Brass City Charter School

Brass City Charter School serves 401 students in grades PK–8 in Waterbury, CT, and operates as its own district, offering families an alternative to the much larger Waterbury School District, which ranks in the bottom 6th percentile statewide.

The school's clearest strength is in the early elementary grades. In grades 3–5, Brass City outperforms nearly every nearby Waterbury public school, and in some cases exceeds the Connecticut state average. In 2025–2026, 5th grade English proficiency hit 68.3%, nearly 15 points above the state average (53.5%) and far ahead of the next closest local school, Maloney Interdistrict Magnet School (51.2%). Third grade math was 48.7%, compared to 39.1% at Maloney and roughly 12–21% at nearby schools like Duggan School, Walsh School, and Bunker Hill School. It's worth noting that results fluctuate from year to year — 3rd grade English has ranged from 38.5% to 78.9% across recent cohorts — but the overall pattern is one of solid early elementary performance.

Unfortunately, that success does not carry into grades 6–8. In 2025–2026, 6th and 8th grade math proficiency was just 22.5% versus roughly 42–44% statewide, and 8th grade science was 22.5% compared to 50.9% statewide. Science is a consistent weakness across all grades tested. The school serves a predominantly low-income population (70% free/reduced lunch), though that share is lower than most neighboring district schools, several of which exceed 85% free/reduced lunch. Chronic absenteeism (22.2%) is better than many local peers but above the state average, and Brass City spends about $14,200 per student — less than most surrounding district schools despite its results. On a positive note, the school's Hispanic students earned a 4-star rating, ranking in the top 30% statewide, a strong sign of equitable outcomes for a key demographic.