Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 37 schools in district

Wilbur Cross High School

181 Mitchell Dr., New Haven, CT 06511New Haven School District →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
1,633
Students
Total enrolled
86%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
~avg
$25,592
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 78% vs nat'l
12.6 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 18% vs nat'l
31/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 39% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 1,633 students in grades 09–12 in New Haven, Connecticut.
78% above average funding
District spends $25,592 per pupil, 78% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 31th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Wilbur Cross High School is a very large high in New Haven, Connecticut, serving grades 09–12 with 1,633 students. The district invests $25,592 per student — 78% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 76% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 31/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Wilbur Cross High School

1,633
Total Students
12.6 : 1
Student:Teacher
76%
Free Lunch
129
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution887 male · 746 female
54%
46%
Male 54%Female 46%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility76%
National avg 52% · 1,240 students
Student Composition
10%
65%
22%
Asian2%
White10%
Hispanic / Latino65%
Black22%
Multiracial1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 090279000585

Academic Outcomes at Wilbur Cross High School

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
86
Near avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
86%
State avg
93%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
31
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 31th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 3th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 06511

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$25,592Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$25,592
State avg
$28,931
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$11,261
Student Support$4,863
Administration$3,071
Operations$3,839
Other$2,559
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $25,592 spent per student, an estimated $11,337 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
57%
29%
State government
56.9%
Local (property tax)
29.2%
Federal programs
13.9%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 86% graduation rate — near the national average of 87%
  • Above-average funding — $25,592/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (31/100) — national median is 50
  • 76% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Fair Haven SchoolConte/West Hills Magnet SchoolRoss/Woodward SchoolNathan Hale School
+19 more
↓
High School
James Hillhouse High SchoolHill Regional Career High SchoolEngineering - Science University Magnet SchoolCooperative High School - Inter-District Magnet
+3 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountySouth Central Connecticut Planning Region
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictNew Haven School District →
Phone: (475)220-7400
NCES ID: 090279000585
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in New Haven seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in New Haven School District
High
James Hillhouse High School
1,139 students · 09–12
● 31 opp79% FRL
Elem
Fair Haven School
682 students · PK–08
● 44 opp81% FRL
High
Hill Regional Career High School
651 students · 09–12
● 33 opp78% FRL
Elem
Conte/West Hills Magnet School
606 students · PK–08
● 31 opp82% FRL
Elem
Ross/Woodward School
603 students · PK–08
● 44 opp77% FRL
High
Engineering - Science University Magnet School
598 students · 06–12
● 48 opp50% FRL
High
Cooperative High School - Inter-District Magnet
557 students · 09–12
● 31 opp64% FRL
Elem
Nathan Hale School
530 students · PK–08
● 49 opp59% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
181 Mitchell Dr., New Haven, CT 06511
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.