Enrollment
476
Connecticut · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Manchester, CT
Waddell School
Federal NCES profile for Waddell School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 090231000430
👥 S:T ratio 57
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 18
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Waddell School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Connecticut median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Connecticut schools.
- #4 of 6
- elementary schools in Manchester · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 10.8:1
- students per teacher
- 46.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Waddell School has class sizes near the Connecticut median. Computed live against every Connecticut school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Waddell School ranks #4 of 6 elementary schools in Manchester, CT.
School address
District: Manchester School District · Connecticut
NCES ID 090231000430 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
44.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10.8:1
vs 12.1:1 Connecticut avg
-11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
46.6%
vs 36.4% Connecticut avg
+28% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Waddell School compares with Connecticut and U.S. medians
What stands out at Waddell School
Waddell School is a mid-sized elementary school in Manchester, Connecticut, enrolling 476 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 10.8:1 puts it in the smaller third of Connecticut schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 46.6% of students eligible for free meals.
With 476 students, its enrollment sits close to the Connecticut median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,003 scored Connecticut schools.
Among 210 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Connecticut schools statewide, it ranks #170, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (35%) and African American (24%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 76/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Manchester's elementary schools, it stands alongside Elisabeth M. Bennet Academy (864 students): Waddell School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (10.8:1 vs 9.5:1).
Manchester School District also operates Manchester High School (1,703 students) and Elisabeth M. Bennet Academy (864 students) alongside Waddell 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 Waddell School compares
Waddell 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 | 10.8:1 | ▼ 11% | 12.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 46.6% | ▲ 28% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 476 | top 37% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.8:1
Leaner classes than 84% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
476
Bigger than 59% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
46.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 28% above the Connecticut average of 36.4%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
10.8:1
students per teacher
- 11% below state mean
Top 33% in Connecticut - lower ratio than 67% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
32.6%
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
$27,647
per pupil, district-wide
- above Connecticut avg of $23,870
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.4 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 34.7%
African American 23.9%
Asian 19.3%
White 15.3%
Two or More 5.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 34.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 75.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 75.9, Waddell School is more mixed than the Connecticut school average of 50.5.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Manchester School District, which includes Waddell School.
$27,647
Per student
+16%
vs Connecticut
Avg $23,870
+67%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 56.2%
State 34.0%
Federal 9.8%
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 Waddell School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Elisabeth M. Bennet Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Illing Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Verplanck School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bowers School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Waddell School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,703
- Students per teacher
- 9.6:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 864
- Students per teacher
- 9.5:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 763
- Students per teacher
- 8.7:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 466
- Students per teacher
- 10.4:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 376
- Students per teacher
- 11.8:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar elementary schools in Manchester
5 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Elisabeth M. Bennet Academy
Standard public school
864 students 9.5:1 students per teacher
Verplanck School
Standard public school
466 students 10.4:1 students per teacher
Bowers School
Standard public school
376 students 11.8:1 students per teacher
Highland Park School
Standard public school
300 students 10.3:1 students per teacher
Buckley School
Standard public school
284 students 8.6:1 students per teacher
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 (~476 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~10.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Waddell School's federal record.
- Compare Waddell School against another school. Compare schools
- Manchester 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 Waddell School
How many students attend Waddell School?
Waddell School has 476 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Manchester, CT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Waddell School?
The student-teacher ratio at Waddell School is 10.8:1, which is 11% lower than the Connecticut average of 12.1:1 and 31% 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 Waddell School?
46.6% of students at Waddell School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Connecticut average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Waddell School?
The largest demographic group at Waddell School is Hispanic or Latino at 34.7% of enrollment, in Manchester, CT. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 75.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Waddell School?
Waddell School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Waddell School rank among elementary schools in Manchester?
By Resource Investment Index, Waddell School ranks #4 of 6 elementary schools in Manchester, 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 Manchester on the city page.
Is Waddell School a good school?
Waddell School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Connecticut median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Manchester School District?
Besides Waddell School, Manchester School District also operates Manchester High School (1,703 students), Elisabeth M. Bennet Academy (864 students), and Illing Middle School (763 students). See the Manchester 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.