Best Middle Schools in Connecticut (2025-26)

Ranked middle schools

156

Listed, not ranked

Every ranked middle school in Connecticut, ordered by SchoolGrade. A grade rewards actual test performance against the projection for each school's student context, so a B in a high-poverty school can outrank an A- elsewhere on impact. Click a column heading to sort, or filter by school, city or district.

Connecticut rankings: High Schools · Middle Schools · Elementary Schools

Connecticut middle schools ranked

Rank	Grade	School	City	District	Actual	Projected	Impact	Students
#1	A+	Saxe Middle School	New Canaan	New Canaan School District	83%	79%	Exceeds Expectations	1,315
#2	A+	Middlesex Middle School	Darien	Darien School District	76%	76%	Meets Expectations	1,068
#3	A+	House Of Arts Letters And Science Hals Academy	New Britain	New Britain School District	75%	57%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	140
#4	A+	Bedford Middle School	Westport	Westport School District	74%	68%	Exceeds Expectations	729
#5	A+	Eastern Middle School	Riverside	Greenwich School District	74%	76%	Meets Expectations	784
#6	A+	Middlebrook School	Wilton	Wilton School District	74%	72%	Exceeds Expectations	894
#7	A+	Coleytown Middle School	Westport	Westport School District	73%	67%	Exceeds Expectations	464
#8	A+	Avon Middle School	Avon	Avon School District	72%	70%	Exceeds Expectations	524
#9	A+	Irving A Robbins Middle School	Farmington	Farmington School District	72%	66%	Exceeds Expectations	625
#10	A+	East Ridge Middle School	Ridgefield	Ridgefield School District	71%	72%	Meets Expectations	495
#11	A+	Henry James Memorial School	Simsbury	Simsbury School District	71%	65%	Exceeds Expectations	620
#12	A+	Walter C Polson Middle School	Madison	Madison School District	71%	70%	Meets Expectations	520
#13	A	E C Adams Middle School	Guilford	Guilford School District	70%	69%	Meets Expectations	486
#14	A	John Read Middle School	Redding	Redding School District	70%	72%	Meets Expectations	350
#15	A	Dodd Middle School	Cheshire	Cheshire School District	69%	58%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	622
#16	A	Helen Keller Middle School	Easton	Easton School District	69%	70%	Meets Expectations	297
#17	A	Roger Ludlowe Middle School	Fairfield	Fairfield School District	69%	72%	Meets Expectations	771
#18	A	Smith Middle School	Glastonbury	Glastonbury School District	69%	67%	Exceeds Expectations	853
#19	A	Hillcrest Middle School	Trumbull	Trumbull School District	66%	60%	Exceeds Expectations	767
#20	A	Suffield Middle School	Suffield	Suffield School District	66%	61%	Exceeds Expectations	445
#21	A	Weston Middle School	Weston	Weston School District	66%	71%	Meets Expectations	534
#22	A-	Scotts Ridge Middle School	Ridgefield	Ridgefield School District	66%	70%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	525
#23	A-	Stonington Middle School	Mystic	Stonington School District	66%	62%	Exceeds Expectations	379
#24	A-	Capt Nathan Hale School	Coventry	Coventry School District	65%	57%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	389
#25	A-	Central Middle School	Greenwich	Greenwich School District	65%	68%	Meets Expectations	506
#26	A-	Fairfield Woods Middle School	Fairfield	Fairfield School District	65%	61%	Exceeds Expectations	743
#27	A-	Lyme Old Lyme Middle School	Old Lyme	Regional School District 18	65%	61%	Exceeds Expectations	270
#28	A-	Mansfield Middle School	Storrs	Mansfield School District	65%	54%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	463
#29	A-	Rochambeau Middle School	Southbury	Regional School District 15	65%	62%	Exceeds Expectations	384
#30	A-	Amity Middle School Orange	Orange	Regional School District 05	64%	64%	Meets Expectations	357
#31	A-	Bristow Middle School	West Hartford	West Hartford School District	64%	52%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	315
#32	A-	East Granby Middle School	East Granby	East Granby School District	64%	58%	Exceeds Expectations	195
#33	A-	King Philip Middle School	West Hartford	West Hartford School District	64%	60%	Exceeds Expectations	815
#34	B+	Westbrook Middle School	Westbrook	Westbrook School District	63%	50%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	159
#35	B+	Canton Middle School	Canton	Canton School District	62%	51%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	247
#36	B+	Timothy Edwards School	South Windsor	South Windsor School District	62%	64%	Meets Expectations	1,142
#37	B+	East Lyme Middle School	Niantic	East Lyme School District	61%	61%	Meets Expectations	715
#38	B+	New Fairfield Middle School	New Fairfield	New Fairfield School District	61%	56%	Exceeds Expectations	492
#39	B+	Albert D Griswold Middle School	Rocky Hill	Rocky Hill School District	60%	62%	Meets Expectations	633
#40	B+	Amity Middle School Bethany	Bethany	Regional School District 05	60%	64%	Meets Expectations	365
#41	B+	Newtown Middle School	Newtown	Newtown School District	60%	62%	Meets Expectations	607
#42	B+	William J Johnston Middle School	Colchester	Colchester School District	60%	59%	Meets Expectations	477
#43	B+	Har Bur Middle School	Burlington	Regional School District 10	59%	62%	Meets Expectations	653
#44	B+	John F Kennedy Middle School	Plantsville	Southington School District	59%	55%	Exceeds Expectations	699
#45	B+	Madison Middle School	Trumbull	Trumbull School District	59%	58%	Meets Expectations	786
#46	B	Haddam Killingworth Middle School	Killingworth	Regional School District 17	58%	65%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	399
#47	B	Joseph A Depaolo Middle School	Southington	Southington School District	58%	56%	Exceeds Expectations	694
#48	B	Long River Middle School	Prospect	Regional School District 16	58%	58%	Meets Expectations	440
#49	B	Ellington Middle School	Ellington	Ellington School District	57%	60%	Meets Expectations	398
#50	B	Frank Ward Strong School	Durham	Regional School District 13	57%	59%	Meets Expectations	308
#51	B	North Haven Middle School	North Haven	North Haven School District	57%	57%	Meets Expectations	724
#52	B	Old Saybrook Middle School	Old Saybrook	Old Saybrook School District	57%	61%	Meets Expectations	317
#53	B	Eli Terry JR Middle School	Terryville	Plymouth School District	56%	43%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	279
#54	B	Jockey Hollow School	Monroe	Monroe School District	56%	61%	Meets Expectations	774
#55	B	Whisconier Middle School	Brookfield	Brookfield School District	56%	62%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	782
#56	B	Intermediate School	Shelton	Shelton School District	55%	47%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	777
#57	B	Mabelle B Avery Middle School	Somers	Somers School District	55%	53%	Exceeds Expectations	304
#58	B-	Bethel Middle School	Bethel	Bethel School District	55%	54%	Meets Expectations	764
#59	B-	Clark Lane Middle School	Waterford	Waterford School District	55%	51%	Exceeds Expectations	549
#60	B-	Cromwell Middle School	Cromwell	Cromwell School District	55%	47%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	483
#61	B-	Sedgwick Middle School	West Hartford	West Hartford School District	55%	59%	Meets Expectations	866
#62	B-	Silas Deane Middle School	Wethersfield	Wethersfield School District	55%	48%	Exceeds Expectations	574
#63	B-	Tomlinson Middle School	Fairfield	Fairfield School District	55%	57%	Meets Expectations	621
#64	B-	Catherine M Mcgee Middle School	Berlin	Berlin School District	54%	61%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	582
#65	B-	Harborside Middle School	Milford	Milford School District	54%	54%	Meets Expectations	403
#66	B-	Portland Middle School	Portland	Portland School District	54%	47%	Exceeds Expectations	201
#67	B-	Western Middle School	Greenwich	Greenwich School District	54%	53%	Exceeds Expectations	617
#68	B-	Memorial Middle School	Middlebury	Regional School District 15	53%	60%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	408
#69	B-	West Shore Middle School	Milford	Milford School District	52%	47%	Exceeds Expectations	419
#70	C+	East Shore Middle School	Milford	Milford School District	51%	53%	Meets Expectations	382
#71	C+	Granby Memorial Middle School	Granby	Granby School District	51%	66%	Underperforms Expectations	400
#72	C+	Jared Eliot School	Clinton	Clinton School District	51%	51%	Meets Expectations	418
#73	C+	Rham Middle School	Hebron	Regional School District 08	51%	55%	Meets Expectations	369
#74	C+	Tyrrell Middle School	Wolcott	Wolcott School District	51%	54%	Meets Expectations	510
#75	C+	Woodbury Middle School	Woodbury	Regional School District 14	51%	46%	Exceeds Expectations	303
#76	C+	East Hampton Middle School	East Hampton	East Hampton School District	50%	59%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	433
#77	C+	Scofield Middle School	Stamford	Stamford School District	50%	46%	Exceeds Expectations	584
#78	C+	Francis Walsh Intermediate School	Branford	Branford School District	49%	53%	Meets Expectations	767
#79	C+	Lebanon Middle School	Lebanon	Lebanon School District	49%	53%	Meets Expectations	264
#80	C+	Middle School Of Plainville	Plainville	Plainville School District	49%	46%	Exceeds Expectations	540
#81	C+	Northwestern Regional Middle School	Winsted	Regional School District 07	48%	50%	Meets Expectations	243
#82	C+	Swift Middle School	Oakville	Watertown School District	47%	52%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	584
#83	C+	Windsor Locks Middle School	Windsor Locks	Windsor Locks School District	47%	40%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	318
#84	C	Hall Memorial School	West Willington	Willington School District	47%	50%	Meets Expectations	176
#85	C	Oxford Middle School	Oxford	Oxford School District	47%	55%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	410
#86	C	Tolland Middle School	Tolland	Tolland School District	46%	57%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	519
#87	C	Woodstock Middle School	Woodstock	Woodstock School District	46%	62%	Underperforms Expectations	346
#88	C	Brooklyn Middle School	Brooklyn	Brooklyn School District	45%	50%	Meets Expectations	358
#89	C	John Wallace Middle School	Newington	Newington School District	44%	51%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	586
#90	C	John Winthrop Middle School	Deep River	Regional School District 04	44%	61%	Underperforms Expectations	238
#91	C	Roton Middle School	Norwalk	Norwalk School District	44%	48%	Meets Expectations	494
#92	C	Seymour Middle School	Seymour	Seymour School District	44%	48%	Meets Expectations	480
#93	C	Griswold Middle School	Griswold	Griswold School District	43%	41%	Meets Expectations	473
#94	C	North Branford Intermediate School	North Branford	North Branford School District	43%	57%	Underperforms Expectations	388
#95	C	Northeast Middle School	Bristol	Bristol School District	43%	45%	Meets Expectations	336
#96	C	Westside Middle School Academy	Danbury	Danbury School District	43%	30%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	744
#97	C-	Preston Plains School	Preston	Preston School District	42%	55%	Underperforms Expectations	125
#98	C-	Schaghticoke Middle School	New Milford	New Milford School District	41%	41%	Meets Expectations	811
#99	C-	Sunset Ridge Middle School	East Hartford	East Hartford School District	41%	35%	Exceeds Expectations	338
#100	C-	Vernon Center Middle School	Vernon	Vernon School District	41%	40%	Meets Expectations	678
#101	C-	Chippens Hill Middle School	Bristol	Bristol School District	40%	34%	Exceeds Expectations	580
#102	C-	Dr Helen Baldwin Middle School	Canterbury	Canterbury School District	40%	51%	Underperforms Expectations	198
#103	C-	Leonard J Tyl Middle School	Oakdale	Montville School District	40%	44%	Meets Expectations	510
#104	C-	Martin Kellogg Middle School	Newington	Newington School District	40%	47%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	555
#105	C-	City Hill Middle School	Naugatuck	Naugatuck School District	39%	30%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	635
#106	C-	Groton Middle School	Groton	Groton School District	39%	38%	Meets Expectations	907
#107	C-	Ledyard Middle School	Gales Ferry	Ledyard School District	39%	49%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	534
#108	C-	Sage Park Middle School	Windsor	Windsor School District	39%	38%	Meets Expectations	698
#109	D+	Harry M Bailey Middle School	West Haven	West Haven School District	38%	26%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	861
#110	D+	Plainfield Central School	Plainfield	Plainfield School District	38%	47%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	445
#111	D+	Aces At Chase (Magnet)	Waterbury	Area Cooperative Educational Services	37%	38%	Meets Expectations	671
#112	D+	James H Moran Middle School	Wallingford	Wallingford School District	37%	47%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	575
#113	D+	West Rocks Middle School	Norwalk	Norwalk School District	37%	39%	Meets Expectations	700
#114	D+	Beman Middle School	Middletown	Middletown School District	36%	38%	Meets Expectations	968
#115	D+	Dolan School	Stamford	Stamford School District	36%	30%	Exceeds Expectations	611
#116	D+	Killingly Intermediate School	Dayville	Killingly School District	36%	42%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	667
#117	D+	Nathan Hale Middle School	Norwalk	Norwalk School District	36%	39%	Meets Expectations	545
#118	D+	Stafford Middle School	Stafford Springs	Stafford School District	36%	43%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	332
#119	D+	Washington Middle School	Meriden	Meriden School District	36%	19%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	622
#120	D+	Dag Hammarskjold Middle School	Wallingford	Wallingford School District	35%	47%	Underperforms Expectations	579
#121	D	Hamden Middle School	Hamden	Hamden School District	35%	35%	Meets Expectations	811
#122	D	Harry B Flood Middle School	Stratford	Stratford School District	35%	31%	Exceeds Expectations	489
#123	D	John F Kennedy Middle School	Enfield	Enfield School District	34%	40%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	1,096
#124	D	Torrington Middle School	Torrington	Torrington School District	33%	37%	Meets Expectations	975
#125	D	Turn Of River School	Stamford	Stamford School District	33%	36%	Meets Expectations	662
#126	D	Thompson Middle School	North Grosvenordale	Thompson School District	32%	45%	Underperforms Expectations	285
#127	D	Cloonan School	Stamford	Stamford School District	31%	25%	Exceeds Expectations	576
#128	D	East Windsor Middle School	Broad Brook	East Windsor School District	31%	41%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	324
#129	D	Joseph Melillo Middle School	East Haven	East Haven School District	31%	27%	Exceeds Expectations	516
#130	D	Lincoln Middle School	Meriden	Meriden School District	31%	25%	Exceeds Expectations	688
#131	D	Betances Stem Magnet School (Magnet)	Hartford	Hartford School District	30%	18%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	210
#132	D	Broadview Middle School	Danbury	Danbury School District	30%	28%	Exceeds Expectations	1,026
#133	D	David Wooster Middle School	Stratford	Stratford School District	30%	29%	Meets Expectations	539
#134	D-	Rippowam Middle School	Stamford	Stamford School District	29%	33%	Meets Expectations	725
#135	D-	Derby Middle School	Derby	Derby School District	28%	21%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	291
#136	D-	Illing Middle School	Manchester	Manchester School District	28%	31%	Meets Expectations	846
#137	D-	Ponus Ridge Steam Academy	Norwalk	Norwalk School District	28%	34%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	644
#138	D-	Kelly Steam Magnet Middle School (Magnet)	Norwich	Norwich School District	26%	31%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	556
#139	D-	Putnam Middle School	Putnam	Putnam School District	26%	39%	Underperforms Expectations	335
#140	D-	Carmen Arace Middle School	Bloomfield	Bloomfield School District	25%	30%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	246
#141	D-	Elisabeth M Bennet Academy	Manchester	Manchester School District	24%	27%	Meets Expectations	843
#142	F	Ansonia Middle School	Ansonia	Ansonia School District	21%	21%	Meets Expectations	537
#143	F	Rogers Park Middle School	Danbury	Danbury School District	21%	29%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	950
#144	F	East Hartford Middle School	East Hartford	East Hartford School District	20%	20%	Meets Expectations	890
#145	F	Betsy Ross Arts Magnet School (Magnet)	New Haven	New Haven School District	19%	16%	Exceeds Expectations	327
#146	F	Teachers Memorial Global Studies Magnet Middle School (Magnet)	Norwich	Norwich School District	17%	20%	Meets Expectations	442
#147	F	West Side Middle School	Waterbury	Waterbury School District	17%	15%	Exceeds Expectations	817
#148	F	North End Middle School	Waterbury	Waterbury School District	15%	13%	Exceeds Expectations	692
#149	F	Windham Middle School	Willimantic	Windham School District	14%	17%	Meets Expectations	574
#150	F	Milner Middle School	Hartford	Hartford School District	9%	9%	Meets Expectations	284
#151	F	Pulaski Middle School	New Britain	New Britain School District	9%	16%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	867
#152	F	Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School	New London	New London School District	8%	10%	Meets Expectations	349
#153	F	M L King JR Middle School	Hartford	Hartford School District	8%	13%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	203
#154	F	Burr Middle School	Hartford	Hartford School District	6%	9%	Meets Expectations	277
#155	F	Mcdonough Middle School	Hartford	Hartford School District	6%	11%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	317
#156	F	Slade Middle School	New Britian	New Britain School District	5%	14%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	795

How Connecticut's middle schools compare

A: 33B: 36C: 39D: 33F: 15

44% of the 156 ranked middle schools in Connecticut earn an A or B (33 A grades, 36 B, 39 C, 33 D, 15 F), against 46% of middle schools nationwide. 121 schools meet or beat the proficiency projected from their student context (78% here, 70% nationally), and 56 exceed it. On average 47% of tested students meet the state bar against a projected 48% (national averages: 45% actual, 38% projected).

The biggest overperformers, by actual proficiency above projection: House Of Arts Letters And Science Hals Academy (75% against 57%, A+), Washington Middle School (36% against 19%, D+), Westbrook Middle School (63% against 50%, B+), Eli Terry JR Middle School (56% against 43%, B), Westside Middle School Academy (43% against 30%, C).

Districts with the most schools in the top quarter (the top 39): Westport School District (2), Greenwich School District (2), Ridgefield School District (2), Fairfield School District (2).

Cities with the most ranked middle schools: Stamford (5, 0 at A or B), Hartford (5, 0 at A or B), Norwalk (4, 0 at A or B), Fairfield (3, 3 at A or B), West Hartford (3, 3 at A or B).

The largest ranked middle schools: Saxe Middle School (1,315 students, A+, #1), Timothy Edwards School (1,142 students, B+, #36), John F Kennedy Middle School (1,096 students, D, #123).

Middle schools in Connecticut that are not ranked

5 graded middle schools are listed here rather than ranked, each for the reason given. Every one has its own page with its full SchoolGrade report.

Closed schools (1)

NCES lists these schools as closed or inactive since their last graded year.

B+ Litchfield Middle School, Litchfield

Not yet graded (4)

Our source data has no school-level proficiency results for these schools, so they carry no SchoolGrade yet.

Academy Of Computer Science And And Engineering Middle Schoo, East Hartford
Edison Middle School, Meriden
Science And Technology Magnet Pathway For Middle Grades, New London
Wamogo Regional Middle School, Litchfield

About this ranking

Scope: every public middle school in Connecticut.
Order: SchoolGrade, then actual proficiency, then name; schools with the same grade and score share a rank.
Ranked: regular public schools that NCES lists as open, not fully online, with at least 30 students. Others are listed with the reason.
Tags: Magnet and Charter from the NCES school directory; K-12 marks schools serving every grade that are ranked with the middle schools.
Grades are the 2025-26 SchoolGrade model. How SchoolGrade works

Questions about middle schools in Connecticut

What is the best middle school in Connecticut?

Saxe Middle School in New Canaan ranks first among the 156 ranked middle schools in Connecticut with a SchoolGrade of A+, 83% of tested students meeting the state bar against a projected 79%.

How are middle schools in Connecticut ranked?

By SchoolGrade, the 2025-26 model that scores each school's actual test proficiency against the level projected for its student context, then by actual proficiency to break ties. Regular public schools that are open, not fully online and have at least 30 students are ranked; the rest are listed below the table with the reason.

How many middle schools does Connecticut have?

SchoolGrade grades 161 public middle schools in Connecticut; 156 are ranked here and 5 are listed as not ranked.