Holderness School District

Holderness School District has one small K–8 school, Holderness Central School, serving 156 students in the Holderness area of New Hampshire. Because it is the district’s only school, there are no schools to compare within the district; the school provides both elementary and middle-level education. Its reported student-teacher ratio is 8:1, and 17.95% of students qualified for free or reduced-price lunch in 2024–2025.

Holderness Central School performs well compared with statewide averages. In 2025–2026, 61% of students were proficient in mathematics, 77% in reading, and 65% in science, compared with 44%, 55%, and 38% statewide. Reading is the most consistent strength: the school exceeded state results in every reported grade, including 100% proficiency in seventh grade. Science also stands out, particularly in eighth grade, where 77% of students were proficient compared with 37% statewide. Eighth-grade mathematics was another strong result at 71%, well above the 40% state average.

The main area to watch is elementary mathematics. Third-grade proficiency was 43%, 11 percentage points below the state average, while fifth grade was slightly below the state at 41%. Results may vary from year to year because the school is small, so a few students can noticeably affect percentages. Overall performance has been stable: mathematics rose one point year over year, reading stayed at 77%, and science declined two points while remaining well above the state. The district is ranked 28th of 166 districts and is in the 83rd percentile, making Holderness Central School a strong option for families seeking a small school with favorable academic results and potentially close teacher-student relationships.