The top reported proficiency rate is 58% in English language arts. The lowest is 50% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Concord Magnet School
Concord Magnet School serves kindergarten through eighth grade in Norwalk, a mixed-use coastal city anchored by two commercial cores—the transit-oriented South Norwalk entertainment district and the Wall Street business area—with more than twenty recognized neighborhoods spreading from dense downtown blocks to suburban and waterfront areas. The school has an enrollment that is modest for its grade span, with a student body that is roughly evenly split between white students and students of color, with a substantial share qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The school draws from across the city rather than serving a single neighborhood.
The school's academic profile shows mixed results across subjects and grades. In English language arts, performance is strongest in the lower and upper grades—third grade proficiency is solid, and seventh-grade proficiency is notably strong—but sixth grade shows a substantial dip, with just under half the students reaching proficiency. In mathematics, third grade performs well, but proficiency declines sharply in the upper elementary and middle-grade bands, with fifth and sixth grades falling notably below where third grade sits. Science testing was available only for fifth and eighth grades, with both results suppressed for small-cohort reasons; participation rates suggest the school tests students fully. When aggregated across all tested grades and subjects, the school's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile among the county's districts, a position that warrants direct conversation with school leadership about instructional approach, student supports, and any particular challenges the grades K–2 students may be facing that carry forward.
The proficiency data shows a particular break between elementary and middle grades. Third grade performs comparatively well in both subjects. By fifth grade, mathematics proficiency has cut by nearly half, and by sixth grade, both subjects show weaker results. A parent may want to look into this further with the school—whether it reflects curriculum transitions, instructional pacing, or student composition shifts as students advance—and what supports exist to help students who struggle with the transition.
The school is part of the Norwalk School District, which is undertaking substantial change. The district is constructing a new Norwalk High School and P-TECH building expected to open by fall 2027, and opened a new Cranbury Elementary in 2023 and is bringing a new South Norwalk neighborhood school online for 2025–26. These represent the district's first major school construction in decades and will reshape school assignments and commutes across the city. The district also won a significant federal grant to expand magnet and specialized programming in K–12 schools, and Norwalk families gained access to the state Open Choice interdistrict enrollment program starting in 2022–23, adding options beyond traditional assigned schools.
Norwalk itself is in a growth phase, with sustained residential and commercial development concentrated especially in South Norwalk near the train station. The city has added a substantial number of apartments in recent years, though rents have climbed sharply alongside this development. Home values in the 06850 zip code are above state averages. The city is anchored by established employers including Norwalk Hospital, major corporate offices in the Merritt 7 park, and Booking Holdings. Public transit connects South Norwalk and East Norwalk via Metro-North's New Haven Line to Grand Central, and the Norwalk Transit District runs fixed-route buses and microtransit service. The city has extensive shoreline parks and beaches, a two-branch public library, and walkable commercial districts in South Norwalk and downtown, though much of the city is residential with more traditional suburban street patterns.
No data was available on special education or English learner enrollment, attendance, or discipline. The school's designation as a magnet school was not specified in the data provided, though the district operates magnet programs at other grade levels and Concord's name suggests it may have specialized focus; you may want to verify the school's curricular programming and magnet status directly with the district office.
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