Enrollment
283
Connecticut · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Waterbury, CT
Bucks Hill School
Federal NCES profile for Bucks Hill School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 090483000968
👥 S:T ratio 68
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 43
📋 Attendance 29
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bucks Hill School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 96% of Connecticut schools.
- #1 of 3
- elementary schools in Waterbury · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 8.1:1
- small classes for Connecticut
- 80.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Bucks Hill School has class sizes smaller than 96% of Connecticut schools. Computed live against every Connecticut school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bucks Hill School ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Waterbury, CT.
School address
District: Waterbury School District · Connecticut
NCES ID 090483000968 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
35.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
8.1:1
vs 12.1:1 Connecticut avg
-33% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
80.3%
vs 36.4% Connecticut avg
+121% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bucks Hill School compares with Connecticut and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bucks Hill School
Bucks Hill School is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Waterbury, Connecticut, enrolling 283 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 8.1:1, Bucks Hill School is leaner than roughly 96% of Connecticut schools and 33% under the state's 12.1:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 80.3% of students qualify for free meals, 121% above the Connecticut average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 283 puts it in the smaller third of Connecticut schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,003 scored Connecticut schools.
Against 57 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #15.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (79%) and African American (16%) (diversity index 35/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 283 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Waterbury School District spends $18,981 per pupil, 20% below the Connecticut average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Waterbury's elementary schools, it stands alongside Michael F. Wallace Middle School (1,059 students): Bucks Hill School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (8.1:1 vs 11.5:1).
Waterbury School District also operates Crosby High School (1,453 students) and John F. Kennedy High School (1,391 students) alongside Bucks Hill School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Bucks Hill School compares
Bucks Hill School on the metrics families compare, against Connecticut and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Connecticut | Connecticut avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 8.1:1 | ▼ 33% | 12.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 80.3% | ▲ 121% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 283 | top 80% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
8.1:1
Leaner classes than 95% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
283
Bigger than 30% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
80.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 121% above the Connecticut average of 36.4%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
8.1:1
students per teacher
- 33% below state mean
Top 4% in Connecticut - lower ratio than 96% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
28.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$18,981
per pupil, district-wide
- below Connecticut avg of $23,870
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 283 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 78.8%
African American 15.9%
White 3.2%
Two or More 1.4%
Asian 0.7%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 78.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 35.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 35.3, Bucks Hill School is less mixed than the Connecticut school average of 50.5.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Waterbury School District, which includes Bucks Hill School.
$18,981
Per student
-20%
vs Connecticut
Avg $23,870
+14%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 23.5%
State 63.9%
Federal 12.6%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Bucks Hill School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crosby High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| John F. Kennedy High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wilby High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Michael F. Wallace Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Side Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bucks Hill School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,453
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,391
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,196
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,059
- Students per teacher
- 11.5:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 848
- Students per teacher
- 10.2:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Similar elementary schools in Waterbury
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Connecticut, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~283 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~8.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bucks Hill School's federal record.
- Compare Bucks Hill School against another school. Compare schools
- Waterbury School District's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Bucks Hill School
How many students attend Bucks Hill School?
Bucks Hill School has 283 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Waterbury, CT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bucks Hill School?
The student-teacher ratio at Bucks Hill School is 8.1:1, which is 33% lower than the Connecticut average of 12.1:1 and 48% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Bucks Hill School?
80.3% of students at Bucks Hill School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Connecticut average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bucks Hill School?
The largest demographic group at Bucks Hill School is Hispanic or Latino at 78.8% of enrollment, in Waterbury, CT.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bucks Hill School?
Bucks Hill School has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Bucks Hill School rank among elementary schools in Waterbury?
By Resource Investment Index, Bucks Hill School ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Waterbury, CT. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Waterbury on the city page.
Is Bucks Hill School a good school?
Bucks Hill School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 96% of Connecticut schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Waterbury School District?
Besides Bucks Hill School, Waterbury School District also operates Crosby High School (1,453 students), John F. Kennedy High School (1,391 students), and Wilby High School (1,196 students). See the Waterbury School District district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.