Best Public Schools in Loudon, NH

Loudon, New Hampshire, has three listed public schools serving students from kindergarten through 12th grade: Loudon Elementary School for grades K–5, and separate middle- and high-school campuses operated by Benjamin Franklin Academy Chartered Public School (M) and Benjamin Franklin Academy Chartered Public School (H). Together, the schools enroll about 319 students, making this a very small school community. Loudon Elementary, part of the Merrimack Valley School District, is much larger than either Academy campus.

Loudon Elementary School is the strongest overall performer in the available data and has improved notably in statewide rankings, rising from the 23rd percentile to the 42nd percentile over three years. Its latest proficiency rates were 48% in math and 53% in reading, close to or above state results. Science was considerably weaker at 21%. Parents should pay particular attention to fifth grade, where math, reading, and science results were all substantially below earlier grades and statewide averages. The school’s low student-teacher ratio of 11:1 is a positive feature, but results vary significantly by grade and subject.

Benjamin Franklin Academy Chartered Public School (M) is much smaller and has lower overall proficiency than Loudon Elementary, with 24% in math, 33% in reading, and 29% in science. Seventh-grade math is a notable exception: 50% of students were proficient, exceeding the state result, while sixth- and eighth-grade math results were far lower. The high school has only 24 students, so its statistics may change sharply with small cohort differences. Its reported zero dropout rate is favorable, but the 0% graduation rate should be verified because it may reflect a very small or unusual graduating cohort. Small enrollment, relatively low student-teacher ratios, and different school structures make multi-year data and direct questions to the schools especially important when comparing options.