The top reported proficiency rate is 51% in English language arts. The lowest is 31% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Interdistrict School for Arts and Communication
The Interdistrict School for Arts and Communication is a charter school serving grades 6 through 8 in New London, with an expansion underway into grades 4 and 5. It enrolls a student body that is predominantly Hispanic, with a majority from lower-income households. The school's academic profile shows uneven performance across subjects and grade levels, sitting in the bottom quartile of proficiency among the Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region's districts.
In English language arts, the school's performance is stronger in the middle grades. Grade 6 achieves about half proficiency, and grade 7 slightly better. Grade 8 results are suppressed for privacy due to small sample size, though average scale scores are available and show progression. Math proficiency declines with grade level, starting at roughly a third in grade 6, falling further in grades 7 and 8. Science proficiency data for grade 8 is also suppressed, though students participated at a very high rate. On a districtwide basis across all tested grades and subjects, the school's overall proficiency index falls in the bottom tier regionally, suggesting families should look closely at whether the school's arts-focused approach and curriculum meet their academic priorities.
The school is completing a substantial facilities expansion, approved in October 2022, that added the middle school's first dedicated science laboratory along with new music and computer spaces. This capital project reflects a shift toward broadening offerings beyond arts into STEM, funded with pandemic relief money and bank financing. That same expansion framework also drove the recent decision to add grades 4 and 5 starting in the 2024-25 school year, with additional grade 5 classrooms opening in 2025-26, supported by federal charter school funding that includes transportation for younger students. This is a structural change; families can now enroll children roughly two years earlier than before and expose them to the school's arts-integrated model for a longer span.
The school's governance history carries weight for parent consideration. In May 2021, the Connecticut State Board of Education placed the school on probation, citing a sharp, unexpected increase in special education billing rates charged to sending districts and findings of inadequate board oversight. The state extended probation the following year to monitor special education billing methodology. The school was later released from probation, but the episode underscores the importance of watching how the school manages finances and board decisions as it expands enrollment and facilities.
New London itself is a mixed-use coastal city in growth mode. The waterfront district is walkable, the downtown blends historic commercial streets with apartments and cultural venues, and regional anchor employers such as General Dynamics Electric Boat are expanding, driving demand for housing and families to the area. Union Station downtown serves commuter rail, Amtrak, local transit, and ferries, making the city accessible to a broader region. Housing values in the New London area are moderate relative to Connecticut's state benchmark, and rental costs align closely with recent growth trends. The city is short on housing stock relative to demand, and multiple large residential developments are underway or planned on parcels near the waterfront and downtown.
For a family drawn to arts-integrated academics and willing to accept lower standardized proficiency outcomes in exchange for that focus, the school offers a distinct pathway. The recent addition of science facilities and STEM coursework may broaden its appeal beyond arts specialists. The expansion into elementary grades creates continuity for younger siblings. The school's student composition is predominantly Latino and low-income, which shapes peer environment and resource allocation. Parents may want to examine specific course offerings, the arts curriculum itself, teaching staffing, and what outcomes the school tracks beyond state testing to ground their decision in evidence aligned to their child's needs and your family's values.
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