3 Newtown Schools Make it to ConnCAN Top 10 Lists

, and schools made it to the Top 10 lists issued by the education advocacy group, ConnCAN, for high marks in the area of low-income student performance, and in one case, Hispanic student performance.

ConnCAN issues these Top 10 lists annually to recognize schools in different categories, such as performance gains and student performance among low-income and Hispanic students.

In the area of low-income student performance, Newtown Middle School came in at No. 4 while Reed Intermediate School placed No. 5. The middle school additionally was recognized as having the second highest Hispanic student performance in the state after a magnet school in Bridgeport. Meanwhile, Newtown High School placed No. 5 in the state in connection with the percentage of low-income 10th graders performing at or above goal.

ConnCAN uses scores from the Connecticut Mastery and Connecticut Academic Performance tests averaged across all subject areas in the highest grade level available at the school, with the exception of the high school rankings, which was based on 10th grade scores.

In the area of overall student performance, Head O'Meadow placed highest among Newtown elementary schools, though No. 36 in the state. Sandy Hook School was next at No. 50 in the state, Hawley was No. 65 and Middle Gate at No. 74 out of 385 schools analyzed by ConnCAN.

The highest performing elementary schools in the state, according to ConnCAN, was West School in New Canaan, Goshen Center School in Region 6, and Veterans Park Elementary in Ridgefield and North Mianus schools in Greenwich tied for third.

In the middle school category, out of 242 middle schools, Reed Intermediate School came in fifth in the state while Newtown Middle School was No. 21. When comparing intermediate with middle schools, ConnCANN bases its rankings on the highest grade level available.

Newtown High School was No. 32 among 170 or so schools in the state.

Overall as a school district, Newtown came in No. 21 among the 133 ranked.