Waterbury Public Schools
Waterbury Public Schools is a school district based in Waterbury, Connecticut. The district serves over 18,000 students. Waterbury is notable as the first school district in Connecticut to establish a dress code for all students. Waterbury Public Schools operates under the leadership of superintendent Dr. Verna D. Ruffin and a Board of Education that consists of 10 elected members and the City Mayor. Waterbury's 1,500 teachers work in 30 schools and educational programs. They belong to the Waterbury Teachers' Association. History. Waterbury's first public high school opened in 1851... District Reference Group I. Waterbury is  one of the seven public school systems in District Reference Group I, a classification made by the state Department of Education for the purpose of comparison with the achievement levels of similar schools. District reference groups are defined as "districts whose students' families are similar in education, income, occupation and need, and that have roughly similar enrollment". The other six school districts in the group are Bridgeport, Hartford, New Britain, New Haven, New London, and Windham.