New Britain Leads in Academic Growth

New Britain Schools Lead Connecticut Urban Districts in Post-COVID Academic Growth, Surpassing Pre-Pandemic Benchmarks in 3 of 4 Testing Areas and Outpacing Peers in Proficiency Gains.

Official state assessment data demonstrates that the Consolidated School District of New Britain (CSDNB) is leading Connecticut’s major urban school districts in post-pandemic academic recovery and multi-year proficiency growth. According to trend data on district performance from the 2018–19 pre-COVID baseline through the 2025–26 academic year, New Britain students have made significant strides, outpacing peer urban systems including Bridgeport, Hartford, New Haven, New London, Waterbury, and Windham, in overall growth and benchmark attainment.

Key Media Facts at a Glance

• #1 in Urban Elementary Growth: New Britain achieved the highest growth in elementary proficiency rates among all major Connecticut urban districts in both Math (+7.8 percentage points) and ELA (+2.1 percentage points) compared to pre-COVID levels (2018–19).
• Surpassing Pre-COVID Benchmarks: CSDNB has exceeded its pre-pandemic performance in 3 out of 4 state assessment areas, (Elementary Math, Elementary ELA, and Middle Math) leading urban peers statewide.
• Rapid Post-COVID Recovery: Since 2021–22, New Britain Elementary Math proficiency jumped by +12.9 percentage points (from 7.9% to 20.8%) and Elementary ELA jumped by +8.0 percentage points, (from 14.7% to 22.7%) representing the fastest recovery trajectory among peer districts.
• Middle School Math Surge: Middle School Math proficiency rose to 14.5%, reflecting a +5.2 percentage point net increase over pre-COVID baseline (+7.4 points since 2021–22), ranking #1 among urban districts in net improvement.

"These figures reflect the relentless dedication of our educators, administrators, staff, and students. By focusing on high-quality classroom instruction, New Britain is demonstrating that urban school systems can reverse learning loss, exceed pre-pandemic standards, and set a standard for continuous growth.  Our mission is to become a Beacon for urban public education in the region.  And, thanks to our staff, students, and families, we're seeing that become a reality,” said Dr. Tony Gasper, CSDNB Superintendent. 

Elementary & School-Level Performance Highlights

The district’s elementary schools have served as the primary growth engine for CSDNB's recovery. Elementary Math proficiency climbed from 7.9% in 2021–22 to 20.8% in 2025–26, while Elementary ELA jumped from 14.7% to 22.7% over the same timeframe. Among the district’s standout elementary schools, Holmes Elementary School has emerged as a flagship model of academic growth and achievement within CSDNB and the state, demonstrating the strongest growth among all 121 urban elementary schools in Connecticut.

Connecticut Urban District Comparison: Change Since Pre-COVID (2018–19 to 2025–26)

Source: CSDE EdSight.