School district or education agency · NCES 2512000

Waltham

Waltham, MA

District overview See comparisons

Students5,709

Student membership reported by NCES for 2023–24.

Schools10

operational schools · 2023–24

Students5,709

students in linked records

Latest attendance year2022–23

federal comparable series

Latest finance record$26,980

per student

District, state and country

How does this district compare?

State and national figures use the same measure and reporting period. They are weighted by students or staffing whenever the source provides a denominator.

MeasureDistrictMAUnited States

Academic standing2025

54th percentile55th percentile45th percentile

This district is 1 percentile points lower than the state figure and 9 percentile points higher than the U.S. figure.

Students chronically absent2022–23

25.3%22.8%27.8%

This district is 2.5 percentage points higher than the state figure and 2.5 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Revenue per studentFY 2023

$35,248$24,997$19,509

This district is $10,251 per student higher than the state figure and $15,739 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Spending per studentFY 2023

$26,980$22,954$15,859

This district is $4,026 per student higher than the state figure and $11,121 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Capital outlay per studentFY 2023

$21,267$1,661$1,964

This district is $19,606 per student higher than the state figure and $19,303 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Equipment spending per studentFY 2023

$68$103$336

This district is $35 per student lower than the state figure and $268 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Special-education spending per studentFY 2023

$4,299$4,157$1,793

This district is $142 per student higher than the state figure and $2,506 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Salaries per studentFY 2023

$15,802$13,633$8,742

This district is $2,169 per student higher than the state figure and $7,060 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Benefits per studentFY 2023

$8,564$5,688$3,769

This district is $2,876 per student higher than the state figure and $4,795 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Debt outstanding per studentFY 2023

$26,664$8,192$11,715

This district is $18,472 per student higher than the state figure and $14,949 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Debt retired per studentFY 2023

$1,033$467$869

This district is $566 per student higher than the state figure and $164 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Students per teacher2023–24

10:112:115:1

This district is 2.0 students per teacher lower than the state figure and 5.0 students per teacher lower than the U.S. figure.

Students per counselor2023–24

439:1339:1376:1

This district is 100 students per counselor higher than the state figure and 63 students per counselor higher than the U.S. figure.

District staff per 1,000 students2023–24

170.1161.4138.9

This district is 8.7 staff per 1,000 students higher than the state figure and 31.2 staff per 1,000 students higher than the U.S. figure.

Instructional aides per 1,000 students2023–24

27.830.918.5

This district is 3.1 aides per 1,000 students lower than the state figure and 9.3 aides per 1,000 students higher than the U.S. figure.

School psychologists per 1,000 students2023–24

0.91.50.9

This district is 0.6 psychologists per 1,000 students lower than the state figure and about the same as the U.S. figure.

Regular diplomas among completers2023–24

98.5%98.1%99.0%

This district is 0.4 percentage points higher than the state figure and 0.5 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Annual dropouts among students in grades 9–122023–24

3.9%2.2%2.6%

This district is 1.7 percentage points higher than the state figure and 1.3 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Pre-K students as a share of enrollment2023–24

2.1%3.5%2.9%

This district is 1.4 percentage points lower than the state figure and 0.8 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Students learning English2021–22 · reporting schools

24.5%11.1%12.0%

This district is 13.4 percentage points higher than the state figure and 12.5 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Students receiving IDEA services2021–22 · reporting schools

15.3%17.8%14.0%

This district is 2.5 percentage points lower than the state figure and 1.3 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Students with Section 504 plans2021–22 · reporting schools

4.7%5.0%3.9%

This district is 0.3 percentage points lower than the state figure and 0.7 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Teachers reported as certified2021–22 · reporting schools

74.2%93.7%95.8%

This district is 19.5 percentage points lower than the state figure and 21.6 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Enrollment change2021–22 to 2023–24

+3.9%+0.5%+0.5%

This district is 3.4 percentage points higher than the state figure and 3.4 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Out-of-school suspension rate · students without disabilities2021–22 · matched enrollment

1.4%2.7%4.5%

This district is 1.3 percentage points lower than the state figure and 3.1 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Out-of-school suspension rate · students receiving IDEA services2021–22 · matched enrollment

3.5%7.1%9.0%

This district is 3.6 percentage points lower than the state figure and 5.5 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Out-of-school suspension rate · students with Section 504 plans2021–22 · matched enrollment

1.2%4.3%6.7%

This district is 3.1 percentage points lower than the state figure and 5.5 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Students enrolled in district distance education2021–22 · matched enrollment

1.0%2.9%5.1%

This district is 1.9 percentage points lower than the state figure and 4.1 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

School-age children in poverty2024 Census estimate

12.2%10.4%14.4%

This district is 1.8 percentage points higher than the state figure and 2.2 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Enrollment · 2023–24

Who attends this district?

Pre-K122 students

2.1%

Kindergarten–grade 52,539 students

44.5%

Grades 6–81,232 students

21.6%

Grades 9–121,805 students

31.6%

See enrollment for every grade

Pre-Kindergarten122

Kindergarten408

Grade 1444

Grade 2441

Grade 3420

Grade 4413

Grade 5413

Grade 6419

Grade 7421

Grade 8392

Grade 9419

Grade 10499

Grade 11457

Grade 12430

Students by race and ethnicity

Hispanic/Latino2,709 (47.5%)

White2,054 (36.0%)

Black or African American459 (8.0%)

Asian293 (5.1%)

Two or more races181 (3.2%)

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander5 (0.1%)

American Indian or Alaska Native3 (0.1%)

Final NCES Common Core of Data membership file, 2023–24. Suppressed or missing cells are not estimated.

Early learning · 2023–24

How much public pre-K is reported?

122Students enrolled in pre-K

8Pre-K teachers, full-time equivalent

15.3:1Reported pre-K students per pre-K teacher

Pre-K students as a share of district enrollment

District2.1%

MA3.5%

United States2.9%

Final NCES Common Core of Data membership and staff files, 2023–24. Enrollment shows children attending district-run public pre-K. It does not show open seats, waitlists, private providers, program hours, eligibility or the cost to families.

Current staffing · 2023–24

How many staff members support students?

970.9All district staff, full-time equivalent

552.3Teachers, full-time equivalent

13School counselors, full-time equivalent

5.3School psychologists, full-time equivalent

159Instructional aides, full-time equivalent

9.6Librarians and media specialists, full-time equivalent

26School administrators, full-time equivalent

75.3Student support staff, full-time equivalent

See detailed staffing

Pre-K teachers8 FTE

Kindergarten teachers27.2 FTE

Elementary teachers350.1 FTE

Secondary teachers167 FTE

Elementary school counselors5 FTE

Secondary school counselors8 FTE

Instructional coordinators8 FTE

District administrators16.5 FTE

District administrative support27.5 FTE

School administrative support22 FTE

Library and media support9 FTE

Other support staff47.5 FTE

Final NCES Common Core of Data staff file, 2023–24. These are full-time-equivalent positions, not employee headcounts, vacancies or caseloads.

High-school outcomes · 2023–24

How many students completed school or dropped out?

398Total completers

392Regular diplomas

6Other state-recognized credentials

70Reported dropouts, grades 9–12

Regular diplomas among completers

District98.5%

MA98.1%

United States99.0%

Annual dropouts among students in grades 9–12

District3.9%

MA2.2%

United States2.6%

Final NCES Common Core of Data completer and dropout files, 2023–24. The dropout rate divides the reported annual grades 9–12 dropout count by complete grades 9–12 enrollment. It is not a cohort graduation rate. The diploma share describes credentials among completers and should not be read as a graduation rate.

Graduation · 2022–23

How many students graduated within four years?

Loading the district's official graduation record…

Learning support · 2021–22 federal snapshot

How many students may need specialized support?

Counts and shares use only schools with a usable value for that measure. The reporting-school denominator prevents missing schools from being counted as zero.

24.5%Students learning English1,317 students · 10 of 10 schools reported both this measure and enrollment

District24.5%

MA11.1%

U.S.12.0%

15.3%Students receiving IDEA special-education services823 students · 10 of 10 schools reported both this measure and enrollment

District15.3%

MA17.8%

U.S.14.0%

4.7%Students with Section 504 plans251 students · 10 of 10 schools reported both this measure and enrollment

District4.7%

MA5.0%

U.S.3.9%

3.6%English learners also receiving IDEA services192 students · 10 of 10 schools reported both this measure and enrollment

District3.6%

MA2.3%

U.S.1.7%

U.S. Department of Education Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021–22. Public-use counts are privacy-protected. These figures describe the reporting year, not current enrollment, diagnoses, service quality or unmet need.

Teacher quality and early learning · 2021–22

What did the district report about teachers and preschool?

74.2%Teachers reported as certified

117Children ages 3–5 in district preschool

Teacher certification comparison

District74.2%

MA93.7%

United States95.8%

U.S. Department of Education Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021–22. Certification status is district-reported and may not match current staffing. Preschool counts cover the federal reporting year and are not a measure of available seats.

Community context · 2024

How many school-age children live in poverty?

This Census estimate provides context about families in the district. It does not measure school quality or describe every student enrolled in the district.

6,311children ages 5 to 17

767estimated to live in families below the poverty line

12.2%about 1 in 8 school-age children

District12.2%

MA10.4%

United States14.4%

U.S. Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024. The estimate covers related children ages 5 to 17 in families in poverty and uses 2024–25 district boundaries.

District geography · 2024–25

What area does this district cover?

NCES publishes a geographic boundary for traditional school districts. Charter agencies and some special-purpose agencies may not have one.

Loading the official district boundary…

Source: NCES EDGE School District Boundaries, school year 2024–25.

Comparable districts

Districts serving a similar student population

These peers are matched using enrollment and available student population measures. Districts in MA receive geographic preference, but a closer national match may appear when it is more comparable. Open any profile for a full comparison.

PeabodyPeabody, MA5,832 studentsSimilar enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View profile →WeymouthEast Weymouth, MA5,641 studentsSimilar enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View profile →LeominsterLeominster, MA6,012 studentsSimilar enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View profile →Bridgewater-RaynhamBridgewater, MA5,582 studentsSimilar enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View profile →MaldenMalden, MA6,282 studentsSimilar enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View profile →

Academic results · 2025

How do results differ among student groups?

Asian students243 assessments

79 out of 100

White students1,751 assessments

75 out of 100

Students not economically disadvantaged2,479 assessments

73 out of 100

Fem2,399 assessments

54 out of 100

Mal2,559 assessments

54 out of 100

Black students443 assessments

46 out of 100

Economically disadvantaged students2,481 assessments

34 out of 100

Hispanic students2,311 assessments

33 out of 100

A score of 50 marks the national 2019 midpoint. Higher numbers indicate stronger results on the comparable Stanford research scale. This is not a state proficiency rate.

District makeup

What kinds of schools are in the district?

7Elementary schools

2Middle schools

1High schools

10City setting

School levels, settings and types use the NCES 2021–22 directory matched to the federal civil-rights collection.

District finances

How is the district funded, and how does it spend?

Sources of funds

Where the money comes from

Share of district revenue supplied by each level of government.

5.5%Federal

37.1%State

57.4%Local

Uses of funds

Where the money goes

Annual spending for each enrolled student.

$26,980Total current spending per student

$16,497Instruction per student

$9,539Support services per student

Revenue by source: percentages and dollars

$11.2MFederal revenue5.5% of total revenue

$74.5MState revenue37.1% of total revenue

$115.3MLocal revenue57.4% of total revenue

How operating money was used

$16,497Instructionper student

$9,539Student and instructional supportper student

$4,299Special educationper student

$2,317Building operations and maintenanceper student

$932Student transportationper student

$938Food servicesper student

$72Technologyper student

People costs

$90.1MSalaries$15,802 per student

$48.8MEmployee benefits$8,564 per student

Equipment, buildings and debt

$390KEquipmentFY 2023

$121.3MCapital outlay$21,267 per student

$120.9MConstructionincluded in capital outlay

$152.1MDebt outstanding at year end$26,664 per student

$0New debt issuedFY 2023

$5.9MDebt principal retiredFY 2023

$5MInterest paid on debtFY 2023

Selected federal program revenue

$891KTitle I$156 per student

$2.1MIDEA special education$361 per student

$84KCareer and technical education$15 per student

$4.3MChild nutrition$754 per student

What changed since FY 2022

Operating spending per student

FY 2022$26,713

FY 2023$26,980

Capital spending per student

FY 2022$32,483

FY 2023$21,267

Debt outstanding per student

FY 2022$28,740

FY 2023$26,664

Revenue shares and spending categories answer different questions and should not be added together. Source: NCES F-33 district finance, FY 2023.

Attendance

How has chronic absence changed?

2020–2121%

1,133 of 5,398 students

2021–2227.2%

1,461 of 5,379 students

2022–2325.3%

1,396 of 5,526 students

Specialized support and security · 2021–22

What specialized roles were reported?

12Sworn law-enforcement officer FTE10 reporting schools

0Security staff FTE10 reporting schools

Staffing is reported as full-time equivalents in the 2021–22 CRDC collection.

Learning opportunities

What do district schools offer?

Algebra I1 reporting schools

Calculus1 reporting schools

Biology1 reporting schools

Chemistry1 reporting schools

Physics1 reporting schools

Computer science1 reporting schools

Advanced Placement1 reporting schools

Dual enrollment1 reporting schools

Gifted programs10 reporting schools

International Baccalaureate1 reporting schools

Athletics1 reporting schools

Shares use only schools for which the program was applicable and reported. A districtwide percentage does not guarantee availability at every grade or campus. Source: 2021–22 CRDC.

Safety and discipline

What was reported across district schools?

90Out-of-school suspensions10 reporting schoolsSee schools →147In-school suspensions10 reporting schoolsSee schools →1Law-enforcement referrals10 reporting schoolsSee schools →0School-related arrests10 reporting schoolsSee schools →

Counts are from the 2021–22 CRDC collection. Open a measure to see the schools behind the district total.

Technology and safety · 2021–22

What access and incident data is available?

100%Schools reporting Wi-Fi10 reporting schools

100%Schools reporting fiber10 reporting schools

1Student devices reported10 reporting schools

Technology and incident figures are from the 2021–22 CRDC collection. Device counts describe the reporting year, not current inventory.

Six questions parents ask

What the available data says

Each answer shows its reporting year and opens a deeper comparison. Missing and suppressed results are never shown as zero.

Are students making academic progress?5 years of resultsLatest research estimate: 2025Explore and compare →Are students missing too much school?25.3% chronically absent2022–23 · 5,526 students measuredExplore and compare →Is the district improving?Declined overallCompare the earliest and latest available yearsExplore and compare →Where are student-group gaps largest?8 student groups2025 research estimatesExplore and compare →How much does the district spend?$26,980current spending per studentExplore and compare →Does the district have enough support staff?439:1 counselor ratioStudents per counselor in the 2023–24 federal staffing fileExplore and compare →

Data status

8 of 8 national data layers are matched to this NCES district ID. Identity and school counts use NCES records. Academic estimates use SEDA, attendance uses EDFacts, finance uses NCES F-33, staffing and enrollment use 2023–24 NCES CCD where available, teacher certification, preschool and policy fields use the 2021–22 CRDC, and community poverty context uses Census SAIPE. Four-year graduation rates use 2022–23 EDFacts. Every detailed view preserves its reporting year.

See all sources →