Summary:
ZIP code 03886 has one school, Kenneth A. Brett School, a small K–8 school serving 165 students in the Tamworth area. It is classified as an elementary school but serves students through eighth grade, making it the only local option for both elementary and middle-grade education within the ZIP code. The school has an 8:1 student-teacher ratio, and 51.52% of students participated in the free or reduced-price lunch program in 2024–2025. Since there is no second school in the ZIP code, families must compare the school with the Tamworth School District, statewide results, or schools in nearby communities.
The school’s strongest academic area is reading. Overall reading proficiency was 39%, compared with 55% statewide, and results were especially encouraging in Grade 3 at 50%, Grade 5 at 53%, and Grade 8 at 48%. Science was another relatively stronger subject, with 28% proficiency compared with 38% statewide and 27% in the district. However, performance varies considerably by grade: fourth-grade reading proficiency was only 14%, while fifth-grade reading reached 53%. These differences may be especially noticeable in a small school, where results from a relatively small number of students can significantly affect percentages.
Mathematics is the most important concern for families evaluating the school. Overall math proficiency was 18%, compared with 44% statewide, and no reported grade from fourth through eighth reached 30%. Grade 8 was lowest at 14%, while Grade 5 was highest at 26%. The school’s statewide ranking also declined from the 22nd percentile in 2023–2024 to the 13th percentile in 2025–2026, when it received a one-star rating. The low student-teacher ratio is a positive resource, but it has not yet translated into strong test results. Parents may want to ask about math intervention, curriculum support, staffing stability, and how the school is addressing differences between grade levels.
Thank you for your feedback!