2024 Best Elementary Schools in Connecticut

The Complete Guide to Elementary Schools in Connecticut

Elementary schools are plentiful in the state of Connecticut, even if it’s not one of the nation’s highest populated states. In total, there are 836 different elementary schools spread across numerous cities and metropolitan areas, some of the largest being Bridgeport, New Haven and Hartford. That’s about 5% less than the typical state, although on a per capita basis, Connecticut actually ranks #33 in the nation. This can mean that parents have a great array of quality options to choose from.

As a whole, the average elementary school in the state earns a B grade, which is equal to the national average. Furthermore, of the 800+ elementary schools, just under half (45%) are rated above average. While this may sound like a small number at first glance, that still leaves nearly 400 options (379) for parents to review when searching for an appropriate educational fit for their child. Narrowing that total down further, if you include only schools that rank in the top 25% of the nation, that total slims to 239 – which is certainly still manageable.

Are public elementary schools in Connecticut a good option?

Connecticut has 651 total public elementary schools, and of that total, traditional public schools make up about 86%, or 563 of them. That’s a large number relative to other states, but for parents in search of exceptional schools, that means on average just 5 out of 10 (55%) score above the national average. It’s worth noting that this may be slightly lower than other states due to the fact that Connecticut has 2% fewer public elementary schools per capita than most states in the US.

What is the best public elementary school in Connecticut?

The best public elementary school in Connecticut is South School located in New Canaan. The school has 530 students and a student to teacher ratio of 12:1, which is 14% below the typical US elementary school ratio – meaning there’s greater focus per student when compared to most other public school offerings around the nation. South School wins out amongst nearly 650 other traditional public schools in the state (563). About 55% of all such schools are rated above the national average.

Key statistics about charter elementary schools in Connecticut

If you're considering charter schools in Connecticut there are just 16 different options to choose from, spread throughout a handful of different cities within the state. Although there's significanly fewer charter schools than traditional public schools in the state, it's worth noting that 100% of all charter elementary schools earn at least a B grade – which is above the national average overall of a B grade, so haivng high hopes for a great education if you're going the Charter route is more than okay. This is certainly encouraging news and should be taken into account when evaluating charter school options within the state.

What is the best charter elementary school in Connecticut?

The top ranked charter elementary school in Connecticut is Stamford Charter School for Excellence located right outside downtown Stamford as you approach Long Island Sound. The school has 391 students and as you’d expect earns an A+ grade on par with any public or magnet school within the state. The student to teacher ratio is 14:1 which is right inline with many other high performing schools both inside and outside Connecticut.

Everything you need to know about magnet elementary schools in Connecticut

On a per capita basis, magnet elementary schools are more common than most other states with 72 different options throughout various cities across Connecticut – placing it #2nd highest amongst all US states for magnet schools per capita only behind Illinois (which also has 72). The existing grades at such magnet schools range from B– up to C+, with about 25% being graded equal or higher than the national average A grade rating – though this should be taken with caution as C+ may allow for some room for improvement if one’s child had higher expectations for their school experience.

What is the best magnet elementary school in Connecticut?

Hailing from Riverside comes International School at Dundee – ranked as the best magnet elementary school in all of Connecticut by many standardizing agencies that measure such things. The school is sometimes referred to simply as ISD and is home to 361 students which can translate into better learning opportunities since there’s generally more one on one advisor time vs larger urban magnet schools that often have several hundred extra students enrolled every year. Furthermore, there are 11 students per every teacher at ISD (11:1 ratio) which is 21% lower than the national average and can often mean that each student will receive more attention and individualized learning opportunities than the typical school.