The top reported proficiency rate is 54% in English language arts. The lowest is 41% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Forbes School
Forbes School serves grades four and five in Torrington, a mid-sized industrial and commercial city in northwestern Connecticut. The school enrolls a diverse student population: roughly half the students identify as white and roughly half as Hispanic, with smaller shares of Black and Asian students. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic realities of the Torrington area, where manufacturing and healthcare anchor a working-class economy experiencing downtown revitalization and brownsfield redevelopment.
On state assessments, Forbes shows mixed but generally modest proficiency. In English language arts across both grades, students reached proficiency at about a two-thirds rate. In mathematics, proficiency was lower, landing around the four-in-ten mark in grade four and about halfway in grade five. Science proficiency in grade five was just above half. These results are below the midpoint among schools in the Northwest Hills Planning Region, the county comparison set. A parent looking at these numbers may want to discuss with the school what curricular and support strategies are in place to strengthen performance, particularly in math.
The school is part of the Torrington School District, which has just completed a significant structural change. In January 2025, a new combined middle and high school building opened for grades seven through twelve, phased and completed for the full 2025-26 school year. This was approved by voters in a 2020 referendum and represents a major capital commitment by the district. A subsequent referendum in November 2024 sought additional funding for turf athletic fields. These shifts reflect the district's long-term planning and facility investment but also have implications for local property taxes and the district's fiscal landscape. Forbes, as an elementary school serving the lower grades, remains in its existing building and is not directly affected by the consolidation, but families in the district are navigating these transitions as their children progress.
Torrington itself is undergoing economic transition. The city has centered downtown revitalization on reuse of former industrial sites, including mixed-income housing, retail, and greenway projects completed or underway along the Naugatuck River. Housing values in the area are modest compared to state and national benchmarks. The city serves as the retail and professional center for the surrounding rural towns, and Coe Memorial Park and the library are the main civic anchors. Public transit is available through the Northwestern CT Transit District and CTtransit, though service is limited compared to larger urban areas.
For a family in Torrington with children in these grade levels, Forbes offers neighborhood elementary education in a diverse, economically mixed setting. The school's academic performance indicates students are working with support that produces some proficiency but also areas where additional attention is warranted. Parent conversations with the school about specific supports, instructional approaches, and how the school works with families on learning at home would help clarify what the school offers and where students may benefit from additional resources.
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