[kthjones]

I'm recently engaged to a transplanted Essex man who desparately wants to return East from here in Pittsburgh. My greatest concern is the quality of the School District as I've got a couple of adolescents who are deeply ensconced here in the 'Burg. Does anyone have some insights to share? Thanks!

[JayCT]

Public schools in Connecticut are generally considered to be among the best (if not the best) in the country. Education is taken very seriously in most towns including Essex. Schools there perform well above the state averages on the Connecticut Mastery Tests and class sizes are under 20 students which is very reasonable. Overall I would say the schools are very good and I would not worry about the quality of education your children would receive there. For more information on schools in Essex, check the school profiles on the Connecticut Department of Education web site.

Essex is a very small town though and people coming from a large metropolitain area like Pittsburg may find the quite life of the lower Connecticut River Valley a bit dull. I am not sure of the age of your children but if they are teenagers this could be a concern. Hope this helps. Jay

[skytrekker]

Jay made excellent points- the schools are of very high quality in Essex. However the town is a rather sleepy/ sedate lower CT valley river town- which has been many times been voted as one of the best small towns to live in across the country. The towns intrinsic charms and sophistication and fine eating establishments are renowned.

However your children-and maybe you might become bored, living in a town with about 7,000 people. However up I 91 less then a half hour is Middletown- a town of around 46,000 that has many urban amenities you would most likely enjoy. The Connecticut shore and its beaches are but 10 miles away.

[outofCT]

Not that great. Try Old Saybrook, Old Lyme or Madison in the area. Look at the data. Old Lyme and Madison are better than Old Saybrook but that is not to sneeze at either. Essexx is beautiful but as the schools. And if schools are so wonderful in CT why do New Haven have only 60% of incoming freshman graduate (Hartford Courant June 07). Bridgeport gives C's for showing up (I'd used to date a teacher there).

[skytrekker]

New Haven and Bridgeport are stressed urban areas- there size of 130,000 is not a huge problem statewide- but a very micro social one- so to say;

And if schools are so wonderful in CT why do New Haven have only 60% of incoming freshman graduate (Hartford Courant June 07). Bridgeport gives C's for showing up (I'd used to date a teacher there).

This critique Seems rather unfair, and says little about the high quality of the states schools in 80% of the towns and other places. Additionally the OP asked about Essex Not New Haven or Bridgeport.

I think if you had read Jays information on Essex schools;

Schools there perform well above the state averages on the Connecticut Mastery Tests and class sizes are under 20 students which is very reasonable. Overall I would say the schools are very good and I would not worry about the quality of education your children would receive there.

This certainly answers the question quite well, without inferring subjective opinions.

[Rich Lee]

Originally Posted by JayCT

Public schools in Connecticut are generally considered to be among the best (if not the best) in the country.

Generally, yes. However, there are four school systems, in cities representing approximately 12 percent of Connecticut's overall population, that rank near the zero percentile.