Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School

Located at 36 Waller St., in New London, Connecticut, Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School is a tight-knit junior high that caters to 343 students (grades 5 through 8), overseen by New London School District. Enrollment runs roughly 34% leaner than the state mean of about 521.

New London School District comprises 8 schools with combined enrollment of 2,820 students; Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School is among them.

On the student-mix side, Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School logs that 65% of the student body identifies as Hispanic. Other groups include 18% Black, 8% multiracial, 6% White. By comparison, Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region as a whole is about 15% Hispanic, so the school skews considerably more Hispanic than its surroundings.

Looking at the economic backdrop, Staff filings list 47 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 7.3:1 students per teacher. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 11.3:1, putting Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School tighter than the state norm the norm. An estimated 94% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. By comparison, Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region runs at roughly 50%, so the school's eligibility rate is somewhat above the surrounding baseline.

In the broader community, census data for Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region shows median household income runs about $86,586, roughly 36% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 8% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School is one of 88 public schools in Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region (combined enrollment of about 36,605 students).

The closest other public school is Science and Technology Magnet Pathway for Middle Grades, roughly 0.0 miles away. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools.

Geographically, the school is in a downtown area.

Trend over the last 7 years. Over the past 7-year window, the student count held roughly steady: 347 students in 2018 compared to 343 in 2025. Hispanic enrollment moved from 70% to 65% across the same window. The student-to-teacher ratio fell from 9.3:1 in 2018 to 7.3:1 today.

On allk12, members of the Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School community share and discuss enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.