Watertown High

Summary:

Watertown High is a public high school serving 733 students in grades 9-12 in Watertown, Massachusetts, which is part of the Watertown District. The school has a diverse student population, with 55.12% White, 24.97% Hispanic, 8.32% Asian, and 3.96% African American students.

Academically, Watertown High's performance, as measured by MCAS test scores, is generally lower than nearby high-performing schools like Brookline High, Newton South High, and Belmont High. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, Watertown High's 10th-grade proficiency rates in English Language Arts (52.51%), Mathematics (53.8%), and Science (45.88%) were lower than the state averages. The school also has a four-year graduation rate of 86.4% and a dropout rate of 7.1%, which are lower and higher, respectively, than the nearby high-performing schools.

Watertown High has seen a decrease in its racial diversity over the past few years, and its statewide ranking has fluctuated, suggesting inconsistent performance compared to other high schools in Massachusetts. The school's performance also varies significantly across different student subgroups, with Asian, Hispanic, and special education students performing at lower levels than their peers at other schools. While Watertown High has a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 10.1, it still lags behind the academic and student outcomes of the nearby high-performing schools, indicating a need for targeted interventions to address these disparities.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 27 Westminster Ave.
       Watertown, MA  02472


(617) 926-7760

District: Watertown

SchoolDigger Rank:
188th of 348 Massachusetts High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $23,661 Help


Feeder schools for Watertown High:

Elementary:    Cunniff
    Hosmer
    James Russell Lowell
Middle:    Watertown Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  10.1 Help
Number of students:  733

Racial breakdown:

White:
55.1%
Hispanic:
25.0%
Asian:
8.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  26% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Watertown High ranks worse than 54% of high schools in Massachusetts. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 51.53. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Watertown High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (55.1%), Hispanic (25%), Asian (8.3%). (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Watertown High is 10.1. (See more...)
Help
Compare Watertown High employs 72.2 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Watertown High is $23,661.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Watertown High:

SchoolDigger ranks Watertown High 188th of 348 Massachusetts public high schools. (See Watertown High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Asian students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Watertown:

SchoolDigger ranks Watertown 130th of 351 Massachusetts school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Watertown High

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Rank History for all students at Watertown High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 65.74 117th 304 61.5%
2004 62.77 133rd 307 56.7%
2005 64.55 133rd 311 57.2%
2006 69.98 119th 314 62.1%
2007 51.91 174th 316 44.9%
2008 71.49 99th 319 69.0%
2009 65.84 138th 322 57.1%
2010 69.77 114th 335 66.0%
2011 63.24 162nd 340 52.4%
2012 56.02 195th 340 42.6%
2013 55.78 203rd 344 41.0%
2014 69.37 126th 347 63.7%
2015 44.25 249th 354 29.7%
2016 52.44 220th 351 37.3%
2017 54.58 206th 348 40.8%
2018 61.39 174th 345 49.6%
2019 60.16 162nd 351 53.8%
2021 64.76 116th 285 59.3%
2022 51.03 181st 342 47.1%
2023 64.42 132nd 347 62.0%
2024 51.53 188th 348 46.0%
See the entire list of Massachusetts High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Watertown High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 29.01 57th 78 26.9%
2023 67.96 27th 82 67.1%
2024 36.31 60th 87 31.0%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Watertown High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 81.26 8th 77 89.6%
2022 32.35 65th 77 15.6%
2023 48.17 30th 84 64.3%
2024 44.38 30th 86 65.1%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Watertown High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 50.67 175th 344 49.1%
2019 59.86 125th 348 64.1%
2021 66.85 67th 268 75.0%
2022 48.33 176th 339 48.1%
2023 64.56 74th 301 75.4%
2024 28.74 200th 289 30.8%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Watertown High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 71.81 92nd 330 72.1%
2019 68.64 91st 330 72.4%
2021 62.75 77th 253 69.6%
2022 48.89 173rd 332 47.9%
2023 62.60 119th 338 64.8%
2024 46.07 189th 338 44.1%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Watertown High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 66.71 136th 339 59.9%
2019 56.13 175th 342 48.8%
2021 67.81 101st 281 64.1%
2022 57.80 154th 340 54.7%
2023 63.89 126th 339 62.8%
2024 43.16 212th 342 38.0%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Watertown High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 54.77 130th 299 56.5%
2019 43.13 154th 299 48.5%
2021 63.37 58th 202 71.3%
2022 32.78 190th 295 35.6%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Watertown High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 52.15 206th 343 39.9%
2019 64.28 138th 346 60.1%
2021 59.92 126th 281 55.2%
2022 44.45 197th 339 41.9%
2023 62.12 133rd 343 61.2%
2024 56.25 163rd 342 52.3%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Watertown High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 50.50 59th 97 39.2%
2023 10.98 84th 96 12.5%
2024 32.53 74th 98 24.5%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Watertown High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 52.82 92nd 193 52.3%
2019 56.07 84th 206 59.2%
2021 43.43 76th 149 49.0%
2022 19.45 182nd 217 16.1%
2023 61.53 87th 241 63.9%
2024 45.08 126th 249 49.4%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Watertown High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 60.02 137th 303 54.8%
2019 56.48 140th 302 53.6%
2021 64.78 94th 249 62.2%
2022 63.50 112th 300 62.7%
2023 56.47 133rd 301 55.8%
2024 52.25 146th 302 51.7%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary 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.

Watertown High Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 




Data source: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

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Enrollment information for Watertown High

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 824 6 15 31 0 n/a n/a 0 876
1989 757 14 13 22 3 n/a n/a 0 809
1990 692 18 15 21 2 n/a n/a 0 748
1991 689 17 20 17 1 n/a n/a 0 744
1992 678 16 8 22 0 n/a n/a 0 724
1993 696 7 7 6 0 n/a n/a 0 716
1994 622 17 17 27 2 n/a n/a 0 685
1995 608 14 21 15 0 n/a n/a 0 658
1996 608 14 21 15 0 n/a n/a 0 658
1997 613 16 17 13 0 n/a n/a 0 659
1998 591 28 25 29 0 n/a n/a 0 673
1999 652 27 25 31 0 n/a n/a 0 735
2000 718 18 14 22 0 n/a n/a 0 772
2001 713 19 28 27 0 n/a n/a 0 787
2002 665 16 39 27 2 n/a n/a 0 749
2003 665 16 39 27 2 n/a n/a 0 749
2004 637 21 40 39 2 n/a n/a 0 739
2005 628 29 36 43 3 n/a n/a 0 739
2006 588 28 43 39 4 n/a n/a 0 702
2007 599 31 62 43 3 n/a n/a 0 738
2008 560 37 56 48 4 n/a n/a 1 706
2009 516 37 59 58 2 0 4 0 676
2010 564 37 59 60 2 0 6 0 728
2011 565 34 49 74 4 0 7 0 733
2012 566 33 49 89 5 0 5 0 747
2013 556 38 61 79 5 0 7 0 746
2014 542 31 62 84 5 1 10 0 735
2015 516 28 54 78 4 1 12 0 693
2016 517 23 50 89 3 2 16 0 700
2017 487 21 43 86 5 1 19 0 662
2018 474 26 45 104 7 0 18 0 674
2019 423 32 50 125 5 0 24 0 659
2020 426 31 51 136 7 0 26 0 677
2021 423 33 55 153 4 0 27 0 695
2022 436 29 59 144 4 0 30 3 705
2023 404 29 61 183 5 0 48 3 733

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 Watertown High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 876 n/a n/a n/a
1989 809 n/a n/a n/a
1990 748 n/a n/a n/a
1991 744 n/a n/a n/a
1992 724 n/a n/a n/a
1993 716 n/a 0.0 n/a
1994 685 n/a n/a n/a
1995 658 n/a 0.0 n/a
1996 658 n/a 0.0 n/a
1997 659 n/a 0.0 n/a
1998 673 n/a 0.0 n/a
1999 735 n/a 0.0 13.7
2000 772 n/a 0.0 12.6
2001 787 n/a 0.0 11.8
2002 749 n/a n/a 13.1
2003 749 n/a n/a 13.1
2004 739 76.3 9.7 16.4
2005 739 61.4 12.0 17.3
2006 702 60.6 11.6 24.8
2007 738 59.0 12.5 28.9
2008 706 57.9 12.2 23.7
2009 676 56.1 12.0 26.9
2010 728 55.8 13.0 30.4
2011 733 63.1 11.6 33.3
2012 747 56.2 13.2 32.4
2013 746 60.6 12.3 33.2
2014 735 60.6 12.1 35
2015 693 64.0 10.8 26
2016 700 70.0 10.0 n/a
2017 662 64.9 10.1 n/a
2018 674 66.4 10.1 n/a
2019 659 69.5 9.4 n/a
2020 677 72.5 9.3 n/a
2021 695 66.1 10.5 n/a
2022 705 74.1 9.5 n/a
2023 733 72.2 10.1 n/a

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 Watertown High

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 876 n/a n/a n/a
1989 809 n/a n/a n/a
1990 748 n/a n/a n/a
1991 744 n/a n/a n/a
1992 724 n/a n/a n/a
1993 716 n/a 0.0 n/a
1994 685 n/a n/a n/a
1995 658 n/a 0.0 n/a
1996 658 n/a 0.0 n/a
1997 659 n/a 0.0 n/a
1998 673 n/a 0.0 n/a
1999 735 n/a 0.0 13.7
2000 772 n/a 0.0 12.6
2001 787 n/a 0.0 11.8
2002 749 n/a n/a 13.1
2003 749 n/a n/a 13.1
2004 739 76.3 9.7 16.4
2005 739 61.4 12.0 17.3
2006 702 60.6 11.6 24.8
2007 738 59.0 12.5 28.9
2008 706 57.9 12.2 23.7
2009 676 56.1 12.0 26.9
2010 728 55.8 13.0 30.4
2011 733 63.1 11.6 33.3
2012 747 56.2 13.2 32.4
2013 746 60.6 12.3 33.2
2014 735 60.6 12.1 35
2015 693 64.0 10.8 26
2016 700 70.0 10.0 n/a
2017 662 64.9 10.1 n/a
2018 674 66.4 10.1 n/a
2019 659 69.5 9.4 n/a
2020 677 72.5 9.3 n/a
2021 695 66.1 10.5 n/a
2022 705 74.1 9.5 n/a
2023 733 72.2 10.1 n/a

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 Watertown High

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $425 (1.9%) $22,340 (98.1%) $22,766
2020 $403 (1.9%) $21,272 (98.1%) $21,675
2021 $891 (3.8%) $22,769 (96.2%) $23,660

Data source: Massachusetts Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Watertown High

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 162nd of 351 High schoolsRanks 132nd of 347 High schools
 8.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
10th Grade English Language Arts (Watertown High)6361.5
 1.5%
   10th Grade English Language Arts (Watertown)6060.2
 0.2%
   10th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)6158.2
 2.8%
10th Grade Mathematics (Watertown High)6562.6
 2.4%
   10th Grade Mathematics (Watertown)6362.3
 0.7%
   10th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)5849.7
 8.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students659733
 11.2%
African American3229
 9.4%
American Indian55
Asian5061
 22%
Hispanic125183
 46.4%
Pacific Islander00
White423404
 4.5%
Two or More Races2448
 100%


Schools Near Watertown High









Frequently Asked Questions about Watertown High

Watertown High ranks 188th of 348 Massachusetts high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Watertown High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Cunniff
Elementary : Hosmer
Elementary : James Russell Lowell
Middle : Watertown Middle

Students at Watertown High are 55% White, 25% Hispanic, 8% Asian, 7% Two or more races, 4% African American.

In the 2022-23 school year, 733 students attended Watertown High.


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





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