Ellen P. Hubbell School, Bristol CT

Original Research by School Decision on Ellen P. Hubbell School

Ellen P. Hubbell School is a kindergarten-through-fifth-grade elementary school in Bristol, a suburban city in Hartford County. The school enrolls a small to mid-sized cohort drawn from a community with substantial economic need and diversity in family background.

The student body is economically challenged; a large share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The racial and ethnic composition is roughly evenly split between Hispanic students (the largest group), white students, and a smaller share of Black and Asian students, with a handful identifying as multiracial. The school reflects Bristol's character as an increasingly diverse suburb.

In the 2024-25 school year, testing data shows mixed results. In English language arts, the school posted proficiency rates ranging from about two-thirds in grade three to somewhat lower in grade five, with grade four performing strongest. Math proficiency was more variable: grade three performed comparably to ELA, but grade four dipped somewhat, and grade five dropped noticeably lower. Grade five science proficiency sat in the mid-range. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency index places it above the midpoint among districts in the Naugatuck Valley Planning Region, a meaningful marker of performance relative to nearby districts, though this should be read as one snapshot in a single year rather than a trend.

Only one year of testing data was available, so whether these results represent consistent performance or a particular moment in the school's instructional cycle cannot be determined from the records provided. A parent might want to ask the school directly about recent trends and any initiatives underway in the grades where proficiency was lower.

The school sits in a district undergoing substantial structural change. A board-approved redistricting plan is reconfiguring grade structures across Bristol schools, with Hubbell's peer schools transitioning from kindergarten-8 to kindergarten-5 models. This reshuffling affects which students attend which schools and, for some families, bus commute times. The district is also building a new Northeast Middle School set to open in 2026 and has established a lottery-admission arts and innovation magnet school for grades 6-12 as a newer choice for families. These changes are still rolling out and worth understanding if you are considering Bristol schools for the longer term.

Bristol itself is redeveloping its downtown around the Centre Square site after a shopping mall came down, with new housing and commercial space now rising. The city is car-oriented overall, though there is a 5-mile recreational trail and efforts underway to make downtown more walkable. Public transit is available through CTtransit buses and CTfastrak connections. ESPN is Bristol's largest employer and taxpayer, along with Bristol Hospital and various manufacturers.

Housing costs in the Bristol zip code are moderate relative to state benchmarks, though the median home value and median rent have both grown recently. The property tax mill rate has risen for the current fiscal year, with the school budget growing as the district addresses a special education funding gap. These costs directly affect family budgets for those living or considering moving to the area.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 368%

School 68% · District 46% · ▲ 22 pts above district

▲ 13 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

Grade 461%

School 61% · District 45% · ▲ 16 pts above district

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

Grade 542%

School 42% · District 38% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▼ 1 pts below state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 366%

School 66% · District 48% · ▲ 18 pts above district

▲ 18 pts above state median · ▲ 20 pts above county median

Grade 470%

School 70% · District 52% · ▲ 19 pts above district

▲ 14 pts above state median · ▲ 20 pts above county median

Grade 561%

School 61% · District 46% · ▲ 15 pts above district

▲ 4 pts above state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

Science

Grade 564%

School 64% · District 44% · ▲ 20 pts above district

▲ 12 pts above state median · ▲ 17 pts above county median

This schoolBristol School District, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 4Lower-income74%Higher-income67%7 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income58%Higher-income65%7 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 4Lower-income63%Higher-income59%4 pp gap