Chester Elementary School

Summary:

Chester Elementary School is a public elementary school serving 222 students in grades PK-6 in the town of Chester, Connecticut. The school is part of the Chester School District, which is ranked 10th out of 158 districts in the state and has a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Chester Elementary School consistently performs exceptionally well on standardized tests, with a high percentage of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and Mathematics across all grade levels. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 78.8% of 4th graders and 75.7% of 6th graders were proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state averages of 49.4% and 48.1%, respectively. In Mathematics, 81.8% of 4th graders were proficient or better, compared to the state average of 49.7%. The school has a relatively low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (26.13% in 2022-2023), indicating a higher socioeconomic status compared to some of the surrounding schools, such as Kathleen E. Goodwin School, Lewin G. Joel Junior School, and Daisy Ingraham School, which have more diverse student populations and higher percentages of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch.

Chester Elementary School has maintained a high level of academic performance over the years, with a consistent 5-star rating from SchoolDigger and a ranking of 34 out of 497 schools in the 2023-2024 school year, placing it among the top elementary schools in Connecticut. This suggests a strong and stable educational environment that supports student success. However, the school's high percentage of white students (90.09% in 2022-2023) is in contrast to the more diverse student populations at the nearby schools, which may be an area for further exploration to understand the factors contributing to this demographic difference.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

23 Ridge Rd.
Chester, CT 06412

(860) 526-5797

District: Chester School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
34^th of 497 Connecticut Elementary Schools

Students who attend Chester Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	John Winthrop Middle School
High:	Valley Regional High School

Student/teacher ratio: 11.5

Number of students: 222

Racial breakdown:

White:

90.1%

Hispanic:

5.9%

Two or more races:

3.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 26.1%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Chester Elementary School ranks better than 93.2% of elementary schools in Connecticut. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 90.18. (See more...)

Student Body

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Teachers

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Finance

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Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Chester Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Chester Elementary School 34^th of 497 Connecticut public elementary schools. (See Chester Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

White students:

Chester School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Chester School District 10^th of 158 Connecticut school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Chester Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Chester Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CT State Percentile
2006	74.72	163^rd	570	71.4%
2007	74.78	158^th	568	72.2%
2008	73.35	180^th	565	68.1%
2009	77.33	127^th	566	77.6%
2010	71.99	196^th	579	66.1%
2011	78.34	116^th	565	79.5%
2012	76.43	133^rd	564	76.4%
2013	83.27	39^th	557	93.0%
2015	87.74	55^th	551	90.0%
2016	79.99	117^th	518	77.4%
2017	85.13	74^th	519	85.7%
2018	81.36	109^th	532	79.5%
2019	82.85	97^th	522	81.4%
2021	86.54	77^th	538	85.7%
2022	90.23	35^th	490	92.9%
2023	88.50	49^th	491	90.0%
2024	90.18	34^th	497	93.2%

See the entire list of Connecticut Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for White students at Chester Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CT State Percentile
2018	62.24	120^th	296	59.5%
2019	66.05	101^st	295	65.8%
2021	75.55	76^th	327	76.8%
2022	74.48	63^rd	252	75.0%
2023	71.82	74^th	262	71.8%
2024	70.63	73^rd	250	70.8%

See the entire list of Best Connecticut Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Connecticut Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Connecticut State Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Chester Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	274	4	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	280
1989	276	1	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	281
1990	319	2	n/a	3	n/a	n/a	n/a	324
1991	317	3	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	322
1992	338	2	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	342
1993	333	8	1	1	1	n/a	n/a	344
1994	330	9	3	3	0	n/a	n/a	345
1995	345	5	5	5	1	n/a	n/a	361
1996	345	5	5	5	1	n/a	n/a	361
1997	346	5	3	6	1	n/a	n/a	361
1998	339	2	3	9	2	n/a	n/a	355
1999	317	3	8	5	3	n/a	n/a	336
2000	309	2	5	6	4	n/a	n/a	326
2001	297	2	6	3	2	n/a	n/a	310
2002	309	3	7	8	1	n/a	n/a	328
2003	309	3	7	8	1	n/a	n/a	328
2004	322	2	8	3	1	n/a	n/a	336
2005	316	2	9	6	0	n/a	n/a	333
2006	307	5	5	5	0	n/a	n/a	322
2007	315	6	7	7	0	n/a	n/a	335
2008	322	4	9	6	0	n/a	n/a	341
2009	302	3	8	6	0	n/a	n/a	319
2010	281	3	7	8	0	n/a	n/a	299
2011	258	4	8	4	0	0	1	275
2012	245	3	7	3	0	0	2	260
2013	235	2	5	1	0	0	8	251
2014	209	1	4	5	0	0	9	228
2015	197	2	4	9	0	0	7	219
2016	187	2	4	8	0	0	10	211
2017	178	2	3	14	0	0	9	206
2018	183	3	1	9	0	0	9	205
2019	168	3	1	14	0	0	8	194
2020	163	1	1	15	0	0	6	186
2021	172	0	3	16	0	0	9	200
2022	185	0	1	17	0	0	6	209
2023	200	0	1	13	0	0	8	222

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Chester Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	280	17.0	16.4	n/a
1989	281	18.9	14.8	n/a
1990	324	18.5	17.5	n/a
1991	322	19.0	16.9	n/a
1992	342	20.8	16.4	5
1993	344	21.6	15.9	0.3
1994	345	19.8	17.4	3.5
1995	361	27.5	13.1	4.7
1996	361	27.5	13.1	4.7
1997	361	26.9	13.4	4.2
1998	355	27.4	13.0	3.4
1999	336	27.8	12.1	5.7
2000	326	28.3	11.5	3.7
2001	310	n/a	0.0	n/a
2002	328	29.5	11.1	3.4
2003	328	29.5	11.1	3.4
2004	336	29.6	11.4	4.2
2005	333	24.9	13.4	n/a
2006	322	24.9	12.9	2.8
2007	335	25.8	13.0	4.8
2008	341	29.9	11.4	5.3
2009	319	31.5	10.9	6.3
2010	299	29.4	10.1	9
2011	275	27.4	10.0	10.5
2012	260	25.3	10.2	11.9
2013	251	n/a	n/a	11.6
2014	228	n/a	n/a	12.7
2015	219	23.0	9.5	16
2016	211	22.0	9.5	16.6
2017	206	23.6	8.7	18
2018	205	24.3	8.4	15.1
2019	194	21.5	9.0	26.8
2020	186	20.5	9.0	22
2021	200	18.7	10.6	28
2022	209	18.1	11.5	24.9
2023	222	n/a	n/a	26.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Chester Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	280	17.0	16.4	n/a
1989	281	18.9	14.8	n/a
1990	324	18.5	17.5	n/a
1991	322	19.0	16.9	n/a
1992	342	20.8	16.4	5
1993	344	21.6	15.9	0.3
1994	345	19.8	17.4	3.5
1995	361	27.5	13.1	4.7
1996	361	27.5	13.1	4.7
1997	361	26.9	13.4	4.2
1998	355	27.4	13.0	3.4
1999	336	27.8	12.1	5.7
2000	326	28.3	11.5	3.7
2001	310	n/a	0.0	n/a
2002	328	29.5	11.1	3.4
2003	328	29.5	11.1	3.4
2004	336	29.6	11.4	4.2
2005	333	24.9	13.4	n/a
2006	322	24.9	12.9	2.8
2007	335	25.8	13.0	4.8
2008	341	29.9	11.4	5.3
2009	319	31.5	10.9	6.3
2010	299	29.4	10.1	9
2011	275	27.4	10.0	10.5
2012	260	25.3	10.2	11.9
2013	251	n/a	n/a	11.6
2014	228	n/a	n/a	12.7
2015	219	23.0	9.5	16
2016	211	22.0	9.5	16.6
2017	206	23.6	8.7	18
2018	205	24.3	8.4	15.1
2019	194	21.5	9.0	26.8
2020	186	20.5	9.0	22
2021	200	18.7	10.6	28
2022	209	18.1	11.5	24.9
2023	222	n/a	n/a	26.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Chester Elementary School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$22,420
2019	$23,501
2020	$25,742
2021	$25,023
2022	$24,589
2023	$25,577

Data source: Connecticut Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Chester Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 97^th of 522 Elementary schools	Ranks 49^th of 491 Elementary schools	8.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
4th Grade English Language Arts (Chester Elementary School)	76.9	68	8.9%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Chester School District)	76.9	68	8.9%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Connecticut)	54.6	48.8	5.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Chester Elementary School)	80.8	77.1	3.7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Chester School District)	80.8	77.1	3.7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Connecticut)	52.5	45.3	7.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Chester Elementary School)	84	73	11%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Chester School District)	84	73	11%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Connecticut)	58.1	51.3	6.8%
5th Grade Mathematics (Chester Elementary School)	60	78.6	18.6%
5th Grade Mathematics (Chester School District)	60	78.6	18.6%
5th Grade Mathematics (Connecticut)	46.5	38.8	7.7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	194	222	14.4%
African American	3	0	100%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	1	1
Hispanic	14	13	7.1%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	168	200	19%
Two or More Races	8	8
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	26.8%	26.1%	0.7%

Schools Near Chester Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				NGSS Science (2024)	SBAC English Language Arts (2024)				SBAC Mathematics (2024)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	NGSS Science 5th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 3rd Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 4th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 5th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 6th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 3rd Grade	SBAC Mathematics 4th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 5th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 6th Grade	Total
Chester Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	23 Ridge Rd.	Chester	06412	Middlesex County	Chester School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 526-5797	222	18	11.5	26.1%	200 (90.1%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (5.9%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.6%)	90.2	34^th of 497 public elementary schools	93.2%		88.5	49^th of 491 public elementary schools	90.0%	15			78.8		75.7		81.8			$25,577
Deep River Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	12 River St.	Deep River	06417	Middlesex County	Deep River School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 526-5319	192	19	10.3	35.4%	161 (83.9%)	1 (0.5%)	22 (11.5%)	1 (0.5%)	1 (0.5%)	1 (0.5%)	5 (2.6%)	82.8	92^nd of 497 public elementary schools	81.5%		85.2	74^th of 491 public elementary schools	84.9%	18			69.0	72.0	63.6	77.8	82.8			$30,986
Essex Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	108 Main St.	Centerbrook	06409	Middlesex County	Essex School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 767-8215	300	25	11.8	23.0%	260 (86.7%)	1 (0.3%)	25 (8.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (4.3%)	79.5	115^th of 497 public elementary schools	76.9%		82.1	101^st of 491 public elementary schools	79.4%	14	70.7	68.8	65.8	73.2	63.9	68.8	71.1	65.9	63.9	$26,691
Haddam-Killingworth Intermediate School	Public	4-5	451 Route 81	Killingworth	06419	Middlesex County	Regional School District 17	No	No	No	No	(860) 663-1241	260	28	9.3	15.0%	234 (90.0%)	4 (1.5%)	11 (4.2%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (3.5%)	76.5	135^th of 497 public elementary schools	72.8%		82.7	98^th of 491 public elementary schools	80.0%	37	73.7		65.0	68.2			66.9	62.1		$18,597
Burr District Elementary School	Public	K-3	792 Killingworth Road	Higganum	06441	Middlesex County	Regional School District 17	No	No	No	No	(860) 345-4584	331	28	11.7	19.0%	305 (92.1%)	3 (0.9%)	14 (4.2%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.8%)								(n/a)		67.6				78.4				$20,645
Killingworth Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-3	340 Route 81	Higganum	06419	Middlesex County	Regional School District 17	No	No	No	No	(860) 663-1121	265	24	11.2	12.1%	237 (89.4%)	1 (0.4%)	15 (5.7%)	2 (0.8%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (3.4%)								(n/a)		63.3								$22,705
Lyme Consolidated School	Public	K-5	478 Hamburg Road	Lyme	06371	New London County	Regional School District 18	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 434-1233	207	18	11.4	16.4%	180 (87.0%)	1 (0.5%)	15 (7.2%)	2 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (4.3%)	81.8	98^th of 497 public elementary schools	80.3%		86.8	63^rd of 491 public elementary schools	87.2%	35		76.5	76.9	58.8		88.2		61.8		$22,678
East Haddam Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-3	45 Joe Williams Rd.	Moodus	06469	Middlesex County	East Haddam School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 873-5076	337	27	12.4	26.7%	284 (84.3%)	3 (0.9%)	31 (9.2%)	5 (1.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.9%)								(n/a)		50.0				58.3				$19,979
Lewin G. Joel Junior School	Public	PK, KG-4	137A Glenwood Rd.	Clinton	06413	Middlesex County	Clinton School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 664-6501	549	51	10.7	39.7%	384 (69.9%)	4 (0.7%)	128 (23.3%)	17 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (2.9%)	59.2	213^th of 497 public elementary schools	57.1%		51.5	236^th of 491 public elementary schools	51.9%	23		54.3	48.4			59.0	65.3			$21,768
Daisy Ingraham School	Public	PK, KG-4	105 Goodspeed Dr.	Westbrook	06498	Middlesex County	Westbrook School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 399-7925	252	29	8.6	30.2%	167 (66.3%)	1 (0.4%)	72 (28.6%)	4 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.2%)	62.7	200^th of 497 public elementary schools	59.8%					(n/a)		51.1				64.4	60.5			$26,559

Frequently Asked Questions about Chester Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Chester Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Chester Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : John Winthrop Middle School
High : Valley Regional High School

What is the racial makeup of Chester Elementary School?

Students at Chester Elementary School are 90% White, 6% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races.

Is Chester Elementary School a good school?

Yes. Chester Elementary School ranks in the top 6.8% of Connecticut elementary schools.

What district is Chester Elementary School in?

Chester School District

How many students attend Chester Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 222 students attended Chester Elementary School.

Rate Chester Elementary School!

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Connecticut Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.