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Spencer School

Summary:

Spencer School is an elementary school in Middletown, CT, serving 265 students in grades PK-5. It is part of the Middletown School District, which is ranked 125 out of 158 districts in Connecticut and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. Over the past few years, Spencer School's student population has become more diverse, with a decrease in White students and an increase in African American and Hispanic students.

Academically, Spencer School's performance on SBAC tests is generally lower than the Middletown School District and Connecticut state averages across all grade levels and subjects. For example, in 2023-2024, only 36.6% of 3rd graders at Spencer School were proficient or better in ELA and Math, compared to 40.2% and 39% for the district, and 45.9% and 51.3% for the state, respectively. Spencer School's statewide ranking has fluctuated over the years, but it has consistently been in the bottom half of Connecticut elementary schools, ranking between 284 and 411 out of 491-557 schools. The school's performance also varies significantly across different student subgroups, with White students ranking in the bottom 7% of Connecticut elementary schools and low-socioeconomic status students ranking in the top 50%.

When compared to other nearby elementary schools in the Middletown district, such as Snow School and Bielefield School, Spencer School generally performs worse academically. Additionally, the school has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 51% to 63.77% over the past three years, which is significantly higher than the state average and indicates a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population. These findings suggest the need for targeted interventions and support to address the unique challenges faced by Spencer School and its student population.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 207 Westfield St.
       Middletown, CT  06457

(860) 344-0711

District: Middletown School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
326th of 497 Connecticut Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $24,625 Help


Students who attend Spencer School usually attend:

Middle:    Beman Middle School
High:    Middletown High School

Student/teacher ratio:  12.6 Help
Number of students:  254

Racial breakdown:

White:
39.4%
African American:
22.0%
Hispanic:
18.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  59.1% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Spencer School ranks worse than 65.6% of elementary schools in Connecticut. It also ranks 4th among 6 ranked elementary schools in the Middletown School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 30.14. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
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Compare Details Student population at Spencer School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (39.4%), African American (22%), Hispanic (18.9%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 59.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Spencer School is 12.6, which is the 4th best among 6 elementary schools in the Middletown School District. (See more...)
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Compare Spencer School employs 20.1 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Spencer School is $24,625, which is the 4th highest among 6 elementary schools in the Middletown School District.
Schooldigger Rankings:

Spencer School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Middletown School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Middletown School District 125th of 158 Connecticut school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Spencer School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Spencer School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CT State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 56.97 320th 570 43.9%
2007 56.38 332nd 568 41.5%
2008 51.79 352nd 565 37.7%
2009 47.11 393rd 566 30.6%
2010 48.78 379th 579 34.5%
2011 51.91 358th 565 36.6%
2012 64.38 275th 564 51.2%
2013 52.74 333rd 557 40.2%
2015 52.99 280th 551 49.2%
2016 32.17 344th 518 33.6%
2017 38.21 324th 519 37.6%
2018 23.71 399th 532 25.0%
2019 19.96 411th 522 21.3%
2021 31.02 357th 538 33.6%
2022 30.04 327th 490 33.3%
2023 39.01 284th 491 42.2%
2024 30.14 326th 497 34.4%
See the entire list of Connecticut Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Spencer School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CT State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 39.61 223rd 371 39.9%
See the entire list of Best Connecticut Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Spencer School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CT State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 47.83 150th 302 50.3%
See the entire list of Best Connecticut Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Male students at Spencer School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CT State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 31.59 288th 445 35.3%
See the entire list of Best Connecticut Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Spencer School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CT State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 12.07 304th 327 7.0%
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.

Spencer School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: Connecticut State Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Spencer School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1991 216 50 6 12 0 n/a n/a 0 284
1992 252 42 12 24 0 n/a n/a 0 330
1993 285 45 10 27 0 n/a n/a 0 367
1994 305 49 13 22 0 n/a n/a 0 389
1995 230 57 14 24 0 n/a n/a 0 325
1996 230 57 14 24 0 n/a n/a 0 325
1997 233 82 10 29 1 n/a n/a 0 355
1998 257 72 17 24 1 n/a n/a 0 371
1999 250 60 15 19 0 n/a n/a 0 344
2000 249 54 14 19 2 n/a n/a 0 338
2001 241 61 23 25 1 n/a n/a 0 351
2002 238 70 20 45 2 n/a n/a 0 375
2003 238 70 20 45 2 n/a n/a 0 375
2004 238 78 20 48 1 n/a n/a 0 385
2005 215 80 21 50 3 n/a n/a 0 369
2006 240 92 25 51 3 n/a n/a 0 411
2007 213 75 23 38 2 n/a n/a 0 351
2008 233 71 26 53 1 n/a n/a 0 384
2009 220 76 25 45 2 n/a n/a 0 368
2010 229 83 21 46 0 n/a n/a 0 379
2011 211 65 15 38 0 0 12 0 341
2012 208 54 15 48 0 0 10 0 335
2013 220 54 17 43 0 0 12 0 346
2014 191 56 16 54 0 0 13 0 330
2015 157 46 14 64 1 1 16 0 299
2016 147 50 14 63 1 1 17 0 293
2017 131 43 13 57 2 1 15 0 262
2018 135 41 13 73 2 1 20 0 285
2019 127 39 12 78 2 2 23 0 283
2020 133 39 7 73 1 2 28 0 283
2021 129 38 6 51 1 0 27 0 252
2022 125 42 7 40 3 0 32 0 249
2023 119 54 11 45 3 1 32 0 265
2024 100 56 10 48 2 1 37 0 254

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 Spencer School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1991 284 15.0 18.9 n/a
1992 330 20.1 16.4 17.6
1993 367 21.3 17.2 1.6
1994 389 24.2 16.1 28.5
1995 325 22.3 14.6 43.4
1996 325 22.3 14.6 43.4
1997 355 21.9 16.2 33.2
1998 371 22.5 16.5 28
1999 344 25.6 13.4 30.2
2000 338 25.1 13.5 25.4
2001 351 26.3 13.3 n/a
2002 375 26.2 14.3 29.6
2003 375 26.2 14.3 29.6
2004 385 25.8 14.9 30.1
2005 369 20.9 17.7 n/a
2006 411 21.9 18.8 23.4
2007 351 23.1 15.2 32.2
2008 384 25.6 15.0 34.1
2009 368 28.4 14.3 36.1
2010 379 26.1 14.4 39.8
2011 341 26.1 13.0 47.8
2012 335 23.7 14.0 50.1
2013 346 22.7 15.2 49.4
2014 330 22.5 14.6 53.6
2015 299 22.0 13.5 55.5
2016 293 31.0 9.4 56.7
2017 262 20.0 13.1 58
2018 285 21.0 13.5 57.5
2019 283 17.7 15.9 56.9
2020 283 21.1 13.4 62.5
2021 252 20.9 12.0 56.3
2022 249 17.4 14.2 51
2023 265 24.1 10.9 63.8
2024 254 20.1 12.6 59.1

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 Spencer School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1991 284 15.0 18.9 n/a
1992 330 20.1 16.4 17.6
1993 367 21.3 17.2 1.6
1994 389 24.2 16.1 28.5
1995 325 22.3 14.6 43.4
1996 325 22.3 14.6 43.4
1997 355 21.9 16.2 33.2
1998 371 22.5 16.5 28
1999 344 25.6 13.4 30.2
2000 338 25.1 13.5 25.4
2001 351 26.3 13.3 n/a
2002 375 26.2 14.3 29.6
2003 375 26.2 14.3 29.6
2004 385 25.8 14.9 30.1
2005 369 20.9 17.7 n/a
2006 411 21.9 18.8 23.4
2007 351 23.1 15.2 32.2
2008 384 25.6 15.0 34.1
2009 368 28.4 14.3 36.1
2010 379 26.1 14.4 39.8
2011 341 26.1 13.0 47.8
2012 335 23.7 14.0 50.1
2013 346 22.7 15.2 49.4
2014 330 22.5 14.6 53.6
2015 299 22.0 13.5 55.5
2016 293 31.0 9.4 56.7
2017 262 20.0 13.1 58
2018 285 21.0 13.5 57.5
2019 283 17.7 15.9 56.9
2020 283 21.1 13.4 62.5
2021 252 20.9 12.0 56.3
2022 249 17.4 14.2 51
2023 265 24.1 10.9 63.8
2024 254 20.1 12.6 59.1

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 Spencer School

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $18,615
2019 $19,314
2020 $20,670
2021 $23,300
2022 $24,955
2023 $24,625

Data source: Connecticut Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Spencer 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 411th of 522 Elementary schoolsRanks 284th of 491 Elementary schools
 20.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Spencer School)43.251.4
 8.2%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Middletown School District)51.145.3
 5.8%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Connecticut)54.345.5
 8.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Spencer School)29.251.1
 21.9%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Middletown School District)49.750.9
 1.2%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Connecticut)54.648.8
 5.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Spencer School)21.344.4
 23.1%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Middletown School District)47.643.9
 3.7%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Connecticut)52.548.3
 4.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Spencer School)48.843.5
 5.3%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Middletown School District)56.743.4
 13.3%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Connecticut)58.151.3
 6.8%
5th Grade Mathematics (Spencer School)3531.1
 3.9%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Middletown School District)41.430.9
 10.5%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Connecticut)46.541.8
 4.7%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students283265
 6.4%
African American3954
 38.5%
American Indian23
 50%
Asian1211
 8.3%
Hispanic7845
 42.3%
Pacific Islander21
 50%
White127119
 6.3%
Two or More Races2332
 39.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients56.9%63.8%
 6.9%

Schools Near Spencer School








Frequently Asked Questions about Spencer School

Students at Spencer School are 39% White, 22% African American, 19% Hispanic, 15% Two or more races, 4% Asian.

In the 2023-24 school year, 254 students attended Spencer School.

Students who attend Spencer School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Beman Middle School
High : Middletown High School

Spencer School ranks 326th of 497 Connecticut elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.


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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.




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