Enrollment
590
New York · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Utica, NY
Watson Williams Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Watson Williams Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 362937000262
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Watson Williams Elementary School earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New York median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most New York schools.
- #4 of 11
- elementary schools in Utica · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 12.8:1
- students per teacher
- 86.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Watson Williams Elementary School has class sizes near the New York median. Computed live against every New York school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Watson Williams Elementary School ranks #4 of 11 elementary schools in Utica, NY.
School address
District: Utica City School District · New York
NCES ID 362937000262 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
46.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.8:1
vs 11.8:1 New York avg
+8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
86.5%
vs 56.2% New York avg
+54% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Watson Williams Elementary School compares with New York and U.S. medians
What stands out at Watson Williams Elementary School
Watson Williams Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Utica, New York, enrolling 590 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 12.8:1 puts it in the larger third of New York schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 86.5% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 590 puts it in the larger third of New York schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 4,801 scored New York schools.
Against 820 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #466.
Its student body is led by African American (35%) and Asian (33%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 73/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 70.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Utica City School District spends $18,903 per pupil, 28% below the New York average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 3 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Utica City School District also operates Thomas R Proctor High School (2,820 students) and Senator James H Donovan Middle School (749 students) alongside Watson Williams Elementary 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 Watson Williams Elementary School compares
Watson Williams Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against New York and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New York | New York avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.8:1 | ▲ 8% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 86.5% | ▲ 54% | 56.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 590 | top 27% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.8:1
Leaner classes than 68% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
590
Bigger than 72% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
86.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 54% above the New York average of 56.2%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
12.8:1
students per teacher
- 8% above state mean
Top 69% in New York - lower ratio than 31% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
70.5%
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
$18,903
per pupil, district-wide
- below New York avg of $26,410
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.2 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 19 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 3 expulsions.
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
African American 34.6%
Asian 32.5%
Hispanic or Latino 18.8%
White 8.0%
Two or More 6.1%
Largest group: African American at 34.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.9, Watson Williams Elementary School is more mixed than the New York school average of 45.5.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Utica City School District, which includes Watson Williams Elementary School.
$18,903
Per student
-28%
vs New York
Avg $26,410
+14%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 14.1%
State 75.3%
Federal 10.6%
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 Watson Williams Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas R Proctor High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Senator James H Donovan Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| John F Kennedy Middle School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| General Herkimer Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Christopher Columbus Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Watson Williams Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,820
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 749
- Students per teacher
- 11.7:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 687
- Students per teacher
- 12.1:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 634
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 618
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of New York, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~590 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Watson Williams Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Watson Williams Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Utica City 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 Watson Williams Elementary School
How many students attend Watson Williams Elementary School?
Watson Williams Elementary School has 590 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Utica, NY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Watson Williams Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Watson Williams Elementary School is 12.8:1, which is 8% higher than the New York average of 11.8:1 and 18% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Watson Williams Elementary School?
86.5% of students at Watson Williams Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New York average of 56.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Watson Williams Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Watson Williams Elementary School is African American at 34.6% of enrollment, in Utica, NY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Watson Williams Elementary School?
Watson Williams Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (lower 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 Watson Williams Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Utica?
By Resource Investment Index, Watson Williams Elementary School ranks #4 of 11 elementary schools in Utica, NY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Utica on the city page.
Is Watson Williams Elementary School a good school?
Watson Williams Elementary School earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New York median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most New York 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 Utica City School District?
Besides Watson Williams Elementary School, Utica City School District also operates Thomas R Proctor High School (2,820 students), Senator James H Donovan Middle School (749 students), and John F Kennedy Middle School (687 students). See the Utica City 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.