The top reported proficiency rate is 73% in Science. The lowest is 68% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Great Oak Elementary School
Great Oak Elementary School serves grades three through five in Oxford, Connecticut, a residential town about an hour northeast of New York City that has been one of the state's fastest-growing communities in recent years. The school is part of Oxford School District, a small district that serves the town and is currently in the midst of curriculum expansion aimed at strengthening literacy, math, and science instruction across its elementary grades.
The school's enrollment sits just under four hundred students, with roughly equal cohorts in each grade. The student body is predominantly white, with a small but growing Hispanic population and smaller representation from Asian, Black, and multiracial students. About one in six students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, suggesting moderate economic diversity within a town where median housing values run somewhat above state benchmarks and median household income is solid.
Academically, Great Oak's state assessment results show proficiency across math, English language arts, and science. In English language arts, performance strengthens as students advance: third-graders show two-thirds proficiency, fourth-graders about seven in ten, and fifth-graders roughly four in five, a trajectory that points to gains during elementary years. Math proficiency follows a similar arc, rising from roughly six in ten in third grade to seven in ten by fifth grade. In science, which is tested only in fifth grade, proficiency runs comparable to math. Participation rates are strong across all subjects and grades, indicating consistent testing engagement. Overall proficiency in the school runs above the midpoint among districts in the Naugatuck Valley Planning Region, placing it in the top quartile of county schools.
The district launched new literacy, math, and science programs in the 2024-25 school year and has continued them into 2025-26, alongside additions to special education staffing. For families considering the school, these curriculum changes represent a district-level emphasis on foundational academic skills, though it is still early to measure their effect on student outcomes.
Oxford itself is a quiet, low-density town organized around large-lot neighborhoods, wooded areas, and outdoor recreation rather than a traditional downtown. Daily life centers on driving: there is no fixed-route public transit. A pedestrian-friendly mixed-use development called Quarry Walk provides one walkable node with shops, offices, medical facilities, and apartments, but most of the town unfolds as suburban and rural residential spreads. Housing costs have climbed steadily, supported by steady population growth and the town's proximity to job centers. Major employers include Waterbury-Oxford Airport and aviation businesses based there, plus the school district itself, and commercial parks scattered through town. Parks, trails, and recreational facilities serve as civic anchors, including state parks, land trust preserves, and the library.
The school district's mill rate dropped notably in the 2025-26 budget cycle due to a town revaluation, a shift that will affect property tax calculations for residents. Parents evaluating the school and considering a move would benefit from understanding how that revaluation affects their own potential tax bill, since a lower mill rate paired with reassessed property values does not automatically translate to lower taxes on any individual home.
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