Waterbury Schools Exit Turnaround at Three High Schools
Connecticut's 2025-26 accountability results show Waterbury Public Schools posting a third straight year of growth.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Secondary Education
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Connecticut State Department of Education released 2025-26 Next Generation Accountability results showing Waterbury Public Schools improving for a third straight year. Wilby, Crosby and John F. Kennedy high schools all exited Turnaround status.
Why it matters
The results show that the district's high schools have moved out of the state's intensive intervention category, a sign of measurable academic progress in Waterbury. The district still needs to improve English language arts and mathematics achievement.
Three comprehensive high schools (Wilby, Crosby and Kennedy) exited Turnaround in the 2025-26 Next Generation Accountability results, following three middle schools that previously exited. The district reports a third straight year of growth, but the exact accountability index figures were not included in the extraction.
The players
Connecticut State Department of Education
The state agency that administers Connecticut's public school system and publishes its Next Generation Accountability ratings for districts and schools.
Dr. Darren Schwartz
The superintendent of Waterbury Public Schools, who has led the district's efforts to improve student achievement and reduce chronic absenteeism.
The details
Superintendent Dr. Darren Schwartz credits student-friendly materials, staff support, updated curricula, and in some cases reduced computer use for the gains. Students are doing more paper-and-pencil and discussion work to build critical thinking, while the district works to lower chronic absenteeism by reviewing each child's achievement and building individual growth plans.
Timeline
The 2025-26 school year was covered by the Next Generation Accountability results.
The state released the results on November 2, 2026.
Season Trajectory
Waterbury's exits from Turnaround status under Connecticut's Next Generation Accountability System mark a multi-year climb rather than a single-year bump. The state's framework is the yardstick by which the district's gains are measured.
Families in Waterbury now have three comprehensive high schools that have exited Turnaround status, which can affect how parents assess their children's options. The district's focus on attendance and individual growth plans may shape daily school routines for students.
The takeaway
Sustained improvement over three years suggests that targeted changes to curricula, staff support and classroom methods can move outcomes in urban districts. Families tracking local schools should watch whether English language arts and math gains continue in the next accountability cycle.
Further reading
For more on the district's high school progress, see Secondary Education coverage in Waterbury.
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