Original Research by School Decision on Science and Technology Magnet Pathway for High School Grades
The Science and Technology Magnet Pathway for High School Grades sits at the heart of New London's transformation into Connecticut's first and only all-magnet school district. This is a public high school serving grades 9 through 12 on Chester Street, built around a STEM-focused curriculum as one of three district-wide thematic pathways alongside visual and performing arts and international education. Enrollment is by application and lottery, with priority given to New London city residents, though the school draws students from over 40 towns across more than 25 sending districts.
The school serves a small enrollment concentrated in upper high school grades. The student body reflects the city's demographic profile: roughly one-third identify as Hispanic, about one-fifth as Black, and the remainder split among white, multiracial, and Asian students. A substantial share of the enrollment qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating economic need concentrated among the families the magnet model serves. Special-population data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available.
State testing data from the most recent school year shows proficiency rates in English language arts, math, and science that fall well below what families would typically expect from a STEM-focused pathway. English language arts proficiency is below the middle range, math proficiency is lower still, and science proficiency sits between the two. Only single-year data is available, so trend information is absent. A parent may want to look into this further with the school itself, particularly given that the magnet model emphasizes science and technology. The school did not report a four-year graduation rate, nor did state data provide chronic absenteeism figures. Those gaps are typical for schools when statewide reporting is incomplete; they merit a direct conversation with the school.
New London itself is a mixed-use coastal city on the Thames River, dense in its downtown core and centered around Union Station, which serves Amtrak, CTrail commuter rail, local buses, and ferries. The city is experiencing substantial growth driven by regional submarine-industry expansion and a shortage of urban housing. Major residential development is underway on the Fort Trumbull peninsula and in downtown adaptive-reuse projects, with GDEB (General Dynamics Electric Boat) set to hire significantly in coming years. Housing values in the zip code are below the state benchmark, and rents are moderate, reflecting the city's character as a renter-heavy urban area with a concentration of smaller, older buildings in the historic core. Walkability varies sharply by neighborhood, with the downtown core highly walkable and outer areas more car-dependent.
The school is part of a district navigating significant structural change. In April 2026, the Board of Education voted to close C.B. Jennings International Elementary Magnet School and restructure grades district-wide, moving from mixed configurations to K-4 elementary, 5-7 middle, and 8-12 high school. This means the Science and Technology Pathway's grade 9 entry point will shift to a grade 8 entry, a lasting change to transition timing and placement. The district faces budget pressure that will ripple through class sizes and program resources. For a family considering this pathway, the immediate context is one of fiscal constraint and organizational transition, not expansion.
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