The top reported proficiency rate is 76% in Math. The lowest is 68% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on R. E. Thalberg Elementary School
R. E. Thalberg Elementary School serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Southington, a mixed residential and commercial town that sits between Hartford and Waterbury in the Capitol Planning Region. The school currently enrolls a mid-sized population, with a diverse makeup: about two-thirds white enrollment, with Asian, Hispanic, multiracial, and smaller Black populations present. About one-fifth of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the school sits in a moderately affluent area where median home values are above state norms and family incomes are solid.
In state assessments, Thalberg's results show strength in the third and fourth grades, particularly in math, where proficiency is solid across the early grades. Fifth-grade results dip lower, especially in language arts and most notably in math, where proficiency falls noticeably. English language arts performance climbs from third through fifth grade, ending at reasonable range, and science proficiency at the fifth-grade level is moderate. Overall proficiency across all tested subjects and grades places the school in the top quartile among Capitol Planning Region districts, a meaningful distinction that reflects work students are doing here, especially in the foundational years.
One note on the data: specific counts for students with individualized education plans and English learners were not available, so a parent seeking to understand whether the school has robust support infrastructure for those populations should ask directly. The school has not reported chronic absenteeism data, which is another relevant measure for family consideration.
Southington itself is reshaping. The district has approved a major elementary facilities plan that would build a new, larger Kelley Elementary School, expand South End Elementary, and ultimately close Flanders Elementary with redrawing of attendance boundaries across all remaining elementary schools. This is a substantial, ongoing change; if the referendum passes, families would see boundary shifts and a phased building process that would reshape enrollment at Thalberg and every other elementary in the district. The project carries tens of millions in local tax impact after anticipated state reimbursement, a significant consideration for families weighing whether to move into the district or stay. Additionally, the district launched a multi-year social and emotional learning curriculum revision in fall 2024 for grades K-5 based on Yale's RULER approach, expanding to middle and high schools in fall 2025, so pedagogy and school climate priorities are actively shifting.
The town itself combines a livelier downtown core with typical suburban subdivisions. Downtown Southington has a renovated Main Street, restaurants, shops, and a town green that hosts summer concerts and the Apple Harvest Festival, but most homes and most daily life sit in auto-oriented subdivisions. The Farmington Canal Heritage Trail, a greenway on an old rail line, has opened in phases and is serving as a revitalization link through downtown and Plantsville. The economy leans heavily on manufacturing, with dozens of metal-working and stamping firms, though commercial and institutional employers are present too. Several mixed-use and apartment projects are advancing, reflecting the region's housing shortage.
For a family considering Thalberg, the immediate question is whether the school's current performance meets your child's needs and your family's timeline, particularly in light of the major district restructuring in motion. Early-grade proficiency is a strength; fifth-grade results suggest students may need closer attention as they approach middle school.
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