The top reported proficiency rate is 45% in Science. The lowest is 32% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Carrigan 5/6 Intermediate School
Carrigan 5/6 Intermediate School serves grades five and six in West Haven, a mid-sized coastal city home to the University of New Haven and Yale's West Campus. The school enrolls a substantial student population across two grade levels, with a student body that is economically diverse: more than half the enrollment qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch. The school's racial and ethnic composition is predominantly Latino and Black, with smaller shares of white, Asian, and multiracial students, reflecting West Haven's broad demographic character as a young, diverse community.
On Connecticut's Smarter Balanced and NGSS assessments, Carrigan's proficiency results sit below the midpoint among South Central Connecticut Planning Region districts. In English language arts, the school shows slightly higher performance: in grade five, students reached proficiency at a rate somewhat above four in ten, and in grade six the rate was similar. In mathematics, results are lower. Grade five math proficiency is roughly one in three, while grade six sits slightly lower. Science performance in grade five, measured on the state's NGSS assessment, edges above four in ten. Grade seven data are suppressed by the state; the school houses only grades five and six, so the seventh-grade entries in the state's reporting system reflect minimal or no enrollment and are withheld to protect student privacy. Near-complete participation rates across tested grades suggest strong test administration and attendance on assessment days.
Aggregating across both grades and all three tested subjects, the school's overall proficiency index falls below the regional midpoint. A parent looking at these results may want to review them with the school leadership to understand what targeted support, intervention pathways, and instructional priorities are in place to help students build foundational math and literacy skills, and how the school tracks progress over time.
The school sits within West Haven School District, which in May of this year regained local fiscal control after years of state financial oversight that began around the early 2020s following a significant budget crisis. The district opened a fully rebuilt Washington Elementary School in August, a modern facility with air conditioning, full ADA compliance, and updated technology, signaling ongoing investment in school infrastructure. At the state level, all Connecticut districts, including West Haven, adopted science-based reading curricula for grades K-3 under the state's Right to Read law, emphasizing phonics and foundational decoding over older cueing methods. This pedagogy shift has lasting effect on how early readers are taught and sets a foundation that students bring to the intermediate level.
West Haven itself is experiencing active redevelopment, concentrated on shoreline improvements and adaptive reuse of older buildings. Housing values and rents in the area show modest year-over-year appreciation. The city's downtown is organized around a historic town green and features compact, walkable commercial corridors, though walkability varies widely by neighborhood; the downtown district itself is notably walkable, while residential areas average moderate walk scores. The Metro-North commuter rail station, which opened in the early 2010s, sits within a Transit Oriented Development zone and provides connections to the broader region. Major employers include the VA Connecticut Healthcare System and the University of New Haven, both anchored in the city.
For a family with fifth or sixth graders, Carrigan represents an intermediate school serving the full age band in a city with mixed-use character, moderate housing affordability relative to state benchmarks, and ongoing civic and infrastructure development. The academic profile shows room for growth, particularly in mathematics, and the school's place within a recently stabilized district offering modern elementary facilities and evidence-based early reading instruction frames the context in which students arrive.
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