Enrollment
344
Connecticut · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Waterbury, CT
Sprague School
Federal NCES profile for Sprague School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 090483000986
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 31
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sprague School earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of Connecticut schools.
- #14 of 21
- schools in Waterbury · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 14.3:1
- large classes for Connecticut
- 82.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Sprague School has class sizes larger than 87% of Connecticut schools. Computed live against every Connecticut school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sprague School ranks #14 of 21 schools in Waterbury, CT.
School address
District: Waterbury School District · Connecticut
NCES ID 090483000986 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.3:1
vs 12.1:1 Connecticut avg
+18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
82.1%
vs 36.4% Connecticut avg
+126% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sprague School compares with Connecticut and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sprague School
Sprague School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Waterbury, Connecticut, enrolling 344 students.
Class loads run heavy: 14.3:1 is larger than about 87% of Connecticut schools and 18% above the 12.1:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 82.1% of students qualify for free meals, 126% above the Connecticut average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 344 students, its enrollment sits close to the Connecticut median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 1,003 Connecticut schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 78 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Connecticut schools statewide, it ranks #66, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (75%) and African American (17%) (diversity index 41/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 344 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 48.0% 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 public schools, it stands alongside Waterbury Arts Magnet School (820 students): Sprague School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.3:1 vs 16.7:1).
Waterbury School District also operates Crosby High School (1,453 students) and John F. Kennedy High School (1,391 students) alongside Sprague 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 Sprague School compares
Sprague 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 | 14.3:1 | ▲ 18% | 12.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 82.1% | ▲ 126% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 344 | top 65% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.3:1
Leaner classes than 54% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
344
Bigger than 39% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
82.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 126% 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
14.3:1
students per teacher
- 18% above state mean
Top 87% in Connecticut - lower ratio than 13% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
48.0%
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 344 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
21
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.7 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 75.0%
African American 16.9%
White 4.9%
Two or More 2.6%
Asian 0.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 75.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 40.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 40.6, Sprague 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 Sprague 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 Sprague 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 | Similar S:T ratio |
| Wilby High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Michael F. Wallace Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| West Side Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sprague 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 other schools in Waterbury
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Waterbury Arts Magnet School
Standard public school
820 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
Rotella Interdistrict Magnet School
Standard public school
614 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Wendell L. Cross School
Standard public school
606 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Maloney Interdistrict Magnet School
Standard public school
590 students 14:1 students per teacher
B. W. Tinker School
Standard public school
578 students 18.6:1 students per teacher
H. S. Chase School
Standard public school
543 students 10.6:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~344 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sprague School's federal record.
- Compare Sprague 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 Sprague School
How many students attend Sprague School?
Sprague School has 344 students enrolled. It is a public school in Waterbury, CT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sprague School?
The student-teacher ratio at Sprague School is 14.3:1, which is 18% higher than the Connecticut average of 12.1:1 and 9% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sprague School?
82.1% of students at Sprague School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Connecticut average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sprague School?
The largest demographic group at Sprague School is Hispanic or Latino at 75.0% of enrollment, in Waterbury, CT.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sprague School?
Sprague School has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (lower 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 Sprague School rank among schools in Waterbury?
By Resource Investment Index, Sprague School ranks #14 of 21 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 schools in Waterbury on the city page.
Is Sprague School a good school?
Sprague School earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% 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 Sprague 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.