The top reported proficiency rate is 66% in Math. The lowest is 62% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Dr. Charles E. Murphy School
Dr. Charles E. Murphy School is a small elementary school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in Oakdale, one of several villages within the town of Montville. The school enrolls students from a rural, car-dependent residential area where most families are owner-occupants of single-family homes and upper-middle-income households, though childhood poverty is comparatively elevated for the income level. The neighborhood has a notably strong Polish-speaking presence. Housing in the Oakdale area is valued below the state benchmark but has appreciated modestly, and the rental market remains tight.
The school's test proficiency in math and English language arts sits in the top quartile among the county's district schools. In math, students in third grade showed proficiency notably above the school's fourth-grade cohort, while fifth-grade results reflect a different, smaller tested population. In English language arts, performance was strongest in fifth grade, with third grade also solid; fourth grade showed the most modest results. Science proficiency in fifth grade could not be disclosed in the data, but the average scale score reported suggests performance in line with the school's overall academic pattern. One year of testing data is available, so trends over time cannot be assessed.
About half the school's students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, indicating a mixed-income enrollment within the predominantly upper-middle-income village. The student body is predominantly white, with a meaningful share of Hispanic students and smaller numbers of Asian and multiracial students. Demographic data on students with special education plans or English learner status were not available.
The school sits within Montville School District, a public district that serves the full town. The district made a prominent identity shift in 2022 when it retired its longtime Native American-related nickname and imagery at the middle and high schools, a change tied to state funding protections; the neighboring Mohegan Tribe supported and helped fund the transition. The district also brought an historic school building back into active use in 2026, reopening it as The Palmer School, a capacity addition that may affect attendance boundaries for families in Oakdale.
Oakdale itself has little street-level commercial life. The village center consists only of a post office and a handful of residences. Raymond Library serves as a main civic gathering point, and Camp Oakdale, a town park with trails and recreational facilities, anchors community activity. Most working residents drive alone to work, with commutes typically spanning a moderate distance. The nearby Mohegan Sun casino resort in Uncasville is the region's dominant employer, drawing hospitality and retail workers; other employment centers include the school district, regional retail, healthcare, education, and government jobs in nearby New London.
The town is actively planning growth. Recent multifamily and affordable housing development is concentrated along Route 32, including projects awarded state financing. Single-family new construction also appears in the Oakdale market. The district has capacity plans and affordable housing goals, making this an area where young families may find moderate housing costs relative to the region, though supply remains tight.
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