SOUTH WINDSOR, CT — South Windsor students outperformed statewide averages in English, math, science and the SAT last spring, though district officials identified several grades and student groups where results slipped or remained stubbornly low.
The results were included in a report presented to the Board of Education on Sept. 22. Students took the Smarter Balanced assessments in English and math, the Next Generation Science Standards assessment and, for 11th-graders, the SAT.
In English language arts, 70 percent of South Windsor students met or exceeded the standard, compared with 51 percent statewide. The district's result was nearly unchanged from the previous two years, when 71 percent of students met the standard.
Math results followed a similar pattern. Sixty-eight percent of students met or exceeded the standard, compared with 47 percent across Connecticut. Fourth-graders posted a five-point gain, reaching 79 percent, while seventh-graders improved six points to 68 percent. Scores declined in grades three and six.
Science was the district's strongest area of growth. Seventy-four percent of students met or exceeded the standard, up four points from 2025 and well above the statewide rate of 51 percent. Among 11th-graders, the rate jumped from 72 percent to 81 percent.
South Windsor juniors also outpaced the state on the SAT. The district's average combined score was 1,099, compared with 966 statewide. About 57 percent of students met the math benchmark and nearly 76 percent met the English benchmark. The district reported a 98.4 percent participation rate.
The overall numbers, however, were not uniform. English scores for Black students fell from 50 percent meeting the standard in 2025 to 43 percent in 2026. Students with disabilities remained at 21 percent in English and declined to 17 percent in math.
English learners showed gains in both subjects. Forty-five percent met the English standard, up from 36 percent in 2024, while 55 percent met the math standard, up from 44 percent two years earlier. The latter figure was 39 points above the statewide rate for English learners.
District officials said they will continue using student data to guide small-group and individualized instruction. Other planned steps include expanded Science of Reading materials and training in kindergarten through fifth grade, common assessments at Timothy Edwards Middle School and more consistent teacher collaboration at the middle and high schools.
The district also plans to focus on differentiated instruction for students with disabilities and English learners, while continuing its K-12 system for identifying and supporting students who need additional help.
For more Northern Connecticut news, follow Patch editor Jay Kenney.
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