Waterford Unified has three ranked public schools. Percentiles by stage, each among the California schools we score at its level (spring 2026 tests; high schools, spring 2025): Connecting Waters Charter, 45th at elementary, 41st at middle and 30th at high; Waterford Junior, 27th at middle; Waterford High, 44th at high.
Percentile among California schools at the same level
Strong75th+
Solid50–74th
Developing25–49th
Needs Supportbelow 25th
Not scored
The school lists on this page are also available without the map.
Elementary schools
Where does the elementary school we score in Waterford Unified stand?
Connecting Waters Charter’s 45th percentile means it scored higher than 45 in 100 of the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests).
Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.
Where does Waterford Unified’s money go, and what does it plan?
Waterford Unified spent $24,353 per student in the 2024–25 school year.
The typical California district spent $20,491. About 63 cents of every Waterford Unified dollar went to classroom instruction.
Spending by function
Day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, from the district’s annual financial report (SACS) to the California Department of Education. District-wide: it includes central administration and costs never assigned to one campus.
Share by function, 2024–25
Instruction63%
Instruction support8%
Student services8%
Administration10%
Buildings & maintenance10%
Other1%
Shares of the same spending total, by the report’s spending categories, rounded so they add up to 100. Names are simplified from the report’s own categories.
What the district plans
$16.9 million
planned in its 2026–27 plan for 16 funded actions in 6 goals. That’s 39% of its $42.8 million general fund budget. These are planned amounts; the district reports what it spent in a later plan.
The plan in short
Source: the district’s yearly spending plan (Local Control and Accountability Plan, or LCAP, 108 pages), as posted to the California School Dashboard.
Where the money goes
Three actions take 53% of the money. The plan itself puts 65% of it toward staff.
Wellness support $3.3 million
Facilities and learning environments: student attendance and engagement $2.9 million
Academic support personnel: classified $2.8 million
13 other actions
Reading, math and catch-up help
3 of the plan’s 16 funded actions name reading, math, catch-up help or English learners in their titles.
Actions whose titles name catch-up help
Catch-up help $4.6 million
Largest of these
Academic support personnel: classified$2.8 million
Academic support personnel: certificated$1.4 million
Multi Tiered System of Support (MTSS)$432,500
For high-need students (English learners, low-income students and foster youth), what changed and what its goals measure
For high-need students
It plans $9.4 million in extra services for English learners, low-income students and foster youth. For 2025–26, it planned $9.4 million and estimates it spent $8.2 million, $1.2 million (13%) less than planned (our arithmetic).
$8.2 million spent (estimated)$9.4 million planned
Ask: Why did estimated spending on these services come in $1.2 million under the 2025–26 plan, and where does that money go in 2026–27?
What changed
The total is the same as in the 2025–26 plan.
What its goals measure
Read these state results for the district’s own schools as context for the goals they measure; results alone can’t show what the plan caused.
What its goals measure: state results, 2024–25 and 2025–26
Measure
2024–25
2025–26
Change
English, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goals 1 and 3
35%
37%
up 2 pts
Math, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goal 1 · Academic Success
29%
25%
down 4 pts
Chronically absentCounted across all the district’s students, not averaged by schoolGoal 2 · Student & Staff Wellness
18 in 100
19 in 100
1 more in 100
Suspended at least onceGoal 2 · Student & Staff Wellness
5.3%
6.0%
up 0.7 pts
Goal 6 tracks named schools and Goals 4 and 5 track other measures, so they aren’t shown here.
Figures from CDE’s state test, chronic absence and suspension files. Test figures cover every grade the district tests (California tests grades 3–8 and 11), so they differ from a profile’s rated grades. We combined the district’s schools ourselves, weighted by students and leaving out charter schools. Chronically absent means a student missed 10% or more of school days.
The plan’s own titles and amounts
Wellness support · $3,330,860
Facilities and learning environments: student attendance and engagement · $2,900,000
Academic support personnel: classified · $2,761,000
The full plan6 goals, 40 measures and where the money goes
We calculate each action’s share of the plan by dividing its planned amount by the total of the plan’s funded actions ($16.9 million).
Where does the money go?
38% to Goal 1, Academic Success. Each box is one action, sized by its planned dollars and coloured by its change since last year’s plan. Tap a box to open its goal.
not compared: unconfirmed, or repeated across goals
Every goal, in the plan’s order
Goal 1Academic Success$6.4 million38% of action budgets
“Build high-achieving learners who have strong academic foundations and meet goals and standards on time” p. 11 ↗
5 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $6.4 million (unchanged)
Largest funded actions
Academic support personnel: classified$2.8 millionaction 1.3 · p. 69 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $1.1 million is state funding counted toward those services
Academic support personnel: certificated$1.4 millionaction 1.2 · p. 69 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $1.2 million is state funding counted toward those services
Create exceptional learning environments$1.3 millionaction 1.1 · p. 69 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $568,382 is state funding counted toward those services
Design alternative environments$0.5 millionaction 1.5 · p. 69 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Instructional support and coaching$0.4 millionaction 1.4 · p. 69 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $178,009 is state funding counted toward those services
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Academic support personnel: classified · $2.8 million → $2.8 million · p. 69 ↗unchanged
Academic support personnel: certificated · $1.4 million → $1.4 million · p. 69 ↗unchanged
Create exceptional learning environments · $1.3 million → $1.3 million · p. 69 ↗unchanged
Design alternative environments · $500,000 → $500,000 · p. 69 ↗unchanged
Instructional support and coaching · $430,000 → $430,000 · p. 69 ↗unchanged
How the plan measures it · 12 measures
None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 11 ↗.
Goal 2Student & Staff Wellness$3.8 million22% of action budgets
“Promote a wellness approach to health that addresses the physical, mental, social, and emotional well-being of both students and staff” p. 23 ↗
3 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $3.8 million (unchanged)
Largest funded actions
Wellness support$3.3 millionaction 2.1 · p. 69 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $1.2 million is state funding counted toward those services
Multi Tiered System of Support (MTSS)$0.4 millionaction 2.2 · p. 70 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $14,209 is state funding counted toward those services
Highly qualified staffunder $0.1 millionaction 2.3 · p. 70 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Wellness support · $3.3 million → $3.3 million · p. 69 ↗unchanged
Multi Tiered System of Support (MTSS) · $432,500 → $432,500 · p. 70 ↗unchanged
Access to appropriately credentialed and assigned teachersp. 26 ↗
Baseline
2022-23 100% of teachers are appropriately credentialed and assigned.
Target for year 3
100% of teachers are appropriately credentialed and assigned
9 more measures in the plan’s table.
Goal 3Future Readiness$1.8 million11% of action budgets
“Equip our students with the necessary tools, abilities, and critical thinking skills needed to succeed as they advance through school and beyond” p. 31 ↗
2 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $1.8 million (unchanged)
Largest funded actions
Access to a broad course of study$1.6 millionaction 3.1 · p. 70 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $1.5 million is state funding counted toward those services
Access to technology$0.2 millionaction 3.2 · p. 70 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $140,805 is state funding counted toward those services
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Access to a broad course of study · $1.6 million → $1.6 million · p. 70 ↗unchanged
Access to technology · $159,000 → $159,000 · p. 70 ↗unchanged
How the plan measures it · 10 measures
None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 31 ↗.
Goal 4Family and Community Connections$1.8 million10% of action budgets
“Strengthen the connections between schools, families, and communities, recognizing their key role as valuable partners in our student’s educational journeys” p. 39 ↗
2 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $1.8 million (unchanged)
Largest funded actions
Enrichment$1.5 millionaction 4.1 · p. 70 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $129,193 is state funding counted toward those services
Community connection$0.3 millionaction 4.2 · p. 70 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $51,748 is state funding counted toward those services
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Enrichment · $1.5 million → $1.5 million · p. 70 ↗unchanged
Community connection · $290,000 → $290,000 · p. 70 ↗unchanged
How the plan measures it · 2 measures
None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 39 ↗.
Goal 5Facility and Learning Environments$2.9 million17% of action budgets
“Create positive, safe, and welcoming spaces accessible to students, staff, and community while upholding our financial responsibilities” p. 44 ↗
2 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $2.9 million (unchanged)
Largest funded actions
Facilities and learning environments: student attendance and engagement$2.9 millionaction 5.1 · p. 70 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Staff and student safety, emergency preparednessunder $0.1 millionaction 5.2 · p. 70 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Facilities and learning environments: student attendance and engagement · $2.9 million → $2.9 million · p. 70 ↗unchanged
Staff and student safety, emergency preparedness · $7,000 → $7,000 · p. 70 ↗unchanged
How the plan measures it · 3 measures
None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 44 ↗.
Goal 6 · Equity Multiplier Focus GoalStability and School Climate$224,3821% of action budgets
“Cultivate a school culture at Sentinel High School that emphasizes well-being and positive relationships through restorative practices, conflict resolution, and the celebration of diversity and achievements” p. 49 ↗
All amounts are planned. We read them from the PDF and added up each goal’s actions ourselves. Page links open the plan at that page.
Who goes to the district’s schools
Who attends
Student mix
2024–25 · October enrollment count, 2,501 students
1Hispanic or Latino59%
2White30%
3Two or more races5%
4Asian4%
5Black or African American1%
6Not reported<1%
7Filipino<1%
8American Indian or Alaska Native<1%
9Pacific Islander<1%
Shares use the district's own October enrollment counts from the CDE, including its charter schools. Rounded labels may not total 100%; segments use the original shares.
Free or reduced-price meals
78%
Across California, 63% of students qualify.
2024–25 · 1,954 of 2,497 students qualify, summed from the CDE’s meal counts for every school it lists under the district, charters included. It comes from a different CDE file than the student mix, so the two totals differ.
The district’s state records
Is the state giving the district extra help?
The state is giving Waterford Unified extra help in 2026. A student group had the Dashboard’s lowest results (red) on two or more measures three years in a row.
It also qualified the year before.
Which students, on which measures
Students with disabilities
English and math
How English learners moved up on the state’s English test
From spring 2025 to spring 2026, 46% of the district’s English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top (131 of 287 students). California: 47%. It counts students moving up the test’s levels, so a student can count here before becoming fluent.
Which public schools in Waterford Unified rank highest?
Elementary: Connecting Waters Charter, 45th percentile (Developing). Middle: Connecting Waters Charter, 41st percentile (Developing). High: Waterford High, 44th percentile (Developing). Each percentile is among the California schools at the same level we score. A rank doesn’t decide fit or whether a child can enroll.
Does living in the Waterford Unified district decide which school my child attends?
Not by itself. Attendance boundaries, programs, transfers and space all matter. Confirm the school for your address, grade and program with the district.
More questions (4)
Are the public schools in Waterford Unified good?
Waterford Unified has one public elementary school we score, Connecting Waters Charter, at the 45th percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 1 Developing. Waterford Unified’s 2 public middle schools run from the 27th to the 41st percentile among the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 2 Developing. Waterford Unified’s 2 public high schools run from the 30th to the 44th percentile among the 1,498 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests). By band: 2 Developing. A percentile compares a school with California public schools at the same level that we score. How we score schools.
How much does Waterford Unified spend per student?
Waterford Unified spent $24,353 per student in the 2024–25 school year. The typical California district spent $20,491. About 63 cents of every Waterford Unified dollar went to classroom instruction. Day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, from its annual financial report to the California Department of Education. The district’s spending, by function.
What is in Waterford Unified’s 2026–27 spending plan?
The district’s 2026–27 spending plan puts $16.9 million into 16 funded actions in 6 goals, 39% of its $42.8 million general fund budget. Its largest goal holds $6.4 million, 38% of the action budgets. The 2026–27 plan, goal by goal.
Where do these results come from?
California’s state tests (CAASPP): spring 2026 for elementary and middle schools, spring 2025 for high schools, and chronic-absence rates for 2025–26, published by the California Department of Education. Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s calculations. How we score schools.
Sources and methodology
This page lists the public schools governed and funded by Waterford Unified, with the district’s spending and state accountability records.
Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2025–26 elementary and middle school; 2024–25 high school
Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s own calculations from these state files.