Top Rankings
Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Vermont for:
Category
Attribute
Overall Rank
Highest overall rank (Top 20%)
Math Proficiency
Highest math proficiency (Top 10%)
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 20%)
Science Proficiency
Highest science proficiency (Top 10%)
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 9 public schools serving 3,330 students in Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 School District. This district's average testing ranking is 10/10, which is in the top 10% of public schools in Vermont.
Public Schools in Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 School District have an average math proficiency score of 55% (versus the Vermont public school average of 40%), and reading proficiency score of 57% (versus the 44% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 20% of the student body (majority Asian and Hispanic), which is more than the Vermont public school average of 13% (majority Hispanic and Black).
Overview
This School District
This State (VT)
# Schools
9 Schools
302 Schools
# Students
3,330 Students
77,231 Students
# Teachers
319 Teachers
7,155 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
12:1
12:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 School District, which is ranked within the top 10% of all 102 school districts in Vermont (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 84% has decreased from 90% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#11 out of 103 school districts
(Top 20%)
(Top 20%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
54%
40%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
57%
44%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
49%
35%
Graduation Rate
84%
83%
Chronically Absent Students
(2022-23)17.6%
27.8%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.36
0.25
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
% Asian
6%
2%
% Hispanic
4%
4%
% Black
3%
3%
% White
80%
87%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
7%
4%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $30,076 in this school district is less than the state median of $30,406. The school district revenue/student has grown by 23% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $29,362 is less than the state median of $29,653. The school district spending/student has grown by 21% over four school years.
Total Revenue
$100 MM
$2,348 MM
Spending
$98 MM
$2,290 MM
Revenue / Student
$30,076
$30,406
Spending / Student
$29,362
$29,653
Best Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 School District Public Schools (2026)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Thomas Fleming School
(Math: 58% | Reading: 60-64%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
21 Prospect Street
Essex Junction, VT 05452
(802) 878-1381
Essex Junction, VT 05452
(802) 878-1381
Gr: 4-5 | 197 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 18%
Rank: #22.
Westford Elementary School
(Math: 60-64% | Reading: 55-59%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
146 Brookside Road
Westford, VT 05494
(802) 878-5932
Westford, VT 05494
(802) 878-5932
Gr: PK-8 | 206 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 11%
Rank: #33.
Albert D. Lawton School
(Math: 58% | Reading: 58%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
104 Maple Street
Essex Junction, VT 05452
(802) 878-1388
Essex Junction, VT 05452
(802) 878-1388
Gr: 6-8 | 297 students Student-teacher ratio: 9:1 Minority enrollment: 26%
Rank: #44.
Essex Middle School
(Math: 63% | Reading: 55%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
60 Founders Road
Essex Junction, VT 05452
(802) 879-7173
Essex Junction, VT 05452
(802) 879-7173
Gr: 6-8 | 366 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 22%
Rank: #55.
Founders Memorial School
(Math: 50% | Reading: 53%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
33 Founders Road
Essex Junction, VT 05452
(802) 879-6326
Essex Junction, VT 05452
(802) 879-6326
Gr: 3-5 | 353 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 16%
Rank: #66.
Essex High School
(Math: 41% | Reading: 62%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
2 Educational Drive
Essex Junction, VT 05452
(802) 879-7121
Essex Junction, VT 05452
(802) 879-7121
Gr: 9-12 | 1,224 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 20%
Rank: #77.
Hiawatha Elementary School
(Math: 50-59% | Reading: 40-49%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
30 Hiawatha Avenue
Essex Junction, VT 05452
(802) 878-1384
Essex Junction, VT 05452
(802) 878-1384
Gr: PK-3 | 203 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 30%
Rank: n/an/a
The Center For Technology - Essex
Vocational School
2 Educational Drive Suite 200
Essex Junction, VT 05452
(802) 879-5558
Essex Junction, VT 05452
(802) 879-5558
Gr: 9-12
Rank: n/an/a
1 Bixby Hill Road
Essex Junction, VT 05452
(802) 878-2584
Essex Junction, VT 05452
(802) 878-2584
Gr: PK-2 | 484 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 20%
Frequently Asked Questions
How many schools belong to Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 School District?
Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 School District manages 9 public schools serving 3,330 students.
What is the rank of Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 School District?
Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 School District is ranked #6 out of 102 school districts in Vermont (top 10%) based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data for the 2022-2023 school year. This district ranks in the top 20% of Vermont school districts for: Highest overall rank (Top 20%), Highest math proficiency (Top 10%), Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 20%), Highest science proficiency (Top 10%), Most diverse schools (Top 1%) and Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
What is the racial composition of students in Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 School District?
80% of Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 School District students are White, 7% of students are Two or more races, 6% of students are Asian, 4% of students are Hispanic, and 3% of students are Black.
What is the student/teacher ratio of Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 School District?
Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 School District has a student/teacher ratio of 12:1, which is higher than the Vermont state average of 11:1.
What is Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 School District's spending/student ratio?
The school district's spending/student of $29,362 is less than the state median of $29,653. The school district spending/student has grown by 21% over four school years.
Recent Articles
Media Literacy as a Core Skill: How to Tell if a School Teaches It Well
Learn how to evaluate whether a public school teaches media literacy effectively, from fact-checking and source evaluation to digital citizenship and critical thinking.
Screen Time, Paper Learning, and the New Back-to-Basics Debate
Explore why some public schools are reducing screen time, bringing back paper learning, and rethinking the balance between technology and traditional instruction.
Student Data, AI Tools, and Privacy: Questions to Ask Your District
Learn how public schools use AI, protect student data, and the key privacy questions every parent should ask their school district in 2026.
