The top reported proficiency rate is 75% in Math. The lowest is 54% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Urbin T. Kelley School
Urbin T. Kelley School is a public elementary school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in Southington, a mixed residential and commercial community in the Hartford area. The school enrolls a modest population of students who are predominantly white, with smaller representation from Hispanic, Asian, and multiracial backgrounds. About one in six students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
In state assessment results from the most recent year, Kelley's performance shows a pattern of strength in the earlier elementary grades that softens as students advance. Third graders performed solidly in math, with a clear majority meeting proficiency. Fourth grade is the school's strongest tested year, with a substantial majority reaching proficiency in both math and English language arts. Fifth grade, however, reveals a dip: about three in five students reached proficiency in math, just over half in English language arts, and about half in science. This trajectory is not uncommon in elementary schools, but a parent may want to ask the school about supports available to fifth graders, particularly what bridges exist between this grade and the middle school.
Across all tested grades and subjects combined, Kelley's overall proficiency sits above the midpoint for schools across the Capitol Planning Region. The school achieves full participation in state testing and does not carry Title I status, suggesting the student population falls above the federal poverty threshold that would trigger that designation.
The district itself is in the midst of significant change. School officials have voted to pursue a major facilities plan that would build a new, larger Kelley building and eventually close another elementary school, with redistricting of attendance boundaries planned for 2029. This is a defining factor for families considering the area: the project carries substantial local taxpayer cost, with officials estimating a large total local share after anticipated state aid, and residents have raised repeated concerns about future tax increases. Anyone buying a home in the Southington school district should understand that school construction costs and potential property tax impacts are an active conversation in the community.
The district has also rolled out a new social and emotional learning curriculum across elementary grades, built on Yale's RULER approach, launching in fall 2024. This represents a district-wide pedagogical choice that shapes how students' emotional development is addressed alongside academics.
Southington itself is a developing community. Housing prices in the area are in the mid-range for Connecticut, with homes valued above the state average. The town is seeing active real-estate development, including major mixed-use apartment projects approved for vacant land, reflecting the state's broader housing shortage. Downtown Southington has a revitalized center with shops and restaurants around the Town Green, though most residential neighborhoods are suburban subdivisions built on branching roads. Walkability is concentrated in the downtown core; elsewhere, the area is auto-oriented. The community has manufacturing employment and light commercial activity, alongside nearby regional employers. Public transportation includes CTfastrak bus rapid transit with park-and-ride access in Plantsville.
For families choosing a school and community, Kelley offers above-average proficiency in a suburban setting with active elementary instruction, though the district is navigating significant capital projects and property-tax considerations that warrant direct conversation with school and town officials before moving.
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