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Chester Academy

Q: Is Chester Academy a good school?

Chester Academy ranks 76 th of 230 New Hampshire elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-8

76^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 230 New Hampshire Elementary Schools

Better than 67% of New Hampshire elementary schools

Summary

Chester Academy is a public school serving 508 students in prekindergarten through grade 8 in Chester, a residential southeastern New Hampshire community. The school is part of the Chester School District and ranks 76th out of 230 New Hampshire schools, placing it around the 67th percentile. Its 11.4-to-1 student-teacher ratio is moderate for a school of its size, and its current results are substantially stronger than they were several years ago.

Academically, Chester Academy’s clearest strength is reading: 65% of students are proficient, compared with 55% statewide. Reading performance is especially strong in grades 7 and 8, at 83% and 78%, respectively. Mathematics proficiency is also above average overall at 55%, compared with 44% statewide, although results vary sharply by grade. Seventh-grade math is a standout at 76%, while eighth-grade math is a significant concern at just 21%. Science is more average, with 37% proficiency compared with 38% statewide. Among nearby schools, Chester’s reading performance trails only Auburn Village School, which reports 67%, and is higher than results at Danville Elementary School, South Range Elementary School, and several Derry-area schools.

The school’s ranking has improved considerably, rising from the bottom third of the state around 2018–21 to the top third today. Another notable strength is its performance for students receiving special education services: Chester ranks in the 83rd percentile statewide for this subgroup. Families should view the school as a solid, improving option with strong literacy outcomes and generally above-state academic performance. The most important questions for school leaders are how they plan to improve eighth-grade mathematics, strengthen science, and sustain recent gains. Comparisons should be made thoughtfully because many nearby schools serve only elementary grades, while Chester continues through middle school.

508

Students ?

11.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$15,814

Per pupil spending ?

6.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

22 Murphy Drive
Chester, NH 03036

(603) 887-3621

District: Chester School District

Racial breakdown:

White:

89.2%

Hispanic:

6.5%

Two or more races:

2.2%

See top rated New Hampshire elementary schools

Compare Chester Academy to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 63rd percentile in 2016 → 67th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the New Hampshire average (52% vs 46% meeting standards)

✓Above the New Hampshire median (67th percentile)

✓Small classes — about 11 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school52%

District avg52%

New Hampshire avg46%

Elementary school

76^th of 230

New Hampshire public elementary schools ?

Top 33%▲ up 4 pts since 2016

From top 37% (2016) to top 33% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of New Hampshire Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

Middle school

34^th of 138

New Hampshire public middle schools ?

Top 25%▲ up 46 pts since 2016

From bottom 29% (2016) to top 25% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of New Hampshire Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

55^th of 166Chester School District among New Hampshire districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Hampshire percentile	Rating
2026	62.7	76 of 230	67.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	62.3	76 of 224	66.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	52.5	114 of 234	51.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	51.5	117 of 237	50.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	59.0	90 of 233	61.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	29.7	155 of 211	26.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	33.6	165 of 231	28.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	61.7	82 of 231	64.5%	★★★☆☆
2017	57.2	97 of 229	57.6%	★★★☆☆
2016	61.2	91 of 244	62.7%	★★★☆☆
2014	64.3	80 of 242	66.9%	★★★☆☆
2013	68.8	66 of 241	72.6%	★★★★☆
2012	57.7	105 of 241	56.4%	★★★☆☆
2011	60.8	97 of 237	59.1%	★★★☆☆
2010	70.4	60 of 242	75.2%	★★★★☆
2009	71.9	58 of 240	75.8%	★★★★☆
2008	59.4	98 of 236	58.5%	★★★☆☆
2007	65.2	86 of 237	63.7%	★★★☆☆
2006	63.5	92 of 238	61.3%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Hampshire percentile	Rating
2026	64.5	54 of 184	70.7%	★★★★☆
2025	62.5	62 of 182	65.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	61.6	65 of 187	65.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	58.5	73 of 193	62.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	64.1	65 of 187	65.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	38.0	104 of 160	35.0%	★★☆☆☆
2019	48.3	104 of 192	45.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	70.0	42 of 190	77.9%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Hampshire percentile	Rating
2026	56.9	74 of 184	59.8%	★★★☆☆
2025	60.9	64 of 186	65.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	44.7	114 of 193	40.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	42.2	122 of 199	38.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	49.5	97 of 194	50.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	26.1	128 of 168	23.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	25.6	162 of 195	16.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	52.1	92 of 195	52.8%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Hampshire percentile	Rating
2026	75.3	11 of 66	83.3%	★★★★☆
2023	74.5	18 of 70	74.3%	★★★★☆
2022	58.7	18 of 59	69.5%	★★★★☆
2021	64.2	8 of 34	76.5%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Hampshire percentile	Rating
2026	60.1	82 of 229	64.2%	★★★☆☆
2025	64.9	72 of 223	67.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	53.7	113 of 228	50.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	49.7	117 of 233	49.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	56.4	98 of 229	57.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	30.9	150 of 209	28.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	32.8	168 of 229	26.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	62.0	77 of 227	66.1%	★★★☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Hampshire percentile	Rating
2026	67.3	34 of 138	75.4%	★★★★☆
2025	81.1	17 of 132	87.1%	★★★★☆
2024	37.6	84 of 130	35.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	25.4	106 of 134	20.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	31.6	92 of 130	29.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	48.2	64 of 125	48.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	52.6	56 of 128	56.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	57.6	53 of 131	59.5%	★★★☆☆
2017	40.1	82 of 125	34.4%	★★☆☆☆
2016	37.4	95 of 134	29.1%	★★☆☆☆
2014	36.3	94 of 132	28.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	61.2	44 of 131	66.4%	★★★☆☆
2012	68.7	32 of 131	75.6%	★★★★☆
2011	71.1	31 of 128	75.8%	★★★★☆
2010	70.9	31 of 127	75.6%	★★★★☆
2009	53.1	59 of 127	53.5%	★★★☆☆
2008	65.0	41 of 129	68.2%	★★★☆☆
2007	73.6	21 of 125	83.2%	★★★★☆
2006	77.0	19 of 126	84.9%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Hampshire percentile	Rating
2026	67.9	27 of 113	76.1%	★★★★☆
2025	81.4	13 of 112	88.4%	★★★★☆
2024	30.7	78 of 110	29.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	29.5	84 of 114	26.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	39.8	71 of 115	38.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	60.1	39 of 113	65.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	57.8	42 of 114	63.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	55.8	53 of 116	54.3%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Hampshire percentile	Rating
2026	63.0	34 of 121	71.9%	★★★★☆
2025	77.0	17 of 116	85.3%	★★★★☆
2024	44.8	60 of 113	46.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	25.1	93 of 117	20.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	26.7	89 of 117	23.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	41.7	63 of 116	45.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	46.6	55 of 113	51.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	57.7	45 of 114	60.5%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Hampshire percentile	Rating
2024	28.2	41 of 48	14.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	72.5	5 of 52	90.4%	★★★★★
2018	68.8	10 of 49	79.6%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Hampshire percentile	Rating
2026	66.4	36 of 136	73.5%	★★★★☆
2025	79.1	18 of 131	86.3%	★★★★☆
2024	29.8	94 of 128	26.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	21.2	108 of 132	18.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	30.9	91 of 129	29.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	49.3	60 of 123	51.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	50.5	62 of 126	50.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	53.7	56 of 129	56.6%	★★★☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Elementary school

Special Education (2026)83rd percentile+16 vs school

Female (2026)71st percentile+4 vs school

White (2026)64th percentile-3 vs school

Male (2026)60th percentile-7 vs school

Middle school

Female (2026)76th percentile~ school

White (2026)74th percentile~ school

Male (2026)72nd percentile-3 vs school

Special Education (2024)15th percentile-21 vs school

By subject vs New Hampshire (2025-2026) ?

Reading65%+10 vs state

Mathematics55%+11 vs state

Science37%~ state avg

4.5

2 ratings

5★1

4★1

3★0

2★0

1★0

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Schools Near Chester Academy

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				NH SAS Mathematics (2026)							NH SAS Reading (2026)							NH SAS Science (2026)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	NH SAS Mathematics 3rd Grade	NH SAS Mathematics 4th Grade	NH SAS Mathematics 5th Grade	NH SAS Mathematics 6th Grade	NH SAS Mathematics 7th Grade	NH SAS Mathematics 8th Grade	NH SAS Mathematics All Grades	NH SAS Reading 3rd Grade	NH SAS Reading 4th Grade	NH SAS Reading 5th Grade	NH SAS Reading 6th Grade	NH SAS Reading 7th Grade	NH SAS Reading 8th Grade	NH SAS Reading All Grades	NH SAS Science 5th Grade	NH SAS Science 8th Grade	NH SAS Science All Grades	Total
Chester Academy	Public	PK, KG-8	22 Murphy Drive	Chester	03036	Rockingham County	Chester School District	No	No	No	Yes	(603) 887-3621	508	44	11.4	6.1%	453 (89.2%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (6.5%)	10 (2.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.2%)	62.7	76^th of 230 public elementary schools	67.0%		62.3	76^th of 224 public elementary schools	66.1%		62.0	62.0	48.0	58.0	76.0	21.0	55.0	56.0	60.0	63.0	53.0	83.0	78.0	65.0	37.0	37.0	37.0	$15,814
Sandown North Elementary School	Public	1-5	23 Stagecoach Dr	Sandown	03873	Rockingham County	Timberlane Regional School District	No	No	No	Yes	(603) 887-8505	322	30	10.7	7.8%	287 (89.1%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (4.7%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (5.6%)	39	148^th of 230 public elementary schools	35.7%		51.7	108^th of 224 public elementary schools	51.8%	40	47.0	38.0	44.0				43.0	34.0	38.0	59.0				43.0	48.0		48.0	$18,885
Sandown Central School	Public	PK-K	295 Main St	Sandown	03873	Rockingham County	Timberlane Regional School District	No	No	No	No	(603) 378-5317	154	12	12.8	3.2%	133 (86.4%)	1 (0.6%)	10 (6.5%)	1 (0.6%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (5.2%)								(n/a)																		$18,885
East Derry Memorial Elementary School	Public	K-4	18 Dubeau Dr	Derry	03038	Rockingham County	Derry Cooperative School District	No	No	No	No	(603) 432-1260	388	33	11.9	14.7%	317 (81.7%)	5 (1.3%)	30 (7.7%)	3 (0.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (8.2%)	36.2	158^th of 230 public elementary schools	31.3%		51.7	110^th of 224 public elementary schools	50.9%	48	44.0	46.0					45.0	43.0	49.0					46.0				$14,447
Ernest P. Barka Elementary School	Public	K-4	21 Eastgate Rd	Derry	03038	Rockingham County	Derry Cooperative School District	No	No	No	Yes	(603) 434-2430	485	40	12.1	23.5%	407 (83.9%)	3 (0.6%)	35 (7.2%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (7.8%)	37.3	155^th of 230 public elementary schools	32.6%		37.4	144^th of 224 public elementary schools	35.7%	11	43.0	53.0					48.0	44.0	45.0					44.0				$17,959
Auburn Village School	Public	PK, KG-8	11 Eaton Hill Rd	Auburn	03032	Rockingham County	Auburn School District	No	No	No	No	(603) 483-2769	692	50	13.9	5.6%	645 (93.2%)	3 (0.4%)	17 (2.5%)	7 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (2.9%)	74.7	47^th of 230 public elementary schools	79.6%		83.1	30^th of 224 public elementary schools	86.6%	17	80.0	77.0	49.0	65.0	74.0	43.0	65.0	60.0	69.0	67.0	68.0	72.0	67.0	67.0	32.0	66.0	50.0	$14,270
Lamprey River Elementary School	Public	K-3	33 Old Manchester Rd	Raymond	03077	Rockingham County	Raymond School District	No	No	No	Yes	(603) 895-3117	333	30	10.9	25.2%	298 (89.5%)	2 (0.6%)	19 (5.7%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.6%)								(n/a)	60.0						60.0	53.0						53.0				$17,898
Grinnell School	Public	K-4	6 Grinnell Rd	Derry	03038	Rockingham County	Derry Cooperative School District	No	No	No	Yes	(603) 432-1238	338	31	11.0	32.0%	272 (80.5%)	2 (0.6%)	30 (8.9%)	6 (1.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (8.0%)	23.9	188^th of 230 public elementary schools	18.3%		31.4	160^th of 224 public elementary schools	28.6%	28	41.0	40.0					40.0	36.0	40.0					38.0				$16,436
Ellis School	Public	PK, KG-8	432 Main St	Fremont	03044	Rockingham County	Fremont School District	No	No	No	Yes	(603) 895-2511	353	39	9.0	16.7%	320 (90.7%)	1 (0.3%)	20 (5.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.4%)	27.6	176^th of 230 public elementary schools	23.5%		47.3	120^th of 224 public elementary schools	46.4%	56	40.0	29.0	32.0	27.0	46.0	35.0	35.0	40.0	17.0	56.0	43.0	54.0	56.0	44.0	44.0	38.0	41.0	$17,902
South Range Elementary School	Public	K-4	1 Drury Ln	Derry	03038	Rockingham County	Derry Cooperative School District	No	No	No	No	(603) 432-1219	333	27	12.5	30.9%	276 (82.9%)	3 (0.9%)	26 (7.8%)	4 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (7.2%)	41.4	140^th of 230 public elementary schools	39.1%		46.5	123^rd of 224 public elementary schools	45.1%	17	56.0	49.0					52.0	44.0	44.0					44.0				$20,826

Frequently Asked Questions about Chester Academy

How many students attend Chester Academy?

In the 2024-25 school year, 508 students attended Chester Academy.

What is the racial makeup of Chester Academy?

Students at Chester Academy are 89% White, 6% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What district is Chester Academy in?

Chester School District

Is Chester Academy a good school?

Chester Academy ranks 76^th of 230 New Hampshire elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Rate Chester Academy!

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NHNew Hampshire Elementary School Rankings

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Latest New Hampshire data All new data »

2025–26 NH SAS & SAT test scoresSep 7, 2026

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesNov 12, 2025

2024–25 NH SAS & SAT test scoresSep 6, 2025

2015–16 through 2023–24 dropout rates & graduation ratesJul 30, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the New Hampshire Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.