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Wendell L. Cross School

Public Grades PK, KG-8

404^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 492 Connecticut Elementary Schools

Better than 18% of Connecticut elementary schools

Summary

Wendell L. Cross School is a PK–8 school in Waterbury, CT, serving 606 students and ranking 403rd out of 491 Connecticut elementary schools (18th percentile) within the Waterbury School District. About 72% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is lower than many nearby schools, and the school has shown a gradual upward trend in its statewide rank over the past three years.

The most notable bright spot is chronic absenteeism. Cross cut its rate from 21.5% in 2024–2025 to just 12.4% in 2025–2026—better than the district rate of 23.1% and even the state rate of 16.4%. Among nearby schools, only Roberto Clemente International Dual Language School (6.0%) and Maloney Interdistrict Magnet School (6.2%) had lower absenteeism, while Woodrow Wilson School (29.8%) and Walsh School (29.1%) had rates more than double Cross's. Early literacy is another strength: 36.2% of Cross third-graders met ELA proficiency targets in 2025–2026, well above the district's 21.8% and approaching the state average.

However, those early gains fade as students move through the grades. By 5th grade, Cross's ELA proficiency (23%) falls below the district average (29.9%), and 8th grade science proficiency (14.1%) is a particular concern. Compared with nearby schools, Cross ranks just behind Duggan School and above Margaret M. Generali Elementary School, but far behind Maloney and Clemente, where 5th grade ELA proficiency is roughly double Cross's. Notably, per-student spending and class sizes at Cross are similar to those higher-performing schools, suggesting the gap reflects instructional strategies rather than resources. Subgroup data shows relatively stronger outcomes for Hispanic students, while male students have posted very low results in recent years—pointing to where targeted support could have the most impact.

606

Students ?

13.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$16,695

Per pupil spending ?

71.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1255 Hamilton Ave.
Waterbury, CT 06706

(203) 574-8171

District: Waterbury School District

Students who attend Wendell L. Cross School usually attend:

Middle:	Michael F. Wallace Middle School
High:	Crosby High School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

53.3%

African American:

22.6%

White:

15.2%

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At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 18th percentile in 2016 → 18th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Connecticut average (25% vs 49% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (18th percentile)

!Science scores 32 pts below the Connecticut average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school25%

District avg25%

Connecticut avg49%

404^th of 492

Connecticut public elementary schools ?

Bottom 18%▬ steady since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Connecticut Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

10^th of 21Elementary Schools in the Waterbury School District

144^th of 153Waterbury School District among Connecticut districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2026	13.7	404 of 492	17.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	13.1	411 of 493	16.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	12.6	418 of 497	15.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	11.1	419 of 491	14.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	12.4	411 of 490	16.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	21.1	414 of 538	23.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	34.8	342 of 522	34.5%	★★☆☆☆
2018	40.2	317 of 532	40.4%	★★☆☆☆
2017	23.4	392 of 519	24.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	15.6	424 of 518	18.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	34.5	384 of 551	30.3%	★★☆☆☆
2013	69.7	222 of 557	60.1%	★★★☆☆
2012	53.6	347 of 564	38.5%	★★☆☆☆
2011	48.4	374 of 565	33.8%	★★☆☆☆
2010	47.8	386 of 579	33.3%	★★☆☆☆
2009	53.0	354 of 566	37.5%	★★☆☆☆
2008	40.6	412 of 565	27.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	38.7	418 of 568	26.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	34.1	433 of 570	24.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2022	6.3	219 of 234	6.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	10.5	398 of 455	12.5%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2026	32.9	84 of 130	35.4%	★★☆☆☆
2025	33.6	85 of 132	35.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	41.4	63 of 111	43.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	31.7	79 of 108	26.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	37.7	66 of 99	33.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	27.7	121 of 173	30.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	42.1	61 of 112	45.5%	★★☆☆☆
2018	62.2	30 of 101	70.3%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2021	43.6	169 of 302	44.0%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2023	4.0	228 of 231	1.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	6.9	221 of 232	4.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	25.4	323 of 445	27.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2021	38.5	228 of 371	38.5%	★★☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Elementary school

Low Socio Economic Status (2021)44th percentile+21 vs school

Special Education (2021)39th percentile+15 vs school

Hispanic (2026)35th percentile+17 vs school

Female (2022)6th percentile-10 vs school

Male (2023)1st percentile-13 vs school

By subject vs Connecticut (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts28%-23 vs state

Mathematics26%-21 vs state

Science20%-32 vs state

★

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Schools Near Wendell L. Cross School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				NGSS Science (2026)		SBAC English Language Arts (2026)						SBAC Mathematics (2026)						Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
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 (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	NGSS Science 5th Grade	NGSS Science 8th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 3rd Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 4th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 5th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 6th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 7th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 8th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 3rd Grade	SBAC Mathematics 4th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 5th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 6th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 7th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 8th Grade	Total
Wendell L. Cross School	Public	PK, KG-8	1255 Hamilton Ave.	Waterbury	06706	Naugatuck Valley Planning Region	Waterbury School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 574-8171	606	44	13.6	71.8%	92 (15.2%)	137 (22.6%)	323 (53.3%)	11 (1.8%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (6.6%)	13.7	404^th of 492 public elementary schools	17.9%		13.1	411^th of 493 public elementary schools	16.6%	7	26.2	14.1	36.2	31.6	23.0	21.4	2500.0	2503.0	29.8	28.9	18.0	2425.0	2446.0	2432.0	$16,695
Roberto Clemente International Dual Language School	Public	PK, KG-5	116 Beecher Avenue	Waterbury	06705	Naugatuck Valley Planning Region	Waterbury School District	No	No	No	No	(203) 574-8000	275	16	17.5	74.2%	5 (1.8%)	22 (8.0%)	240 (87.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.9%)	42.1	277^th of 492 public elementary schools	43.7%		38.2	288^th of 493 public elementary schools	41.6%	11	499.0		46.0	58.7	36.5				2453.0	63.0	32.7				$15,133
Gilmartin School	Public	PK, KG-8	107 Wyoming Ave.	Waterbury	06706	Naugatuck Valley Planning Region	Waterbury School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 574-8175	462	32	14.6	80.1%	26 (5.6%)	80 (17.3%)	316 (68.4%)	18 (3.9%)	5 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (3.7%)	7.6	454^th of 492 public elementary schools	7.7%		6.6	472^nd of 493 public elementary schools	4.3%	18	18.0	10.7	17.8	21.3	18.0	27.1	2482.0	2513.0	20.0	17.0	2411.0	2439.0	17.8	10.7	$18,581
Hopeville School	Public	PK, KG-5	2 Cypress St.	Waterbury	06706	Naugatuck Valley Planning Region	Waterbury School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 574-8173	291	28	10.3	82.8%	23 (7.9%)	66 (22.7%)	199 (68.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.0%)	6.4	466^th of 492 public elementary schools	5.3%		6.2	474^th of 493 public elementary schools	3.9%	8	20.9		12.0	24.5	18.2				16.0	16.3	16.3				$22,755
Washington School	Public	PK, KG-5	685 Baldwin St.	Waterbury	06706	Naugatuck Valley Planning Region	Waterbury School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 574-8177	284	23	12.1	80.3%	16 (5.6%)	42 (14.8%)	211 (74.3%)	2 (0.7%)	3 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.5%)	10.1	434^th of 492 public elementary schools	11.8%		9.4	438^th of 493 public elementary schools	11.2%	4	28.0		2349.0	25.0	21.6				2382.0	27.3	14.0				$17,640
H. S. Chase School	Public	PK, KG-5	40 Woodtick Rd.	Waterbury	06705	Naugatuck Valley Planning Region	Waterbury School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 574-8188	543	47	11.5	76.4%	62 (11.4%)	118 (21.7%)	306 (56.4%)	26 (4.8%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (5.0%)	32.6	325^th of 492 public elementary schools	33.9%		25	342^nd of 493 public elementary schools	30.6%	17	53.4		27.0	35.5	42.5				49.0	46.7	38.4				$19,371
Woodrow Wilson School	Public	PK, KG-5	235 Birch St.	Waterbury	06704	Naugatuck Valley Planning Region	Waterbury School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 573-6660	415	29	14.4	85.1%	9 (2.2%)	79 (19.0%)	309 (74.5%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.6%)	4.9	482^nd of 492 public elementary schools	2.0%		5.5	479^th of 493 public elementary schools	2.8%	3	14.8		9.7	18.4	2413.0				2325.0	16.3	2420.0				$17,672
Maloney Interdistrict Magnet School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	233 South Elm St.	Waterbury	06706	Naugatuck Valley Planning Region	Waterbury School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(203) 574-8162	590	42	14.1	62.5%	134 (22.7%)	100 (16.9%)	315 (53.4%)	12 (2.0%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (4.6%)	38.6	294^th of 492 public elementary schools	40.2%		46.6	257^th of 493 public elementary schools	47.9%	37	54.7		40.2	46.6	51.2				39.1	43.2	41.9				$19,787
Margaret M. Generali Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3196 East Main St.	Waterbury	06705	Naugatuck Valley Planning Region	Waterbury School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 574-8174	415	35	11.8	81.9%	36 (8.7%)	91 (21.9%)	249 (60.0%)	16 (3.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (5.3%)	13.1	410^th of 492 public elementary schools	16.7%		11.3	423^rd of 493 public elementary schools	14.2%	13	32.4		15.9	37.9	28.4				16.1	31.8	21.6				$21,908
Duggan School	Public	PK, KG-8	952 Bank Street	Waterbury	06708	Naugatuck Valley Planning Region	Waterbury School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 574-8875	429	36	12.0	88.6%	26 (6.1%)	89 (20.7%)	284 (66.2%)	5 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (5.8%)	16.3	393^rd of 492 public elementary schools	20.1%		12.4	415^th of 493 public elementary schools	15.8%	22	33.3	27.0	14.0	2412.0	30.6	51.3	2519.0	27.0	20.9	20.0	16.7	2499.0	2473.0	2431.0	$19,075

Frequently Asked Questions about Wendell L. Cross School

What is the racial makeup of Wendell L. Cross School?

Students at Wendell L. Cross School are 53% Hispanic, 23% African American, 15% White, 7% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What schools do graduates of Wendell L. Cross School attend?

Students who attend Wendell L. Cross School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Michael F. Wallace Middle School
High : Crosby High School

What district is Wendell L. Cross School in?

Waterbury School District

Is Wendell L. Cross School a good school?

Wendell L. Cross School ranks in the bottom 17.9% of Connecticut elementary schools.

How many students attend Wendell L. Cross School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 606 students attended Wendell L. Cross School.

Rate Wendell L. Cross School!

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Latest Connecticut data All new data »

2024–25 through 2025–26 attendance data & graduation ratesAug 31, 2026

2025–26 NGSS, SAT & SBAC test scoresAug 31, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataApr 2, 2026

2024–25 attendance dataNov 6, 2025

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.