Joseph A. Depaolo Middle School, Southington CT

Original Research by School Decision on Joseph A. Depaolo Middle School

Joseph A. Depaolo Middle School serves sixth through eighth grades in Southington, a mixed residential and commercial town in Capitol Planning Region, and offers a grounded academic pathway with solid proficiency results across tested subjects.

The school's performance shows clear strength in science, where proficiency runs well above the regional median. In reading and language arts, the school sits above the midpoint for the county's districts and demonstrates consistent performance across grades six through eight. Mathematics proficiency is slightly lower than reading but still respectable and stable across the three grade levels. Overall, the school's combined proficiency index places it above the midpoint among the county's districts. Testing participation rates are uniformly high, approaching or exceeding 98 percent across subjects and grades.

The student body is a mix reflective of a suburban town with established families and newer residential development. A substantial majority of students are white; Asian, Hispanic, and multiracial students form the remaining share. About a quarter of the enrollment qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, which suggests moderate economic diversity. Enrollment sits at roughly 650-700 students across the three grades, with fairly balanced grade-level cohorts. Data on special education and English learner populations were not available.

The school sits on Pleasant Street in the town's institutional campus setting, as is typical for larger school buildings in Southington; civic life and commercial activity are concentrated downtown, while schools occupy separate campuses. The town itself is experiencing housing market growth and active residential development, with several new apartment and mixed-use projects advancing in 2024-2025, which may alter enrollment and demographic composition over time. Housing values in the area are moderate for Connecticut, and the affordability profile suggests families typically carry a mortgage or pay rent at rates consistent with regional norms.

The broader district context matters for a family considering this school. The Southington School District has embarked on a major, multiphase elementary facilities plan that would rebuild and expand elementary schools, close one building, and redraw attendance boundaries across all remaining elementary schools. Although this change does not directly affect middle school operations, it signals the district is managing significant enrollment and facility questions. The district has also adopted a social and emotional learning curriculum based on Yale's RULER approach, launched for elementary grades in 2024 and expanding to middle schools in 2025. That shift reflects a district-wide commitment to emotional intelligence and social development as part of the academic day.

A parent may want to reach out to the school to learn more about course structure, academic supports available for students below proficiency, enrichment pathways, and how the SEL curriculum is being integrated at the middle level. Asking about transition support from the elementary schools and preparation for high school would also be useful. The school's data is limited to state test results and basic enrollment; information about specific programs, clubs, athletics, or other student environment details was not available in the materials reviewed.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 663%

School 63% · District 64% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▲ 23 pts above state median · ▲ 19 pts above county median

Grade 763%

School 63% · District 65% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▲ 20 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

Grade 863%

School 63% · District 59% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▲ 24 pts above state median · ▲ 21 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 671%

School 71% · District 73% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▲ 20 pts above state median · ▲ 17 pts above county median

Grade 768%

School 68% · District 69% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▲ 18 pts above state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

Grade 870%

School 70% · District 63% · ▲ 8 pts above district

▲ 20 pts above state median · ▲ 17 pts above county median

Science

Grade 879%

School 79% · District 75% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▲ 31 pts above state median · ▲ 34 pts above county median

This schoolSouthington School District, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 6Lower-income53%Higher-income78%24 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income52%Higher-income73%22 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income57%Higher-income74%17 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income47%Higher-income69%22 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income41%Higher-income71%30 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income35%Higher-income71%37 pp gap