Summary:
ZIP code 03867, which includes Rochester, New Hampshire, has two public high schools serving grades 9–12: Spaulding High School and Bud Carlson Academy. Both are part of the Rochester School District and together enroll about 1,394 students. Spaulding is the area’s large comprehensive high school, with 1,298 students, while Bud Carlson is a much smaller school serving 96 students and may have a more specialized or alternative program model.
Spaulding High School is the stronger choice on the available overall performance measures. Its 90.4% graduation rate is above both the district rate of 81.9% and the state rate of 87.0%, while its 2.2% dropout rate is lower than both comparison figures. The school ranked 51st out of 89 New Hampshire high schools in 2025–2026, improving substantially from 74th the prior year. Reading is a particular strength: 59% of students were proficient, exceeding both the district and state results. Spaulding’s science proficiency was also above the district average, although mathematics remained a concern at 21%, well below the state result. Recent improvement in all three reported NH SAS subjects is encouraging, especially the 11-point gain in science.
Bud Carlson Academy reported considerably weaker outcomes, including a 17.0% graduation rate, a 14.6% dropout rate, 0% mathematics proficiency, and a 36% reading proficiency rate. It ranked 89th out of 89 schools in 2025–2026. Because the school is much smaller and may serve students with different needs or educational circumstances, parents should avoid treating the results as a direct apples-to-apples comparison with Spaulding. Families considering either school should ask about program structure, student supports, graduation planning, attendance, and course options. Overall, Spaulding offers stronger reported completion and academic outcomes, while Bud Carlson’s data suggest a greater need to understand its specialized mission and available supports.
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