Bethlehem Elementary School

Bethlehem Elementary School is a small public school in rural Bethlehem, New Hampshire, serving 142 students in prekindergarten through grade 6 as part of the Bethlehem School District. It is one of the strongest-performing elementary schools in the region, ranking 28th of 230 New Hampshire schools and in the state’s 88th percentile. The school has a 4-star rating and a 10.9-to-1 student-teacher ratio.

Academic results are well above state averages in every reported subject: 74% of students are proficient in math, compared with 44% statewide; 68% are proficient in reading, compared with 55%; and 50% are proficient in science, compared with 38%. Math is the clearest strength, especially in fourth grade, where 92% of students are proficient, and sixth grade, at 80%. Reading is also particularly strong in fourth and sixth grades, at 85% and 87%. The main area to watch is third-grade reading, at 50%, which is slightly below the state comparison value. Fifth-grade results are solid but lower than the school’s strongest upper-grade outcomes.

Among nearby schools, Lafayette Regional School is the closest high-performing peer and ranks slightly higher at 19th statewide, with stronger math, reading, and science results. However, Bethlehem outperforms most other nearby schools, including Lisbon Regional School, Lin-Wood Public School, and Lancaster Elementary School. Its results are especially notable because about 36% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a moderate and rising level of economic need. Science remains above average but has varied considerably from year to year, likely in part because small cohorts can affect percentages.