Gathering Waters Charter School (E)

Gathering Waters Charter School (E) is a small public charter school in Keene, NH, serving 219 students in grades K–8. Its K–8 structure is broader than most nearby elementary schools, making some comparisons imperfect, but it gives families the option of staying in one school through middle school. The school has a notably low student-teacher ratio of 7.6:1 and a 24.2% free/reduced-price lunch rate. Despite these potentially favorable features, its latest overall rating is 1 star, with a statewide ranking at the 10th percentile—207th out of 230 schools.

Mathematics is the clearest concern. Only 13% of students were proficient in math, compared with 44% statewide and approximately 48% across nearby schools with reported results. Results were especially weak in grades 5–8, including 0% proficiency in seventh grade. Reading is stronger at 42% proficiency, but still below the state average of 55%; grades 4–6 were particularly weak, while third-grade reading was a bright spot at 59%, above the state average. Science proficiency was 29%, below the state’s 38% but better than the school’s math results. Compared with nearby Keene schools, Wheelock Elementary School, Franklin Elementary School, and Fuller Elementary School all reported stronger math and reading results.

Recent trends are mixed: science improved from 18% to 29%, but reading declined from 52% to 42%, while math remained very low. The most relevant charter comparison is Surry Village Charter School, another K–8 school about six miles away; it reported 53% math, 53% reading, and 63% science proficiency, though it serves only 79 students. The school’s low student-teacher ratio suggests that class size alone may not explain the results. Families may want to ask about math instruction, support in grades 5–8, reading continuity in grades 4–6, assessment-based interventions, and how the school supports the transition from elementary to middle school.