Summary:
ZIP code 03109 has one listed middle school: Henry J. McLaughlin Junior Middle School, serving students in grades 5–8 in the Manchester area. The school enrolls 889 students and reported an 11.1:1 student-teacher ratio in 2024–2025. Since there is only one middle school in the ZIP code, families cannot make a direct school-to-school comparison locally. The most useful context is how McLaughlin compares with the Manchester School District and New Hampshire overall.
McLaughlin’s academic results are mixed but generally below state averages. In 2025–2026, 27% of students were proficient in reading, 16% in mathematics, and 18% in science. Reading is the school’s strongest subject, while mathematics is the clearest area of concern. Science is a relative strength compared with the district: McLaughlin’s 18% proficiency rate was slightly above the district’s 17%, although it remained well below the statewide rate of 38%. Eighth grade performed best overall, including 22% proficiency in science and 28% in reading. Fifth grade was the most vulnerable grade, with only 12% proficiency in mathematics and 15% in science.
There are signs of recent progress. From 2024–2025 to 2025–2026, proficiency increased by 2 percentage points in mathematics, 4 points in reading, and 5 points in science. Even so, McLaughlin remained far below New Hampshire averages, which were 44% in mathematics, 55% in reading, and 38% in science. The school’s reported ranking was in the 5th percentile of its comparison group, following similarly low rankings in the prior two years. About 42.52% of students qualified for free or reduced-price lunch, an important factor for families considering the broader support needs of the student population. Overall, parents may want to focus on math intervention, fifth-grade transition support, literacy resources, and the school’s plans for sustaining its recent improvement.
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