Summary:
The East Hartford School District in Connecticut is home to two middle schools: East Hartford Middle School and Sunset Ridge Middle School. While both schools serve students in grades 6-8, the data analysis reveals significant differences in their academic performance and student demographics.
Sunset Ridge Middle School emerges as the standout school in the district, consistently outperforming East Hartford Middle School and the state averages on standardized tests. In the 2023-2024 school year, 57% of 6th graders at Sunset Ridge were proficient or better in ELA, compared to just 38% for the East Hartford School District and 48.1% statewide. Sunset Ridge also has a higher statewide ranking, placing 76th out of 250 Connecticut middle schools, while East Hartford Middle School ranks 186th.
The differences in student demographics may contribute to the performance gap between the two schools. Sunset Ridge Middle School has a lower percentage of students from disadvantaged backgrounds, with only 51.48% qualifying for free/reduced lunch, compared to 69.89% at East Hartford Middle School. This suggests that factors beyond just funding and resources may be driving the disparities in academic outcomes, highlighting the persistent challenge of addressing educational inequities within the district.
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