Wendell L. Cross School

As a sizable elementary school in Waterbury, Connecticut, Wendell L. Cross School educates 606 students from grades pre-K through 8, operated by Waterbury School District. That puts it 60% larger than the typical public school in Connecticut, which averages around 378 students.

Within Waterbury School District, which oversees 29 schools and 17,123 students, Wendell L. Cross School is one campus in the system.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Wendell L. Cross School lists that 53% of students identify as Hispanic, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups. Other groups include 23% Black, 15% White, 7% multiracial. That is noticeably more Hispanic than the county at large, where the share is closer to 20%.

On the income-and-resources front, Staff filings list 44 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 13.7:1 students per teacher. The state averages around 12.6:1, so this campus is higher than the state norm typical. An estimated 72% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. Set against Naugatuck Valley Planning Region (around 52%), the school's rate is noticeably above typical.

Across the wider county, Naugatuck Valley Planning Region reports that median household earnings sit near $86,191, 34% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 9% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Wendell L. Cross School is one of 121 public schools in Naugatuck Valley Planning Region (combined enrollment of about 59,861 students).

Nearest neighbor: Roberto Clemente International Dual Language School, around 1.0 miles off. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools.

The campus sits in an urban setting.

Trend over the last 7 years. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Wendell L. Cross School has rose 75%, going from 347 students in 2018 to 606 in 2025. Over the same period, the White share ticked down from 28% to 15%. The student-to-teacher ratio tightened from 14.8:1 in 2018 to 13.7:1 today.

On allk12, the feed for Wendell L. Cross School typically covers open house dates, ride-share offers, and field-trip permission slips. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.