Waterloo Central School District

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Waterloo, New York - 4 schools

An equity score of 69/100 ranks Waterloo Central School District #115 of 931 districts in New York (state average 45). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $26,742 per pupil, Waterloo Central School District ranks #486 of 986 New York districts by per-pupil spending (New York districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,512
Total Enrollment
4
Schools
$26,742
Per-Pupil Spending
High, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Waterloo Central School District operates 4 public schools serving 1,512 students, placing it among the smallest districts in New York. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 high, 1 middle, 1 combined, 1 elementary schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Seneca County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $26,742 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 986 New York districts by per-pupil spending. See how New York compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 26.4% local, 57.1% state, and 16.5% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 69/100, ranked #115 of 931 in New York against a state average of 45, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 4 schools offering Advanced Placement (4 AP courses district-wide), a 241.7:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 35.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 80.9% White, 7.9% Hispanic or Latino, 3.4% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is La Fayette School, with a diversity index of 42.5/100.

Its largest campus is Waterloo High School, enrolling 404 students (29% of the district's total enrollment).

Waterloo High School accounts for 26.7% of all Waterloo Central School District student enrollment

That concentration means Waterloo Central School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: high. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Enrollment-weighted aggregates give this entity more weight than any smaller peer, while an unweighted entity average treats every record equally.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Waterloo Central School District reports 53.8% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share clears the 50% majority mark. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Waterloo Central School District student-counselor ratio is 242:1 — low (typically associated with meeting or exceeding the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommended 250:1 benchmark, which correlates with stronger college and career counseling capacity)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Waterloo Central School District chronic absenteeism rate is 35.3% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

16.5%
Federal
57.1%
State
26.4%
Local

Funding Equity

69
Equity Score
115 / 931
State Rank
45
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 4 schools in Waterloo Central School District.

White 80.9%
Hispanic or Latino 7.9%
African American 3.4%
Asian 0.9%
Multiracial 6.5%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 32.9/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Waterloo Central School District's schools, below the New York average of 45.5.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 La Fayette School 42.5
  2. 2 Skoi-Yase School 39.0
  3. 3 Waterloo Middle School 30.1
  4. 4 Waterloo High School 19.9

Programs & Resources

1 / 4
Schools with AP
4 AP courses total
241.7:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
35.3%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Waterloo Central School District

School Enrollment
Waterloo High School
404
Waterloo Middle School
356
Skoi-Yase School
345
La Fayette School
309

How Waterloo Central School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The New York districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Saranac Central School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Alden Central School District Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Phelps-Clifton Springs Central School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Dobbs Ferry Union Free School District Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Fredonia Central School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Waterloo Central School District's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in New York

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Waterloo Central School District

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs New York City Geographic District #31 →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Waterloo Central School District?

Waterloo Central School District has 4 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 1 combined, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 1,512 students.

How much does Waterloo Central School District spend per student?

Waterloo Central School District spends $26,742 per student. The district has an equity score of 69/100, ranking #115 in New York.

What is the demographic composition of Waterloo Central School District?

Waterloo Central School District students are 80.9% White, 7.9% Hispanic or Latino, 3.4% African American, 0.9% Asian, averaged across 4 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Waterloo Central School District?

Waterloo Central School District has an equity score of 69/100, ranking #115 out of 931 districts in New York.