Summary:
ZIP code 03442, which includes the Bennington, New Hampshire area, has one elementary school serving students in kindergarten through grade 4: Pierce Elementary School. The school enrolls 55 students and is part of the Contoocook Valley School District. Its small size and reported 6.6-to-1 student-teacher ratio may provide a close-knit setting and opportunities for individual attention.
Pierce Elementary School performs better overall than both its district and New Hampshire. In 2025–2026, 50% of students were proficient in mathematics, compared with 40% districtwide and 44% statewide. Reading was an even stronger area, with 64% proficiency versus 56% in the district and 55% statewide. Third-grade reading was the standout result: 73% of students were proficient, exceeding the district by 18 percentage points and the state by 22 points. Fourth-grade students also performed above state and district averages in both mathematics and reading.
The main area parents may want to examine more closely is third-grade mathematics, where 36% of students were proficient, compared with 52% in the district and 54% statewide. Results can vary considerably at a very small school because a few students can significantly affect the percentages. Overall, reading proficiency improved from 60% to 64% year over year, while mathematics dipped slightly from 52% to 50%. The school’s statewide ranking also improved substantially, rising from the 24th percentile in 2023–2024 to the 63rd percentile in 2025–2026. With about 38% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, the school serves a mixed community, and families should consider both the strong overall results and the variability among grades when evaluating the school.
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