Summary:
Zip code 06457 in Middletown, CT is home to 8 elementary schools serving approximately 2,093 students in grades PK-5, all part of the Middletown School District, a district currently ranked 133rd out of 153 Connecticut districts. Despite sharing a single district and leadership team, these schools vary dramatically in performance, with state rankings spanning from the 68th percentile down to the 12th percentile.
Moody School is the clear standout, ranking in the 68th percentile (3 stars) for 2025-26 with the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (6.5%), the lowest free/reduced lunch rate (27.8%), and the highest test scores — including 5th-grade math proficiency of 70.6%, more than double the state average. At the other end, Bielefield School is the lowest-ranked school at the 12th percentile (1 star), with high poverty (64.5% FRL), high absenteeism (17.5%), and concerning math proficiency rates, such as just 17.1% of 3rd graders meeting state standards. In between, Snow School (38th percentile), Spencer School (39th percentile), and Wesley School (35th percentile) sit in the mid-tier, with Wesley showing stronger attendance and lower poverty than its ranking would suggest.
Three cross-cutting themes emerge. First, math is a districtwide weakness — only Moody consistently exceeds state averages, while schools like Lawrence School (16.3% 5th-grade math proficiency) and Macdonough School (13.0%) show alarming gaps. Second, chronic absenteeism tracks closely with performance, though five schools (Moody, Wesley, Lawrence, Snow, Spencer) already beat the state rate of 16.4%. Third, several schools are trending downward, including Snow (58th percentile in 2023-24 to 38th) and Wesley (56th to 35th), while Farm Hill School and Macdonough also struggle. Notably, higher spending does not guarantee results — Bielefield spends $19,013 per student yet ranks last, while Lawrence spends the least ($17,464) and performs second-lowest. For parents, Moody clearly stands out, while Bielefield and Macdonough represent the greatest areas of concern.
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