Sterling Community School

Q: Is Sterling Community School a good school?

Sterling Community School ranks 288 th of 497 Connecticut elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Sterling Community School is an elementary school serving grades PK-8 in Sterling, CT, with a student population of 315. The school is part of the Sterling School District, which is ranked 115 out of 158 districts in Connecticut and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Despite having a relatively high per-student spending of $16,555 in 2018-2019, Sterling Community School has consistently underperformed compared to the state average on standardized tests across grades and subjects. For example, in 2023-2024, only 31% of 3rd graders were proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state average of 45.9%. The school's performance is also below the district average, indicating that it is a lower-performing school within the Sterling School District. Certain student subgroups, such as female students and White students, have particularly low rankings compared to their peers statewide.

Interestingly, nearby schools, such as Lisbon Central School, Griswold Elementary School, and Voluntown Elementary School, generally outperform Sterling Community School on academic measures, despite serving similar student populations. For example, Voluntown Elementary School, which is about 9 miles away, ranked 188 out of 538 Connecticut elementary schools in 2020-2021, compared to Sterling Community School's rank of 288 out of 538. This suggests that simply increasing funding may not be the sole solution to improving student outcomes at Sterling Community School.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-8

251 Sterling Rd.
Sterling, CT 06377

(860) 564-2728

District: Sterling School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
288^th of 497 Connecticut Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $21,079

Student/teacher ratio: 10.3

Number of students: 319

Racial breakdown:

White:

78.7%

Hispanic:

9.7%

Two or more races:

8.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 36.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Sterling Community School ranks worse than 57.9% of elementary schools in Connecticut. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 39.2. (See more...)

Compare Details Sterling Community School ranks worse than 54% of middle schools in Connecticut. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 42.53. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (78.7%), Hispanic (9.7%), two or more races (8.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 36.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Sterling Community School is 10.3. (See more...)

Compare Sterling Community School employs 30.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Sterling Community School is $21,079.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Sterling Community School 135^th of 250 Connecticut public middle schools. (See Sterling Community School in the ranking list.)

Sterling School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Sterling School District 115^th of 158 Connecticut school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Sterling Community School

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Sterling Community School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CT State Percentile
2010	52.11	359^th	579	38.0%
2011	53.38	346^th	565	38.8%
2012	50.72	366^th	564	35.1%
2013	50.35	348^th	557	37.5%
2015	36.23	376^th	551	31.8%
2016	40.64	312^th	518	39.8%
2017	30.79	362^nd	519	30.3%
2018	20.40	422^nd	532	20.7%
2019	20.47	407^th	522	22.0%
2021	43.00	288^th	538	46.5%
2023	23.09	353^rd	491	28.1%
2024	39.20	288^th	497	42.1%

See the entire list of Connecticut Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Sterling Community School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CT State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	5.64	434^th	455	4.6%

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

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Sterling Community School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CT State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	53.85	204^th	445	54.2%

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

Rank History for elementary school White students at Sterling Community School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CT State Percentile
2018	2.99	295^th	296	0.3%
2019	2.76	294^th	295	0.3%
2021	11.27	309^th	327	5.5%

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

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

Rank History for Sterling Community School

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Rank History for all middle school students at Sterling Community School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CT State Percentile
2010	43.89	182^nd	268	32.1%
2011	62.36	139^th	269	48.3%
2012	55.89	157^th	272	42.3%
2013	62.81	138^th	278	50.4%
2015	32.91	188^th	280	32.9%
2016	33.64	151^st	246	38.6%
2017	39.63	142^nd	250	43.2%
2018	33.28	164^th	249	34.1%
2019	27.43	173^rd	259	33.2%
2021	41.14	147^th	275	46.5%
2024	42.53	135^th	250	46.0%

See the entire list of Connecticut Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Sterling Community School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CT State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	48.23	111^th	224	50.4%

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

Rank History for middle school White students at Sterling Community School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CT State Percentile
2018	10.18	151^st	168	10.1%
2019	5.15	159^th	166	4.2%
2021	16.92	152^nd	175	13.1%

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: 3)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Good school overall- very caring staff. Not happy with new grading system of 1-4 rather than A-F, but wonderful teachers and beautiful building. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Sterling Community School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2008	485	3	6	5	4	n/a	n/a	503
2010	484	1	8	8	6	n/a	n/a	507
2011	459	1	0	10	1	0	11	482
2012	449	2	2	16	2	0	18	489
2013	456	3	2	20	4	0	13	498
2014	435	3	4	16	4	0	17	479
2015	420	4	4	14	3	0	16	461
2016	398	3	4	20	5	0	17	447
2017	374	4	2	18	5	0	21	424
2018	328	3	3	21	5	0	20	380
2019	304	8	3	20	5	0	21	361
2020	296	7	2	28	5	0	22	360
2021	251	5	2	27	3	0	19	307
2022	260	6	1	34	2	0	26	329
2023	250	7	1	30	1	0	26	315
2024	251	6	1	31	2	0	28	319

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 Sterling Community School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	503	35.0	14.4	26.4
2010	507	36.0	14.0	31.6
2011	482	38.0	12.6	32
2012	489	39.5	12.3	32.1
2013	498	38.1	13.0	35.3
2014	479	37.6	12.7	35.5
2015	461	33.0	13.9	33
2016	447	36.0	12.4	34
2017	424	31.2	13.5	35.8
2018	380	28.7	13.2	31.8
2019	361	28.0	12.8	41.6
2020	360	32.0	11.2	42.5
2021	307	28.0	10.9	35.5
2022	329	22.7	14.4	35.9
2023	315	n/a	n/a	41
2024	319	30.7	10.3	36.4

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 Sterling Community School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	503	35.0	14.4	26.4
2010	507	36.0	14.0	31.6
2011	482	38.0	12.6	32
2012	489	39.5	12.3	32.1
2013	498	38.1	13.0	35.3
2014	479	37.6	12.7	35.5
2015	461	33.0	13.9	33
2016	447	36.0	12.4	34
2017	424	31.2	13.5	35.8
2018	380	28.7	13.2	31.8
2019	361	28.0	12.8	41.6
2020	360	32.0	11.2	42.5
2021	307	28.0	10.9	35.5
2022	329	22.7	14.4	35.9
2023	315	n/a	n/a	41
2024	319	30.7	10.3	36.4

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 Sterling Community School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$15,497
2019	$16,555
2020	$15,971
2021	$18,946
2022	$18,970
2023	$21,079

Data source: Connecticut Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Sterling Community 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 407^th of 522 Elementary schools	Ranks 353^rd of 491 Elementary schools	6.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Sterling Community School)	48.8	29.7	19.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Sterling School District)	48.8	29.7	19.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Connecticut)	55	49.8	5.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Sterling Community School)	30.8	60	29.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Sterling School District)	30.8	60	29.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Connecticut)	58.1	51.3	6.8%
5th Grade Mathematics (Sterling Community School)	15.4	19.4	4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Sterling School District)	15.4	19.4	4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Connecticut)	46.5	38.8	7.7%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Sterling Community School)	43.9	24.2	19.7%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Sterling School District)	43.9	23.5	20.4%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Connecticut)	55.3	48	7.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Sterling Community School)	44.7	35	9.7%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Sterling School District)	44.7	34.1	10.6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Connecticut)	56.1	48.8	7.3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Sterling Community School)	54.2	28.3	25.9%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Sterling School District)	54.2	28.3	25.9%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Connecticut)	55.8	49.2	6.6%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	361	315	12.7%
African American	8	7	12.5%
American Indian	5	1	80%
Asian	3	1	66.7%
Hispanic	20	30	50%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	304	250	17.8%
Two or More Races	21	26	23.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	41.6%	41%	0.6%

Schools Near Sterling Community 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	SBAC Mathematics 8th Grade	Total
Sterling Community School	Public	PK, KG-8	251 Sterling Rd.	Sterling	06377	Windham County	Sterling School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 564-2728	319	31	10.3	36.4%	251 (78.7%)	6 (1.9%)	31 (9.7%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (8.8%)	39.2	288^th of 497 public elementary schools	42.1%		23.1	353^rd of 491 public elementary schools	28.1%	65	28.0	31.0			73.1		30.6		50.0	0.0	$21,079
Moosup Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-3	35 Church St.	Moosup	06354	Windham County	Plainfield School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 564-6430	293	22	13.2	62.8%	240 (81.9%)	7 (2.4%)	27 (9.2%)	4 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (5.1%)								(n/a)		36.2				40.6					$16,780
Shepard Hill Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-3	234 Shepard Hill Rd.	Plainfield	06374	Windham County	Plainfield School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 564-6432	284	25	11.3	65.5%	240 (84.5%)	9 (3.2%)	24 (8.5%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.7%)	7 (2.5%)								(n/a)		39.5				36.0					$17,595
Plainfield Memorial School	Public	4-5	95 Canterbury Rd.	Plainfield	06374	Windham County	Plainfield School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 564-6440	268	22	12.1	62.7%	211 (78.7%)	6 (2.2%)	36 (13.4%)	4 (1.5%)	2 (0.7%)	1 (0.4%)	8 (3.0%)	54.4	231^st of 497 public elementary schools	53.5%		46.4	254^th of 491 public elementary schools	48.3%	23	64.7		45.0	52.2			48.9	55.9			$17,990
Brooklyn Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	119 Gorman Rd.	Brooklyn	06234	Windham County	Brooklyn School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 774-7577	502	40	12.5	38.4%	398 (79.3%)	9 (1.8%)	60 (12.0%)	10 (2.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (4.8%)	54.7	228^th of 497 public elementary schools	54.1%		45.7	258^th of 491 public elementary schools	47.5%	30		54.0	48.5			59.8	54.5				$16,368
Canterbury Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	67 Kitt Rd.	Canterbury	06331	Windham County	Canterbury School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 546-6744	279	24	11.6	30.5%	239 (85.7%)	1 (0.4%)	35 (12.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.4%)	40.7	284^th of 497 public elementary schools	42.9%					(n/a)		52.2	37.5			47.8	45.0				$19,399
Killingly Memorial School	Public	2-4	339 Main St.	Danielson	06239	Windham County	Killingly School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 779-6680	485	42	11.6	49.9%	353 (72.8%)	8 (1.6%)	65 (13.4%)	12 (2.5%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (9.3%)	35.3	305^th of 497 public elementary schools	38.6%		16.2	383^rd of 491 public elementary schools	22.0%	78		39.2	43.9			48.0	41.3				$16,461
Voluntown Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	195 Main Street	Voluntown	06384	New London County	Voluntown School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 376-2325	235	26	8.9	35.3%	202 (86.0%)	2 (0.9%)	13 (5.5%)	3 (1.3%)	1 (0.4%)	3 (1.3%)	11 (4.7%)								(n/a)			68.2				77.3			46.7	$22,904
Killingly Central School	Public	PK, KG-1	60 Soap St.	Dayville	06241	Windham County	Killingly School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 779-6750	326	28	11.6	57.4%	239 (73.3%)	11 (3.4%)	53 (16.3%)	9 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (4.3%)								(n/a)											$20,448
Griswold Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	303 Slater Ave.	Griswold	06351	New London County	Griswold School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 376-7610	665	48	13.8	55.2%	500 (75.2%)	17 (2.6%)	93 (14.0%)	13 (2.0%)	4 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	37 (5.6%)	19.2	369^th of 497 public elementary schools	25.8%		30.1	325^th of 491 public elementary schools	33.8%	44		35.3	29.5			39.5	22.1				$16,671

Frequently Asked Questions about Sterling Community School

How many students attend Sterling Community School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 319 students attended Sterling Community School.

What district is Sterling Community School in?

Sterling School District

Is Sterling Community School a good school?

Sterling Community School ranks 288^th of 497 Connecticut elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Sterling Community School?

Students at Sterling Community School are 79% White, 10% Hispanic, 9% Two or more races, 2% African American.

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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.