Waterbury Career Academy

Q: Is Waterbury Career Academy a good school?

Waterbury Career Academy ranks 105 th of 145 Connecticut high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Summary:

Waterbury Career Academy is a public high school serving grades 9-12 in Waterbury, Connecticut, a district ranked 151 out of 158 in the state. With a diverse student population of 52.74% Hispanic, 25.59% African American, and 14.88% White students, the school consistently outperforms the Waterbury School District and the state of Connecticut in academic assessments.

Waterbury Career Academy's academic performance is particularly strong, with 46.2% of 11th-grade students proficient or better in SAT/English Language Arts, compared to 26.4% in the Waterbury School District and 54.8% statewide. In SAT/Math, 14.7% of 11th-graders at Waterbury Career Academy were proficient or better, compared to 8.5% in the district and 29.5% statewide. The school also performs well in serving its African American and Hispanic student populations, ranking 2nd and 31st out of Connecticut high schools, respectively, in these subgroups.

Compared to nearby schools, Waterbury Career Academy outperforms the other Waterbury high schools in academic assessments, but Cheshire High School significantly outperforms Waterbury Career Academy in NGSS Science assessments. Despite having a high percentage of students (80.16%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high proportion of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, Waterbury Career Academy's academic performance is relatively strong, suggesting the school is effectively serving its diverse and economically disadvantaged student population.

Detail:

Public 9-12

175 Birch Street
Waterbury, CT 06704

(203) 574-8000

District: Waterbury School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
105^th of 145 Connecticut High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $21,257

Student/teacher ratio: 14.9

Number of students: 766

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

52.7%

African American:

25.6%

White:

14.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 80.2%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Waterbury Career Academy ranks worse than 72.4% of high schools in Connecticut. It also ranks 2^nd among 5 ranked high schools in the Waterbury School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 25.4. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Waterbury Career Academy who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Waterbury Career Academy has the largest high school student body size in the Waterbury School District. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Waterbury Career Academy is $21,257, which is the 2^nd highest among 5 high schools in the Waterbury School District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Waterbury Career Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Waterbury Career Academy 105^th of 145 Connecticut public high schools. (See Waterbury Career Academy in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Male students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

Waterbury School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Waterbury School District 151^st of 158 Connecticut school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Waterbury Career Academy

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Rank History for all students at Waterbury Career Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CT State Percentile
2016	22.82	103^rd	132	22.0%
2017	29.35	95^th	140	32.1%
2018	26.22	96^th	121	20.7%
2019	36.98	83^rd	121	31.4%
2021	37.86	119^th	200	40.5%
2022	24.50	93^rd	139	33.1%
2023	20.03	107^th	142	24.6%
2024	25.40	105^th	145	27.6%

See the entire list of Connecticut High School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Waterbury Career Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CT State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	64.13	69^th	175	60.6%

See the entire list of Best Connecticut High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Waterbury Career Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CT State Percentile
2021	59.64	59^th	155	61.9%
2023	34.70	36^th	70	48.6%
2024	30.43	39^th	65	40.0%

See the entire list of Best Connecticut High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Waterbury Career Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CT State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	32.25	122^nd	189	35.4%
2023	12.27	88^th	103	14.6%

See the entire list of Best Connecticut High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Waterbury Career Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CT State Percentile
2021	40.38	107^th	182	41.2%
2022	16.08	84^th	102	17.6%
2023	16.02	81^st	100	19.0%
2024	22.45	76^th	100	24.0%

See the entire list of Best Connecticut High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Waterbury Career Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CT State Percentile
2019	76.57	2^nd	13	84.6%
2021	86.45	7^th	58	87.9%
2022	51.63	13^th	25	48.0%
2023	55.49	11^th	25	56.0%
2024	69.43	2^nd	24	91.7%

See the entire list of Best Connecticut High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Waterbury Career Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CT State Percentile
2021	54.69	38^th	104	63.5%
2023	50.72	22^nd	63	65.1%
2024	42.05	31^st	63	50.8%

See the entire list of Best Connecticut High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Waterbury Career Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CT State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	23.91	129^th	155	16.8%
2022	12.08	106^th	117	9.4%

See the entire list of Best Connecticut High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Connecticut Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Connecticut State Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Waterbury Career Academy

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Two or More Races	Total
2014	37	63	8	126	1	10	245
2015	79	122	18	228	3	19	469
2016	124	188	24	326	5	26	693
2017	166	237	32	391	8	31	865
2018	174	227	25	390	7	28	851
2019	171	208	25	372	7	25	808
2020	174	193	27	382	7	22	805
2021	150	205	26	394	7	25	807
2022	138	197	27	400	9	25	796
2023	114	196	20	404	9	23	766

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Waterbury Career Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2014	245	18.2	13.4	84.5
2015	469	37.0	12.6	74.2
2016	693	53.0	13.0	50.2
2017	865	65.0	13.3	73.5
2018	851	70.2	12.1	74.1
2019	808	61.2	13.2	78.6
2020	805	61.8	13.0	81.5
2021	807	54.2	14.8	80
2022	796	55.5	14.3	78
2023	766	51.2	14.9	80.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Waterbury Career Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2014	245	18.2	13.4	84.5
2015	469	37.0	12.6	74.2
2016	693	53.0	13.0	50.2
2017	865	65.0	13.3	73.5
2018	851	70.2	12.1	74.1
2019	808	61.2	13.2	78.6
2020	805	61.8	13.0	81.5
2021	807	54.2	14.8	80
2022	796	55.5	14.3	78
2023	766	51.2	14.9	80.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Waterbury Career Academy

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$15,048
2019	$16,556
2020	$16,309
2021	$17,089
2022	$17,466
2023	$21,257

Data source: Connecticut Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Waterbury Career Academy

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 83^rd of 121 High schools	Ranks 107^th of 142 High schools	6.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts (Waterbury Career Academy)	58.9	31.9	27%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Waterbury School District)	28.5	21.1	7.4%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Connecticut)	61.6	52.4	9.2%
11th Grade Math (Waterbury Career Academy)	21.7	15.1	6.6%
11th Grade Math (Waterbury School District)	9.7	8.7	1%
11th Grade Math (Connecticut)	40.6	34.1	6.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	808	766	5.2%
African American	208	196	5.8%
American Indian	7	9	28.6%
Asian	25	20	20%
Hispanic	372	404	8.6%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	171	114	33.3%
Two or More Races	25	23	8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	78.6%	80.2%	1.6%

Schools Near Waterbury Career Academy

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				NGSS Science (2024)		SAT English Language Arts (2024)	SAT Math (2024)	SBAC English Language Arts (2024)			SBAC Mathematics (2024)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	NGSS Science 8th Grade	NGSS Science 11th Grade	SAT English Language Arts 11th Grade	SAT Math 11th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 6th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 7th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 8th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 6th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 7th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 8th Grade	Total
Waterbury Career Academy	Public	9-12	175 Birch Street	Waterbury	06704	New Haven County	Waterbury School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 574-8000	766	51	14.9	80.2%	114 (14.9%)	196 (25.6%)	404 (52.7%)	20 (2.6%)	9 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (3.0%)	25.4	105^th of 145 public high schools	27.6%		20	107^th of 142 public high schools	24.6%	2		26.2	46.2	14.7							$21,257
Waterbury Arts Magnet School	Public, Magnet	6-12	16 South Elm St.	Waterbury	06706	New Haven County	Waterbury School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(203) 573-6300	821	50	16.4	68.8%	246 (30.0%)	160 (19.5%)	356 (43.4%)	12 (1.5%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (5.4%)	32	91^st of 145 public high schools	37.2%		41.2	75^th of 142 public high schools	47.2%	16	41.4		50.9	13.9	60.2	56.8	58.4	38.9	36.9	26.8	$22,290
REGIONS staff secure Waterbury	Public	6-12	80 Prospect Street	Waterbury	06702	New Haven County	Judicial Centers	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(203) 757-9939																			(n/a)
John F. Kennedy High School	Public	9-12	422 Highland Ave.	Waterbury	06708	New Haven County	Waterbury School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 574-8153	1,297	90	14.3	79.1%	157 (12.1%)	289 (22.3%)	789 (60.8%)	19 (1.5%)	14 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (2.2%)	7	137^th of 145 public high schools	5.5%		7.2	132^nd of 142 public high schools	7.0%	5		7.6	21.6	6.3							$18,727
Crosby High School	Public	9-12	300 Pierpont Rd.	Waterbury	06705	New Haven County	Waterbury School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 574-8061	1,400	89	15.8	84.3%	108 (7.7%)	318 (22.7%)	910 (65.0%)	17 (1.2%)	12 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (2.5%)	7.4	135^th of 145 public high schools	6.9%		6.5	135^th of 142 public high schools	4.9%			8.0	21.4	7.3							$16,938
W. F. Kaynor Technical High School	Public	9-12	43 Tompkins St.	Waterbury	06708	New Haven County	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 596-4302	791	63	12.5	51.2%	232 (29.3%)	112 (14.2%)	377 (47.7%)	15 (1.9%)	6 (0.8%)	4 (0.5%)	37 (4.7%)	33.4	87^th of 145 public high schools	40.0%		48	71^st of 142 public high schools	50.0%	16		47.7		8.9							$25,833
Wilby High School	Public	9-12	568 Bucks Hill Rd.	Waterbury	06704	New Haven County	Waterbury School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 574-8100	1,157	79	14.6	85.1%	69 (6.0%)	294 (25.4%)	744 (64.3%)	6 (0.5%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (3.6%)	6.3	138^th of 145 public high schools	4.8%		4.7	139^th of 142 public high schools	2.1%	1		10.2	14.3	6.2							$19,470
Wolcott High School	Public	9-12	457 Bound Line Rd.	Wolcott	06716	New Haven County	Wolcott School District	No	No	No	No	(203) 879-8164	649	72	9.0	26.2%	485 (74.7%)	35 (5.4%)	91 (14.0%)	15 (2.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (3.4%)								(n/a)		38.2									$20,687
Watertown High School	Public	9-12	324 French St.	Watertown	06795	Litchfield County	Watertown School District	No	No	No	No	(860) 945-4810	735	70	10.5	33.6%	592 (80.5%)	26 (3.5%)	79 (10.7%)	14 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	21 (2.9%)	39.5	78^th of 145 public high schools	46.2%		51	68^th of 142 public high schools	52.1%	10		40.7	58.4	13.5							$23,277
Naugatuck High School	Public	9-12	543 Rubber Ave.	Naugatuck	06770	New Haven County	Naugatuck School District	No	No	No	No	(203) 720-5400	1,288	91	14.0	52.5%	549 (42.6%)	163 (12.7%)	470 (36.5%)	37 (2.9%)	7 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	57 (4.4%)	26.7	100^th of 145 public high schools	31.0%					(n/a)		34.3	41.0	15.5							$18,134

Frequently Asked Questions about Waterbury Career Academy

What district is Waterbury Career Academy in?

Waterbury School District

What is the racial makeup of Waterbury Career Academy?

Students at Waterbury Career Academy are 53% Hispanic, 26% African American, 15% White, 3% Two or more races, 3% Asian, 1% American Indian.

How many students attend Waterbury Career Academy?

In the 2022-23 school year, 766 students attended Waterbury Career Academy.

Is Waterbury Career Academy a good school?

Waterbury Career Academy ranks 105^th of 145 Connecticut high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Connecticut Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.