Best Public Schools in Zip Code 06712

Zip code 06712 (Prospect, CT) is home to two highly rated public schools—Prospect Elementary School (PK–5) and Long River Middle School (6–8)—serving a total of 1,006 students within Regional School District 16, a top-30 Connecticut district, though the zip code itself contains no high school. Both schools are 4-star institutions that consistently outperform the state across every subject and grade, making this one of the strongest PK–8 foundations in Connecticut. The district is ranked 27th out of 153 Connecticut districts (82nd percentile), and both schools rank in the 80th percentile or higher among their respective peer groups statewide.

Comparing the two schools, Prospect Elementary School stands out for its exceptional early-grade academics and attendance, ranking 100th among 491 elementary schools. Its 3rd grade math proficiency rate of 80.4% is the single highest score at either school, and its chronic absenteeism rate of just 2.4% is nearly seven times better than the state average. Long River Middle School, meanwhile, is on a steeper upward trajectory, improving its state rank from 81st to 49th over three years. The middle school posts impressive 7th and 8th grade results, including 8th grade math at 64.7% proficiency versus 41.9% statewide, and a 71.7% science proficiency rate. Notably, Long River's 8th grade scores jumped dramatically year-over-year, with math improving by 12.5 points and ELA by 11.5 points, suggesting strong instructional gains or targeted interventions in the upper grades.

Both schools benefit from remarkably low chronic absenteeism (2.4% at the elementary and 4.3% at the middle school, versus 16.4% statewide) and moderate free/reduced lunch rates (23.8% and 29.7%, respectively), proving that high achievement is attainable without exceptional affluence. Long River Middle School also offers a lower student-teacher ratio (11.1) than Prospect Elementary (13.1). The district spends about $15,500 per student at both schools. The only structural gap is the absence of a local high school, so families planning for grades 9–12 will need to look beyond 06712—but the elementary and middle school years in this district are clearly exceptional.