The top reported proficiency rate is 17% in Science. The lowest is 13% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Smalley Elementary School
Smalley Elementary School serves kindergarten through fifth grade in New Britain, Connecticut, and enrolls a student body that is demographically concentrated in ways that shape the school's instructional environment. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the school's population is predominantly Hispanic with smaller numbers of Black, white, and multiracial students. The school operates within the Consolidated School District of New Britain, which in fall 2023 launched a district-wide reading curriculum overhaul as part of what officials called "a fresh focus on literacy," so reading instruction for Smalley's early grades is part of an active district initiative to strengthen foundational skills.
The state testing data available for Smalley shows proficiency rates that fall well below typical performance statewide. In mathematics and English language arts across third, fourth, and fifth grades, proficiency rates cluster below or slightly above the school's overall proficiency index, which is in the bottom quartile when compared to the Capitol Planning Region's 53 districts. The gap is particularly acute in third and fifth grades, where proficiency in both subjects is in the single digits. Fourth grade shows modest relative strength, with roughly one in five students meeting proficiency benchmarks in both mathematics and English language arts. In science, tested at fifth grade only, proficiency stands at roughly one in six students. These results are consistent across fully tested cohorts with complete participation; the issue is not assessment access but rather the proportion of students demonstrating grade-level mastery in these subjects.
A parent considering this school should understand that state testing reveals a school where the majority of students are working below grade-level benchmarks in core academics. The data does not explain why this pattern exists; possible factors could range from instructional intensity and resource constraints to student needs related to language acquisition or prior learning gaps. The district's new literacy curriculum and early reported gains in some classrooms suggest the district is aware of and responding to these challenges, but because the most recent proficiency data covers the 2024-25 school year, it is too fresh to show whether district-level curriculum changes have yet shifted outcomes at Smalley. A parent may want to look into this further with the school directly, particularly asking about how the reading curriculum is being implemented at Smalley, what progress-monitoring systems are in place, and what supports exist for students not yet meeting benchmarks.
New Britain itself is a mid-sized former industrial city in central Connecticut with a compact downtown now anchored by the CTfastrak bus rapid transit system, newer infill housing, and adaptive reuse projects. The median home value in the area is in the low-to-mid range for Connecticut, and rent is relatively affordable. The city has invested heavily in downtown revitalization including Complete Streets improvements and has preserved significant public parkland and cultural institutions like the New Britain Museum of American Art. The school sits at a West Street address in a densely residential part of the city with mixed single-family and multifamily housing.
Smalley is the right fit for families seeking a neighborhood elementary school in central New Britain and who are prepared to engage closely with the school around their child's academic progress. It is not the fit for families whose priority is choosing a school primarily on the basis of state test results.
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