Is Ruth Chaffee School a good school?

Ruth Chaffee School ranks 101 st of 497 Connecticut elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Ruth Chaffee School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 315 students attended Ruth Chaffee School.

What is the racial makeup of Ruth Chaffee School?

Students at Ruth Chaffee School are 57% White, 20% Hispanic, 11% Asian, 7% Two or more races, 5% African American.

What schools do graduates of Ruth Chaffee School attend?

Students who attend Ruth Chaffee School usually go on to attend: Middle : John Wallace Middle School High : Newington High School

Ruth Chaffee School

Summary:

Ruth Chaffee School is an elementary school in Newington, Connecticut, serving 327 students in grades PK-4. As part of the Newington School District, which is ranked 85 out of 158 districts in the state, Ruth Chaffee School stands out as a high-performing institution with consistently strong academic results.

The school consistently outperforms the Newington School District and the state of Connecticut in standardized test scores for both English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics. In the 2023-2024 school year, 79.3% of 4th-grade students at Ruth Chaffee School were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 56.5% for the Newington School District and 49.4% for the state. In Mathematics, 72.4% of 4th-grade students at Ruth Chaffee School were proficient or better, compared to 56.7% for the Newington School District and 49.7% for the state. Additionally, the school's performance with special education students is exceptional, earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger and ranking 33 out of 371 Connecticut elementary schools in this area.

While Ruth Chaffee School has a higher percentage of White students (55.66%) compared to nearby schools in the Newington School District, it still maintains a diverse student population, with significant percentages of Hispanic (22.32%) and Asian (10.7%) students. This diversity, combined with the school's efficient resource allocation, as evidenced by its relatively low student-teacher ratio of 12.1, may contribute to its strong academic performance. Overall, Ruth Chaffee School stands out as a high-quality educational institution that provides a well-rounded and supportive learning environment for its students.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-4

160 Superior Avenue
Newington, CT 06111

(860) 666-4687

District: Newington School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
101^st of 497 Connecticut Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $19,520

Students who attend Ruth Chaffee School usually attend:

Middle:	John Wallace Middle School
High:	Newington High School

Student/teacher ratio: 11.7

Number of students: 315

Racial breakdown:

White:

56.5%

Hispanic:

20.3%

Asian:

11.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 34.6%

See top rated Connecticut elementary schools

Compare Ruth Chaffee School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Ruth Chaffee School ranks better than 79.7% of elementary schools in Connecticut. It also ranks first among 4 ranked elementary schools in the Newington School District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 81.17. (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 Racial makeup is: White (56.5%), Hispanic (20.3%), Asian (11.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 34.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Newington School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Ruth Chaffee School is 11.7, which is the 2^nd best among 4 elementary schools in the Newington School District. (See more...)

Compare Ruth Chaffee School employs 26.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Ruth Chaffee School is $19,520, which is the lowest among 4 elementary schools in the Newington School District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Ruth Chaffee School:

SchoolDigger ranks Ruth Chaffee School 101^st of 497 Connecticut public elementary schools. (See Ruth Chaffee School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Newington School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Newington School District 85^th of 158 Connecticut school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Ruth Chaffee School.

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Rank History for Ruth Chaffee School

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Rank History for all students at Ruth Chaffee School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CT State Percentile
2006	71.22	211^th	570	63.0%
2007	71.59	212^th	568	62.7%
2008	75.08	161^st	565	71.5%
2009	77.76	119^th	566	79.0%
2010	79.63	97^th	579	83.2%
2011	81.75	54^th	565	90.4%
2012	76.38	135^th	564	76.1%
2013	69.94	221^st	557	60.3%
2015	71.49	191^st	551	65.3%
2016	60.08	222^nd	518	57.1%
2017	45.91	281^st	519	45.9%
2018	58.47	236^th	532	55.6%
2019	54.84	249^th	522	52.3%
2021	65.24	208^th	538	61.3%
2022	53.31	233^rd	490	52.4%
2023	69.62	169^th	491	65.6%
2024	81.17	101^st	497	79.7%

See the entire list of Connecticut Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Ruth Chaffee School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CT State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	85.51	33^rd	371	91.1%

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

Rank History for Female students at Ruth Chaffee School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CT State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	68.15	158^th	455	65.3%
2024	68.18	97^th	237	59.1%

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

Rank History for Male students at Ruth Chaffee School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CT State Percentile
2021	52.57	211^th	445	52.6%
2023	75.18	74^th	231	68.0%
2024	76.69	63^rd	233	73.0%

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

Rank History for White students at Ruth Chaffee School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CT State Percentile
2019	36.49	214^th	295	27.5%
2021	44.49	194^th	327	40.7%
2023	70.65	80^th	262	69.5%
2024	68.87	83^rd	250	66.8%

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

Data source: test scores: Connecticut State 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:

by a parent
Tuesday, October 4, 2011

I went to this school when I was in elementary and had the best learning experiences of my life! I am trying to find a home nearby so my son can go here. It's a great school! Close Quote

Enrollment information for Ruth Chaffee School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	404	20	8	10	1	n/a	n/a	443
1989	420	21	13	11	0	n/a	n/a	465
1990	430	32	22	2	n/a	n/a	n/a	486
1991	468	27	13	13	0	n/a	n/a	521
1992	436	19	7	9	0	n/a	n/a	471
1993	395	19	13	10	0	n/a	n/a	437
1994	413	8	4	13	0	n/a	n/a	438
1995	347	12	14	24	1	n/a	n/a	398
1996	347	12	14	24	1	n/a	n/a	398
1997	343	9	14	26	0	n/a	n/a	392
1998	342	19	6	16	0	n/a	n/a	383
1999	341	19	15	21	0	n/a	n/a	396
2000	343	22	13	28	0	n/a	n/a	406
2001	304	30	20	24	0	n/a	n/a	378
2002	345	21	35	28	0	n/a	n/a	429
2003	345	21	35	28	0	n/a	n/a	429
2004	324	23	30	28	1	n/a	n/a	406
2005	304	25	27	36	1	n/a	n/a	393
2006	339	29	32	50	1	n/a	n/a	451
2007	260	21	31	56	2	n/a	n/a	370
2008	263	35	29	59	2	n/a	n/a	388
2009	262	28	31	55	3	n/a	n/a	379
2010	264	41	36	51	3	n/a	n/a	395
2011	236	23	35	78	1	0	19	392
2012	246	24	41	80	0	0	17	408
2013	240	24	38	77	1	0	14	394
2014	225	27	37	60	0	0	15	364
2015	209	22	32	65	0	0	16	344
2016	204	21	29	62	0	0	15	331
2017	207	27	29	67	0	0	17	347
2018	193	24	28	62	0	0	20	327
2019	187	21	32	61	1	0	20	322
2020	179	20	35	65	1	0	24	324
2021	190	22	41	72	2	0	23	350
2022	174	18	35	74	1	0	17	319
2023	182	17	35	73	1	0	19	327
2024	178	16	36	64	0	0	21	315

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 Ruth Chaffee School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	443	28.0	15.8	n/a
1989	465	29.0	16.0	n/a
1990	486	31.0	15.6	n/a
1991	521	32.0	16.2	n/a
1992	471	27.9	16.8	4.2
1993	437	26.4	16.6	0.2
1994	438	28.3	15.5	5.7
1995	398	24.8	16.0	6.8
1996	398	24.8	16.0	6.8
1997	392	27.6	14.2	5.9
1998	383	25.6	15.0	6.5
1999	396	27.8	14.2	10.4
2000	406	29.8	13.6	12.8
2001	378	27.8	13.6	n/a
2002	429	28.4	15.1	7.9
2003	429	28.4	15.1	7.9
2004	406	29.0	14.0	9.4
2005	393	26.1	15.1	n/a
2006	451	26.8	16.8	13.3
2007	370	25.1	14.7	19.7
2008	388	26.8	14.5	17.8
2009	379	30.4	13.3	17.2
2010	395	28.3	13.9	17
2011	392	29.1	13.4	14
2012	408	27.6	14.7	13.5
2013	394	27.6	14.2	16.5
2014	364	27.6	13.1	15.7
2015	344	27.0	12.7	20.6
2016	331	24.0	13.7	21.5
2017	347	24.6	14.1	20.7
2018	327	25.6	12.7	21.4
2019	322	21.5	14.9	29.2
2020	324	24.8	13.0	28.7
2021	350	25.8	13.5	31.1
2022	319	22.5	14.1	34.5
2023	327	27.0	12.1	33
2024	315	26.7	11.7	34.6

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 Ruth Chaffee School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	443	28.0	15.8	n/a
1989	465	29.0	16.0	n/a
1990	486	31.0	15.6	n/a
1991	521	32.0	16.2	n/a
1992	471	27.9	16.8	4.2
1993	437	26.4	16.6	0.2
1994	438	28.3	15.5	5.7
1995	398	24.8	16.0	6.8
1996	398	24.8	16.0	6.8
1997	392	27.6	14.2	5.9
1998	383	25.6	15.0	6.5
1999	396	27.8	14.2	10.4
2000	406	29.8	13.6	12.8
2001	378	27.8	13.6	n/a
2002	429	28.4	15.1	7.9
2003	429	28.4	15.1	7.9
2004	406	29.0	14.0	9.4
2005	393	26.1	15.1	n/a
2006	451	26.8	16.8	13.3
2007	370	25.1	14.7	19.7
2008	388	26.8	14.5	17.8
2009	379	30.4	13.3	17.2
2010	395	28.3	13.9	17
2011	392	29.1	13.4	14
2012	408	27.6	14.7	13.5
2013	394	27.6	14.2	16.5
2014	364	27.6	13.1	15.7
2015	344	27.0	12.7	20.6
2016	331	24.0	13.7	21.5
2017	347	24.6	14.1	20.7
2018	327	25.6	12.7	21.4
2019	322	21.5	14.9	29.2
2020	324	24.8	13.0	28.7
2021	350	25.8	13.5	31.1
2022	319	22.5	14.1	34.5
2023	327	27.0	12.1	33
2024	315	26.7	11.7	34.6

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 Ruth Chaffee School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$18,192
2019	$17,305
2020	$17,505
2021	$17,822
2022	$18,567
2023	$19,520

Data source: Connecticut Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Ruth Chaffee 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 249^th of 522 Elementary schools	Ranks 169^th of 491 Elementary schools	13.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Ruth Chaffee School)	63.1	74.5	11.4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Newington School District)	56.3	53.4	2.9%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Connecticut)	54.3	45.5	8.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Ruth Chaffee School)	56.9	74.5	17.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Newington School District)	57.6	54.3	3.3%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Connecticut)	55	49.8	5.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Ruth Chaffee School)	53.5	59.1	5.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Newington School District)	60.1	53.5	6.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Connecticut)	54.6	48.8	5.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Ruth Chaffee School)	60.6	48.5	12.1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Newington School District)	64.1	48.8	15.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Connecticut)	52.5	48.3	4.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	322	327	1.6%
African American	21	17	19%
American Indian	1	1
Asian	32	35	9.4%
Hispanic	61	73	19.7%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	187	182	2.7%
Two or More Races	20	19	5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	29.2%	33%	3.8%

Schools Near Ruth Chaffee 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
Ruth Chaffee School	Public	PK, KG-4	160 Superior Avenue	Newington	06111	Hartford County	Newington School District	No	No	No	No	(860) 666-4687	315	27	11.7	34.6%	178 (56.5%)	16 (5.1%)	64 (20.3%)	36 (11.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (6.7%)	81.2	101^st of 497 public elementary schools	79.7%		69.6	169^th of 491 public elementary schools	65.6%	68			79.3			68.1	72.4			$19,520
John Paterson School	Public	PK, KG-4	120 Church Street	Newington	06111	Hartford County	Newington School District	No	No	No	No	(860) 666-4657	454	37	12.4	38.3%	248 (54.6%)	17 (3.7%)	125 (27.5%)	44 (9.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (4.2%)	46.6	262^nd of 497 public elementary schools	47.3%		49	244^th of 491 public elementary schools	50.3%	18		47.9	42.7			54.8	53.4			$19,906
CREC Preschool at Progress Drive	Public	PK	123 Progress Drive	Wethersfield	06109	Hartford County	Capitol Region Education Council	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(860) 240-6615	118	7	16.8	50.0%	23 (19.5%)	27 (22.9%)	50 (42.4%)	11 (9.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (5.9%)								(n/a)
Samuel B. Webb Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	51 Willow St.	Wethersfield	06109	Hartford County	Wethersfield School District	No	No	No	No	(860) 571-8340	333	28	11.8	28.5%	202 (60.7%)	15 (4.5%)	83 (24.9%)	23 (6.9%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.6%)	7 (2.1%)	45.1	267^th of 497 public elementary schools	46.3%		44.3	264^th of 491 public elementary schools	46.2%	3		56.3	47.6	52.6	39.5	53.1	42.9			$19,649
Highcrest School	Public	K-6	95 Highcrest Rd.	Wethersfield	06109	Hartford County	Wethersfield School District	No	No	No	No	(860) 571-8380	462	30	15.4	19.9%	324 (70.1%)	13 (2.8%)	65 (14.1%)	30 (6.5%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	28 (6.1%)	71	165^th of 497 public elementary schools	66.8%		63.5	193^rd of 491 public elementary schools	60.7%	28	65.2	54.1	68.8	68.2	63.2	57.4	76.6	51.5	53.9	$17,101
Elizabeth Green School	Public	PK, KG-4	30 Thomas Street	Newington	06111	Hartford County	Newington School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 666-3394	269	27	9.9	45.0%	117 (43.5%)	14 (5.2%)	86 (32.0%)	33 (12.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (7.1%)	48.3	257^th of 497 public elementary schools	48.3%		48.7	246^th of 491 public elementary schools	49.9%	11		44.9	53.6			55.1	48.2			$23,409
West Hill School	Public	PK, KG-3	95 Cronin Dr.	Rocky Hill	06067	Hartford County	Rocky Hill School District	No	No	No	No	(860) 258-7761	400	33	12.0	13.0%	141 (35.3%)	22 (5.5%)	32 (8.0%)	189 (47.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (4.0%)								(n/a)		75.3				83.9				$20,833
Emerson-Williams School	Public	PK, KG-6	461 Wells Rd.	Wethersfield	06109	Hartford County	Wethersfield School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 571-8360	432	27	16.0	25.5%	270 (62.5%)	16 (3.7%)	104 (24.1%)	18 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	23 (5.3%)	50.3	247^th of 497 public elementary schools	50.3%		56.3	223^rd of 491 public elementary schools	54.6%	24		59.6	38.9	48.6	60.3	61.5	35.2	48.6	42.9	$18,071
Chamberlain Elementary School	Public	K-5	221 Farmington Ave.	New Britain	06053	Hartford County	New Britain School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 832-5691	396	34	11.6	85.6%	31 (7.8%)	44 (11.1%)	297 (75.0%)	6 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (4.5%)	3.6	493^rd of 497 public elementary schools	0.8%		4.7	482^nd of 491 public elementary schools	1.8%	11		13.8	16.7	10.6		13.3		0.0		$24,257
Smith Elementary School	Public	K-5	142 Rutherford St.	New Britain	06051	Hartford County	New Britain School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 223-1574	469	33	14.1	79.1%	50 (10.7%)	47 (10.0%)	324 (69.1%)	14 (3.0%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (6.8%)	9	445^th of 497 public elementary schools	10.5%		17.6	377^th of 491 public elementary schools	23.2%	68	28.9	12.8	17.4	23.7		26.9	15.9	15.8		$21,243

Ruth Chaffee School

Ruth Chaffee School:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Newington School District:

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Ruth Chaffee School

Rank History for all students at Ruth Chaffee School

Rank History for Special Education students at Ruth Chaffee School

Rank History for Female students at Ruth Chaffee School

Rank History for Male students at Ruth Chaffee School

Rank History for White students at Ruth Chaffee School

Review counts

Enrollment information for Ruth Chaffee School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Ruth Chaffee School

Student/Teacher Ratio Ruth Chaffee School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Ruth Chaffee School

Impact of COVID-19 on Ruth Chaffee School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Ruth Chaffee School

Frequently Asked Questions about Ruth Chaffee School

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