1
What's the state of after-school transportation at The Friendship School?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
460
Elementary
DISTRICT 465 · STATE 378
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·LEARN·NCES 090345001430
The Friendship School
24 Rope Ferry Rd., Waterford, CT 06385 · (860) 447-4049 · Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region
GRADES PK–PKELEMENTARY22-SUBURBTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL460 STUDENTS
·
allk12 Grade
Not graded
This school has no state test results for 2023-24 or 2024-25 to grade, which is common for schools that end before third grade. How grades work
Student : Teacher
17.7:1
26 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 15.6:1 · STATE 12.6:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
67%
307 students
DISTRICT 54% · STATE 44%
Community
6
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other elementary schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-K | 460 | 100% |
Student demographics
70%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 69% · STATE 67% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
School pathway
Students here typically continue to
The Friendship School→Regional Multicultural Magnet School
Based on grade levels within Learn. Attendance zones can vary; confirm enrollment with the district.
Schools most like The Friendship School
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Friendship School this school | 460 | 66.7% | N/A |
| Nathan Hale School New Haven | 506 | 64.2% | N/A |
| Vogel-Wetmore School Torrington | 529 | 68.2% | N/A |
| Moriarty Magnet School Norwich | 404 | 72.5% | N/A |
| Holmes Elementary School New Britian | 414 | 66.4% | N/A |
| Benjamin Franklin School Meriden | 357 | 68.6% | N/A |
Matched among Connecticut elementary schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where The Friendship School ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In Connecticut | In Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 460 | #148 of 613 | #9 of 48 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 17.7:1 | #552 of 558 | #42 of 42 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 69.8% | #54 of 560 | #9 of 42 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 66.7% | #144 of 594 | #19 of 48 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -8.5% | #223 of 378 | #21 of 33 |
Ranked against other public elementary schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
460
+9 (+2%) vs 2020
-7% since 2010-11, when it was 492
Student : Teacher
17.7:1
was 14.1:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 460 | 26 | 17.7:1 | 67% (307) |
| 2023-24 | 459 | 29 | 15.8:1 | 62% (283) |
| 2022-23 | 484 | 34 | 14.2:1 | 58% (283) |
| 2020-21 | 451 | 32 | 14.1:1 | 64% (290) |
| 2017-18 | 503 | 44 | 11.4:1 | 48% (241) |
| 2015-16 | 505 | 39 | 12.9:1 | 52% (264) |
| 2010-11 | 492 | 37 | 13.3:1 | 50% (246) |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for The Friendship School.
Since 2017-18: students down 9% (503 to 460); teachers down 41% (44 to 26).
About The Friendship School
The Friendship School is a medium-sized elementary school in Connecticut, with an address in Waterford. School enrollment was 460 students in 2024-25, in pre-K. For comparison, elementary schools in Connecticut average about 378 students.
Learn is the district for The Friendship School. It has 4 schools and 1,295 students.
At The Friendship School, the largest share of students is Hispanic, at 42%. It is also 30% White, 14% multiracial, 11% Black, and 2% Asian. For comparison, the population of Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region is roughly 15% Hispanic. The Friendship School's diversity index is 70%, against a US figure of 70%.
The Friendship School employs 26 full-time-equivalent teachers. That gives a ratio of about 17.7:1. This ratio sits 5.1 above the 12.6:1 average for elementary schools in Connecticut. Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility was 67% in 2024-25. That is 17 points above the 50% average for public schools in Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region.
Recent Census Bureau figures for Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region show that the median household income is $86,586, 36% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and about 8% of residents live below the federal poverty line. The Friendship School is one of 88 public schools in the county.
Waterford High School is the closest public school, about 0.2 miles away in a straight line. Other public schools within five miles number at least 8.
The federal government classifies The Friendship School's location as Suburb: Mid-size.
Enrollment was essentially flat over 4 years: 451 in 2020-21, 460 in 2024-25. The ratio of students to teachers went from 14.1:1 to 17.7:1 over the same years.
To ask about science fairs, picture day, and bus routes, start a discussion on this page. Posting is open to anyone connected to the school.
Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
279,971
Census ACS
Median income
$86,586
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
36%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
8%
Below federal line
Schools in county
88
36,605 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Learn
- Regional Multicultural Magnet SchoolElementary · 469 students
- Marine Science Magnet High SchoolHigh · 274 students
- Three Rivers Middle College Magnet SchoolHigh · 92 students
Other schools in Waterford
- Waterford High SchoolHigh · 713 students
- Clark Lane Middle SchoolMiddle · 529 students
- Great Neck Elementary SchoolElementary · 309 students
- Oswegatchie Elementary SchoolElementary · 292 students
Nearby schools
- Waterford High School0.2 mi · 713
- Clark Lane Middle School0.8 mi · 529
- New London High School1.4 mi · 605
- Science and Technology Magnet Pathway for High School Grades1.4 mi · 171
- Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School1.8 mi · 343
- New London Visual and Performing Arts Magnet Pathway1.8 mi · 268
Frequently asked questions
About The Friendship SchoolHow large is The Friendship School?
The Friendship School enrolls approximately 460 students in grades PK-PK.
Is The Friendship School an elementary, middle, or high school?
The Friendship School is an elementary school covering grades PK-PK.
What is the student-teacher ratio at The Friendship School?
The student-to-teacher ratio at The Friendship School is approximately 17.7:1 (26 FTE teachers).
How diverse is The Friendship School?
The Friendship School reports a student body of 30% White, 42% Hispanic, 11% Black, 2% Asian, 14% Two or more.
Who oversees The Friendship School?
The Friendship School is overseen by Learn in Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.