West Hartford is fortunate to have a wonderful mix of private and public educational institutions. West Hartford Public Schools has two high schools, three middle schools and 11 elementary schools. There are eight higher learning centers, 17 private and parochial elementary through high schools, and 31 preschool and daycare facilities.

More and more families are choosing West Hartford because of our outstanding public schools. In the fall 2000, Sedgwick Middle School received the prestigious national Blue Ribbon designation, joining other secondary schools - Hall and Conard high schools and King Philip Middle School - in the Blue Ribbon category. A third middle school, Bristow Middle School, opened its doors in the fall of 2005, at 34 Highland Street. Bristow has already become a popular school of choice in which students are selected by lottery.

Connecticut Magazine ranked West Hartford Public Schools first among all the cities and towns in Connecticut and for its population class (50,000+), and second overall. West Hartford was ranked in the top 10 for lowest crime, quantity of leisure and cultural offerings, and strength of its economy. The magazine uses hard data that run the gamut from the local library budget to the median price of a house, the number of historic sites, student test scores, the number of high school graduates who attend college, the ratio of students per computer and the per-capita municipal debt to compile its rankings.

Town council and board of education members have made a long-term commitment educationally and financially to have the best schools in Connecticut. All around town improvements and additions to our public schools are being made to meet the growing enrollment.

New buildings are also being erected on our college campuses for housing, sports facilities and academic learning centers, all in an effort to attract the best and brightest throughout the state, country and the world.