Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 25 schools in district

Whaling City Junior/Senior High School

455 County Street, New Bedford, MA 02740New Bedford →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 07–12Non-Charter
135
Students
Total enrolled
25%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
↓ 72% vs nat'l
$23,947
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 67% vs nat'l
7.5 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 51% vs nat'l
48/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 135 students in grades 07–12 in New Bedford, Massachusetts.
67% above average funding
District spends $23,947 per pupil, 67% more than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 48th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Whaling City Junior/Senior High School is a small high in New Bedford, Massachusetts, serving grades 07–12 with 135 students. The district invests $23,947 per student — 67% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 7.5:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. The 25% graduation rate is below the national average of 87%, a data point worth exploring further during a school visit.

Student Body & Demographics at Whaling City Junior/Senior High School

135
Total Students
7.5 : 1
Student:Teacher
—
Free Lunch
18
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (07–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution86 male · 49 female
64%
36%
Male 64%Female 36%
Student Composition
21%
41%
23%
13%
Asian1%
White21%
Hispanic / Latino41%
Black23%
Multiracial13%
Native American1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 250843002681

Academic Outcomes at Whaling City Junior/Senior High School

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
20-29
Below avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
25%
State avg
91%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
48
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 48th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 71th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 02740

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$23,947Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$23,947
State avg
$28,509
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$10,537
Student Support$4,550
Administration$2,874
Operations$3,592
Other$2,395
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $23,947 spent per student, an estimated $10,609 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
83%
State government
82.7%
Local (property tax)
1.9%
Federal programs
15.4%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $23,947/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 7.5:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 25% graduation rate — below the national average of 87%
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Hayden/McFaddenAbraham LincolnSgt Wm H Carney AcademyCasimir Pulaski
+15 more
↓
Middle
Normandin Middle SchoolKeith Middle SchoolRoosevelt Middle School
↓
High School
New Bedford HighTrinity Day Academy
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades07 – 12
Location—
CountyBristol County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictNew Bedford →
Phone: (508)997-4511
NCES ID: 250843002681
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in New Bedford 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 Bedford
High
New Bedford High
2,898 students · 09–12
● 48 opp
Mid
Normandin Middle School
1,051 students · 06–08
● 45 opp
Mid
Keith Middle School
870 students · 06–08
● 48 opp
Mid
Roosevelt Middle School
778 students · 06–08
● 48 opp
Elem
Hayden/McFadden
682 students · PK–05
● 45 opp
Elem
Abraham Lincoln
641 students · KG–05
● 45 opp
Elem
Sgt Wm H Carney Academy
611 students · PK–05
● 48 opp
Elem
Casimir Pulaski
544 students · PK–05
● 45 opp
District School Rankings
Location
455 County Street, New Bedford, MA 02740
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.