Waterbury's Three High Schools Exit Turnaround
Families with students at Wilby, Crosby and Kennedy high schools now see those schools out of the state's most intensive improvement category.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Secondary Education
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Waterbury Public Schools posted a third straight year of growth in the Connecticut State Department of Education's 2025-26 Next Generation Accountability results, released November 2, 2026. All three comprehensive high schools, Wilby, Crosby and John F. Kennedy, have exited Turnaround status, a change that matters for families whose students attend Waterbury's high schools.
Why it matters
Exiting Turnaround signals that a school has moved out of the state's most intensive improvement category, which affects how families in Waterbury can judge their child's school. The district also holds the highest accountability index of any large urban district in the state, a benchmark parents comparing schools can weigh alongside commute, programs and cost of living.
Wilby, Crosby and John F. Kennedy high schools have all exited Turnaround status, and three middle schools, Michael F. Wallace, West Side and North End, have exited it earlier. Waterbury Public Schools still needs to improve English language arts and mathematics achievement.
The players
Connecticut State Department of Education
The state agency that administers Connecticut's public school accountability system and publishes Next Generation Accountability results for every district.
Waterbury Public Schools
The city's public school district, which serves Waterbury families and is now reporting multi-year academic growth.
Dr. Darren Schwartz
Superintendent of Waterbury Public Schools, who attributes the district's improvement to curriculum, staff support and reduced screen time.
The details
Superintendent Dr. Darren Schwartz credits the gains to student-friendly materials, staff support, updated curricula and, in some classrooms, stepping away from computers. Teachers are assigning more paper-and-pencil and discussion work to build critical thinking. The district is also tackling chronic absenteeism by reviewing each student's achievement and building individual growth plans.
Timeline
2025-26: The school year covered by the Next Generation Accountability results.
November 2, 2026: The state released the data and this story was published.
The Home Front
Under Connecticut's Next Generation Accountability system, Turnaround is the state's most intensive improvement category, so exits like Waterbury's mark a documented shift in district standing. For households, school-quality ratings remain one of the main factors shaping where families choose to buy or rent.
If your child attends or is considering Wilby, Crosby or Kennedy High School, ask the school how its Turnaround exit affects programs, staffing and the individual growth plans now used to address absenteeism. Compare the district's accountability results with other schools you are weighing before making a housing or enrollment decision.
The takeaway
Waterbury's three-year run of growth and the exit of all three comprehensive high schools from Turnaround is a meaningful signal for families weighing school quality. Ask your child's school directly how it is supporting reading, math and attendance so you can track progress year to year.
Further reading
Explore more Secondary Education coverage for the schools shaping Waterbury families' high school choices.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WTNH.
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