The top reported proficiency rate is 45% in English language arts. The lowest is 32% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Cross Street Intermediate School
Cross Street Intermediate School serves fifth and sixth graders in Naugatuck, a small borough that functions as a bedroom community between Waterbury and Bridgeport. The school sits in a residential neighborhood rather than on a downtown campus and enrolls a student body that is economically and ethnically diverse: a substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the enrollment is roughly split between Hispanic and white students, with a meaningful Black representation and smaller Asian and mixed-race communities.
On state assessments in 2024-25, the school's academic performance is mixed. In English language arts, the school's overall proficiency sits in the middle range, with fifth graders performing somewhat stronger than sixth graders. In science, proficiency is comparable to ELA. Mathematics is the area of concern. Fifth-grade math proficiency is notably low, and sixth-grade proficiency drops further still, well below ELA and science. Across all tested subjects and grades, Cross Street's overall proficiency index places it below the midpoint among districts in the Naugatuck Valley Planning Region. A parent may want to look into further with the school how it is addressing the math gap and what specific supports exist for students struggling in that subject.
The enrollment size is modest, with roughly equal numbers of fifth and sixth graders. Full participation in state testing was achieved, so these results reflect the whole student population.
Naugatuck itself is a town in transition. Its historic identity was rooted in rubber and chemical manufacturing; today it functions largely as a residential community with a distinct small-town character centered on the Naugatuck Green, where civic institutions including the library and borough building cluster. The housing market is moderate in cost relative to Connecticut's state benchmark, and the town skews toward owner-occupied homes and families with children compared to surrounding New Haven County. Housing values have grown modestly year-over-year. The town is pursuing active redevelopment, including a relocated train station moving closer to downtown (expected to open in summer 2027), mixed-income apartment buildings on vacant parcels, and facade improvements along the main commercial artery. These changes could reshape the town's character and school enrollment over the next few years.
The district has adopted the Science of Reading approach for elementary reading instruction across all K-4 classrooms, a shift driven by Connecticut's Right to Read law and affecting how early literacy is taught. Property tax reassessment in Naugatuck is phasing in over three years, which bears on family tax liability. The kindergarten entrance-age cutoff changed to age 5 by September 1, earlier than the prior January 1 date, so families planning kindergarten enrollment need to align with that new deadline.
Cross Street is a regular neighborhood public school without alternative designation or charter status. It serves the early intermediate grades in a district with multiple elementary schools and other secondary schools spread across neighborhoods rather than a single campus. The school's strength in reading and science instruction, paired with measurable weakness in mathematics, makes math support and remediation key questions for any family considering enrollment or whose child attends.
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