Great Bay Charter School

Great Bay Charter School includes two small schools at the same Exeter, New Hampshire, address, serving kindergarten through grade 12 with 154 students total. Great Bay Charter School (E) serves grades K–8 and has 60 students, while Great Bay Charter School (H) serves grades 9–12 and has 94 students. Both schools have small student-teacher ratios, particularly the elementary school’s 7.3-to-1 ratio compared with 11.8-to-1 at the high school.

The strongest results are at the high school for student completion. Its 91.3% graduation rate is higher than New Hampshire’s 87.0% rate, and its reported dropout rate is 0%, compared with 2.3% statewide. Academic results are more mixed: science proficiency is relatively close to the state average, but reading is weaker, with 35% proficient compared with 55% statewide. SAT reading proficiency was also 35%, 27 points below the state figure. Families should also note that high-school reading results fell from 52% to 35% between the two reported years, although small student groups can cause sizable year-to-year changes.

The elementary school generally performs slightly better than the broader district in reported testing, but mathematics is a major concern. Only 14% of students were proficient in math, compared with 44% statewide; reading was stronger at 46%, just below the state’s 55% and above the district’s 42%. Elementary science proficiency was 25%, below both the district and state averages. Overall, the district ranks near the bottom of New Hampshire, largely reflecting academic test performance, while the high school’s graduation and dropout outcomes are notably positive. Parents may value the small-school setting and close support, while looking closely at plans to improve elementary math and high-school reading.