Spencer School

Q: Is Spencer School a good school?

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

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:
326^th of 497 Connecticut Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $24,625

Students who attend Spencer School usually attend:

Middle:	Beman Middle School
High:	Middletown High School

Student/teacher ratio: 10.9

Number of students: 265

Racial breakdown:

White:

44.9%

African American:

20.4%

Hispanic:

17.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 63.8%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Spencer School ranks worse than 65.6% of elementary schools in Connecticut. It also ranks 4^th among 6 ranked elementary schools in the Middletown School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 30.14. (See more...)

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

Compare Details Spencer School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Middletown School District. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Spencer School is $24,625, which is the 4^th 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 125^th of 158 Connecticut school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Spencer School

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Rank History for all students at Spencer School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CT State Percentile
2006	56.97	320^th	570	43.9%
2007	56.38	332^nd	568	41.5%
2008	51.79	352^nd	565	37.7%
2009	47.11	393^rd	566	30.6%
2010	48.78	379^th	579	34.5%
2011	51.91	358^th	565	36.6%
2012	64.38	275^th	564	51.2%
2013	52.74	333^rd	557	40.2%
2015	52.99	280^th	551	49.2%
2016	32.17	344^th	518	33.6%
2017	38.21	324^th	519	37.6%
2018	23.71	399^th	532	25.0%
2019	19.96	411^th	522	21.3%
2021	31.02	357^th	538	33.6%
2022	30.04	327^th	490	33.3%
2023	39.01	284^th	491	42.2%
2024	30.14	326^th	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	223^rd	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	150^th	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	288^th	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	304^th	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.

Data source: Connecticut State Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Spencer School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1991	216	50	6	12	0	n/a	n/a	284
1992	252	42	12	24	0	n/a	n/a	330
1993	285	45	10	27	0	n/a	n/a	367
1994	305	49	13	22	0	n/a	n/a	389
1995	230	57	14	24	0	n/a	n/a	325
1996	230	57	14	24	0	n/a	n/a	325
1997	233	82	10	29	1	n/a	n/a	355
1998	257	72	17	24	1	n/a	n/a	371
1999	250	60	15	19	0	n/a	n/a	344
2000	249	54	14	19	2	n/a	n/a	338
2001	241	61	23	25	1	n/a	n/a	351
2002	238	70	20	45	2	n/a	n/a	375
2003	238	70	20	45	2	n/a	n/a	375
2004	238	78	20	48	1	n/a	n/a	385
2005	215	80	21	50	3	n/a	n/a	369
2006	240	92	25	51	3	n/a	n/a	411
2007	213	75	23	38	2	n/a	n/a	351
2008	233	71	26	53	1	n/a	n/a	384
2009	220	76	25	45	2	n/a	n/a	368
2010	229	83	21	46	0	n/a	n/a	379
2011	211	65	15	38	0	0	12	341
2012	208	54	15	48	0	0	10	335
2013	220	54	17	43	0	0	12	346
2014	191	56	16	54	0	0	13	330
2015	157	46	14	64	1	1	16	299
2016	147	50	14	63	1	1	17	293
2017	131	43	13	57	2	1	15	262
2018	135	41	13	73	2	1	20	285
2019	127	39	12	78	2	2	23	283
2020	133	39	7	73	1	2	28	283
2021	129	38	6	51	1	0	27	252
2022	125	42	7	40	3	0	32	249
2023	119	54	11	45	3	1	32	265

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

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

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

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

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

Year	Total 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 411^th of 522 Elementary schools	Ranks 284^th 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)	43.2	51.4	8.2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Middletown School District)	51.1	45.3	5.8%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Connecticut)	54.3	45.5	8.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Spencer School)	29.2	51.1	21.9%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Middletown School District)	49.7	50.9	1.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Connecticut)	54.6	48.8	5.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Spencer School)	21.3	44.4	23.1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Middletown School District)	47.6	43.9	3.7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Connecticut)	52.5	48.3	4.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Spencer School)	48.8	43.5	5.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Middletown School District)	56.7	43.4	13.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Connecticut)	58.1	51.3	6.8%
5th Grade Mathematics (Spencer School)	35	31.1	3.9%
5th Grade Mathematics (Middletown School District)	41.4	30.9	10.5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Connecticut)	46.5	41.8	4.7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	283	265	6.4%
African American	39	54	38.5%
American Indian	2	3	50%
Asian	12	11	8.3%
Hispanic	78	45	42.3%
Pacific Islander	2	1	50%
White	127	119	6.3%
Two or More Races	23	32	39.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	56.9%	63.8%	6.9%

Schools Near Spencer 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 Mathematics 3rd Grade	SBAC Mathematics 4th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 5th Grade	Total
Spencer School	Public	PK, KG-5	207 Westfield St.	Middletown	06457	Middlesex County	Middletown School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 344-0711	265	24	10.9	63.8%	119 (44.9%)	54 (20.4%)	45 (17.0%)	11 (4.2%)	3 (1.1%)	1 (0.4%)	32 (12.1%)	30.1	326^th of 497 public elementary schools	34.4%		39	284^th of 491 public elementary schools	42.2%	42		36.6	44.7		36.6	44.7	32.6	$24,625
MacDonough School	Public	K-5	66 Spring St.	Middletown	06457	Middlesex County	Middletown School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 347-8553	227	19	11.9	66.5%	77 (33.9%)	57 (25.1%)	53 (23.3%)	14 (6.2%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (10.6%)	36.6	299^th of 497 public elementary schools	39.8%		38.7	285^th of 491 public elementary schools	42.0%	14	64.1	25.0	36.2	62.5		21.7		$23,834
Snow School	Public	PK, KG-5	299 Wadsworth St.	Middletown	06457	Middlesex County	Middletown School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 347-2579	332	23	14.6	53.6%	143 (43.1%)	66 (19.9%)	64 (19.3%)	24 (7.2%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	32 (9.6%)	59.6	211^th of 497 public elementary schools	57.5%		45.5	260^th of 491 public elementary schools	47.0%	49		59.5	47.4	61.5				$22,120
Lawrence School	Public	K-5	Kaplan Dr.	Middletown	06457	Middlesex County	Middletown School District	No	No	No	No	(860) 632-2158	329	23	14.0	36.5%	158 (48.0%)	65 (19.8%)	42 (12.8%)	26 (7.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (11.6%)	19.1	370^th of 497 public elementary schools	25.6%		25.2	343^rd of 491 public elementary schools	30.1%	27	32.7	29.4	34.0	38.2	33.3	32.0	18.2	$20,445
Moody School	Public	K-5	300 Country Club Rd.	Middletown	06457	Middlesex County	Middletown School District	No	No	No	No	(860) 347-2561	214	18	11.6	29.9%	103 (48.1%)	33 (15.4%)	27 (12.6%)	20 (9.3%)	1 (0.5%)	1 (0.5%)	29 (13.6%)	76.8	131^st of 497 public elementary schools	73.6%		79.8	114^th of 491 public elementary schools	76.8%	17		67.6	66.7	77.8	67.6	69.7	55.6	$26,026
Farm Hill School	Public	K-5	390 Ridge Rd.	Middletown	06457	Middlesex County	Middletown School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 346-1225	277	26	10.5	55.6%	130 (46.9%)	64 (23.1%)	42 (15.2%)	6 (2.2%)	3 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (11.6%)	16	388^th of 497 public elementary schools	21.9%		30.3	324^th of 491 public elementary schools	34.0%	64		23.5			19.6	40.0	24.3	$25,202
Wesley School	Public	K-5	10 Wesleyan Hills Rd.	Middletown	06457	Middlesex County	Middletown School District	No	No	No	No	(860) 344-0381	213	17	12.3	35.7%	114 (53.5%)	41 (19.2%)	29 (13.6%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (12.7%)								(n/a)			50.0			47.6		$24,872
Bielefield School	Public	PK, KG-5	70 Maynard St.	Middletown	06457	Middlesex County	Middletown School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 347-4124	271	21	12.9	60.9%	80 (29.5%)	77 (28.4%)	63 (23.2%)	11 (4.1%)	1 (0.4%)	3 (1.1%)	36 (13.3%)								(n/a)		37.0			33.3			$23,908
Valley View School	Public	PK, KG-1	81 High St.	Portland	06480	Middlesex County	Portland School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 342-3131	215	18	11.8	25.1%	160 (74.4%)	8 (3.7%)	33 (15.3%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (5.6%)								(n/a)								$19,163
Middlefield Memorial School	Public	3-5	124 Hubbard St.	Middlefield	06455	Middlesex County	Regional School District 13	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 349-7235	231	22	10.2	16.9%	204 (88.3%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (8.7%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.6%)	54.9	227^th of 497 public elementary schools	54.3%		55.9	227^th of 491 public elementary schools	53.8%		60.2	53.7	58.1	61.9	44.8	53.2	41.2	$25,971

Frequently Asked Questions about Spencer School

How many students attend Spencer School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 265 students attended Spencer School.

What schools do graduates of Spencer School attend?

Students who attend Spencer School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Beman Middle School
High : Middletown High School

What district is Spencer School in?

Middletown School District

What is the racial makeup of Spencer School?

Students at Spencer School are 45% White, 20% African American, 17% Hispanic, 12% Two or more races, 4% Asian, 1% American Indian.

Is Spencer School a good school?

Spencer School ranks 326^th 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.