Connecting Waters Charter, Waterford CA

Original Research by School Decision on Connecting Waters Charter

Connecting Waters Charter is a kindergarten through twelfth-grade charter school serving a modest enrollment in Waterford, a small Central Valley city that functions as a residential bedroom community tied to Modesto while retaining agricultural roots. The school operates as part of Connecting Waters Charter District and earned a full six-year accreditation status through mid-2029, giving families multi-year assurance of the school's standing and the validity of credits and diplomas.

The student body is roughly split between white and Hispanic students, with a substantial Asian population and smaller numbers of other groups. A majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic profile of the area. The school draws from a community where most residents own their homes, though the region faces housing affordability pressures common to California's Central Valley.

State testing data from spring 2025 shows the school is below the midpoint of proficiency among districts in Stanislaus County. Math proficiency is consistently low across all tested grades, with the lowest rates appearing in the sixth and fifth grades. English language arts shows more variance: fourth-grade students reached about half proficient, seventh graders performed above that, and early and middle elementary grades performed considerably lower. Science proficiency, tested in grades five and eight, sits around a quarter of students performing at proficient or higher. These results suggest students are encountering substantial academic challenges, particularly in mathematics.

The school has only one year of testing data available, so trends cannot yet be assessed. Parents may want to look into the specific instructional supports, curriculum choices, and tutoring or intervention services the school offers to address these proficiency gaps, especially in math. The district adopted a multi-year Local Control and Accountability Plan through 2027 and a 2024-2025 Strategic Plan outlining its funding priorities and goals.

Waterford itself is experiencing steady growth, with housing development accelerating and new infrastructure projects underway to support expansion. The city is small and car-oriented, served primarily by State Route 132 as the main corridor, though a riverside parkway trail offers recreational access. Employment centers in agriculture, manufacturing, and services define the local economy, with the school district itself a significant employer. Most residents commute by car, many to Modesto and surrounding areas.

For families considering Connecting Waters, the school offers a traditional K-12 pathway under charter governance within a growing residential community. The proficiency numbers are low and warrant direct conversation with school leadership about remediation, teaching methods, and student progress monitoring before enrollment.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

State test results and graduation outcomes.

Graduation rate (ACGR)

85-89%Cohort of 132 students · Class of 2021

The federal source publishes a banded range instead of an exact rate when the graduating cohort is small enough that an exact number could risk identifying individual students.

How this school compares to all schools in this state

Each dot is one school’s SY 2020-21 graduation rate, binned by integer rate. Taller columns mean more schools at that rate. This school is highlighted.

2,394 schools plotted. 142 additional schools' rates are federally suppressed and not shown. Data: EDFacts SY 2020-21.

Math

Grade 333%

School 33% · district not reported

▼ 10 pts below state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

Grade 431%

School 31% · district not reported

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Grade 524%

School 24% · district not reported

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Grade 621%

School 21% · district not reported

▼ 10 pts below state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

Grade 723%

School 23% · district not reported

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 823%

School 23% · district not reported

▼ 5 pts below state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 323%

School 23% · district not reported

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

Grade 450%

School 50% · district not reported

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

Grade 535%

School 35% · district not reported

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

Grade 644%

School 44% · district not reported

even with state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

Grade 753%

School 53% · district not reported

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

Grade 844%

School 44% · district not reported

▼ 1 pts below state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Science

Grade 524%

School 24% · district not reported

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Grade 832%

School 32% · district not reported

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

This schoolDistrict average, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income11%Higher-income40%29 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income52%Higher-income48%4 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income31%Higher-income41%10 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income41%Higher-income46%5 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income53%Higher-income54%1 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income40%Higher-income48%8 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income18%Higher-income55%37 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income36%Higher-income26%10 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income17%Higher-income35%18 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income17%Higher-income25%8 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income18%Higher-income31%13 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income20%Higher-income28%8 pp gap