Enrollment
709
Connecticut · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Waterbury, CT
Waterbury Career Academy
Federal NCES profile for Waterbury Career Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 090483001638
👥 S:T ratio 44
📚 AP courses 30
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 65
📋 Attendance 26
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Waterbury Career Academy earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of Connecticut schools.
- #1 of 5
- high schools in Waterbury · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.9:1
- large classes for Connecticut
- 76.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Waterbury Career Academy has class sizes larger than 84% of Connecticut schools. Computed live against every Connecticut school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Waterbury Career Academy ranks #1 of 5 high schools in Waterbury, CT.
School address
District: Waterbury School District · Connecticut
NCES ID 090483001638 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
51.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.9:1
vs 12.1:1 Connecticut avg
+15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
76.0%
vs 36.4% Connecticut avg
+109% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Waterbury Career Academy compares with Connecticut and U.S. medians
What stands out at Waterbury Career Academy
Waterbury Career Academy is a high-poverty, large high school in Waterbury, Connecticut, enrolling 709 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 13.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Connecticut schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 76.0% of students qualify for free meals, 109% above the Connecticut average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 709 puts it in the larger third of Connecticut schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,003 scored Connecticut schools.
Against 81 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #16.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (55%) and African American (26%) (diversity index 62/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 6 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 177 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.6% 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 high schools, it stands alongside Crosby High School (1,453 students): Waterbury Career Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.9:1 vs 16.5:1).
Waterbury School District also operates Crosby High School (1,453 students) and John F. Kennedy High School (1,391 students) alongside Waterbury Career Academy.
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 Waterbury Career Academy compares
Waterbury Career Academy on the metrics families compare, against Connecticut and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Connecticut | Connecticut avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.9:1 | ▲ 15% | 12.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 76.0% | ▲ 109% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 709 | top 15% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.9:1
Leaner classes than 58% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
709
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
76.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 109% 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
13.9:1
students per teacher
- 15% above state mean
Top 84% in Connecticut - lower ratio than 16% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
29.6%
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
$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
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 177 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
32
in-school suspensions + 33 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.2 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 54.6%
African American 26.0%
White 13.0%
Two or More 3.0%
Asian 2.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 54.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.6, Waterbury Career Academy is more mixed than the Connecticut school average of 50.5.
Programs
AP courses offered 6
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Waterbury School District, which includes Waterbury Career Academy.
$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 Waterbury Career Academy 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 | Similar S:T ratio |
| Michael F. Wallace Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| West Side Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Waterbury Career Academy'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 high schools in Waterbury
4 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Crosby High School
Standard public school
1,453 students 16.5:1 students per teacher
John F. Kennedy High School
Standard public school
1,391 students 15.5:1 students per teacher
Wilby High School
Standard public school
1,196 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
W. F. Kaynor Technical High School
Vocational / career-technical school
831 students 13.2:1 students per teacher
Similar high 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 (~709 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Waterbury Career Academy's federal record.
- Compare Waterbury Career Academy 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 Waterbury Career Academy
How many students attend Waterbury Career Academy?
Waterbury Career Academy has 709 students enrolled. It is a high school in Waterbury, CT.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Waterbury Career Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Waterbury Career Academy is 13.9:1, which is 15% higher than the Connecticut average of 12.1:1 and 11% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Waterbury Career Academy?
76.0% of students at Waterbury Career Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Connecticut average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Waterbury Career Academy?
The largest demographic group at Waterbury Career Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 54.6% of enrollment, in Waterbury, CT. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Waterbury Career Academy?
Waterbury Career Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Waterbury Career Academy rank among high schools in Waterbury?
By Resource Investment Index, Waterbury Career Academy ranks #1 of 5 high 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 high schools in Waterbury on the city page.
Is Waterbury Career Academy a good school?
Waterbury Career Academy earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% 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 Waterbury Career Academy, 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.