5.5avg / 10

Waco ISD School District

School District · Waco, Texas

Last updated: October 2026

Students: 13,517

Teachers (FTE): 985

Avg Rating

5.5

out of 10

Schools

15 elem, 3 mid, 5 high

Enrollment

13,517

Student-Teacher Ratio

13.7:1

Avg Rating

5.5

out of 10

Schools

15 elem, 3 mid, 5 high

Enrollment

13,517

Student-Teacher Ratio

13.7:1

How this district compares

Texas rank

#735 of 900

districts by avg. composite

Vs. state average

-0.8

below Texas avg

Per-pupil spending

$14,294

+$1,326 vs Texas median

District size

13,517 students

Much larger than Texas median

The short answer

Waco ISD ranks #735 of 900 Texas districts by overall school rating. Waco ISD's schools with real test data average 5.5/10 across 23 schools. Its top-rated schools are Lake Air Montessori School (8.5/10), Provident Heights EL (7.4/10), and Alta Vista EL (7.3/10). Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.

Best value · beats the odds

Provident Heights EL

Rates 7.4/10 despite 93% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.0 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Waco ISD schools.

Most improved · 2022 → 2024

Provident Heights EL

STAAR proficiency rose +8.8 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Waco ISD schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.

Top-Rated Schools in Waco ISD

Ranked by MySchoolScout composite rating using only schools with real test data (23 of 24). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.

#	School	Rating	Level	Value	Enrollment
1	Lake Air Montessori School	8.5 / 10	Elementary	+1.3	711
2	Provident Heights EL	7.4 / 10	Elementary	+2.0	398
3	Alta Vista EL	7.3 / 10	Elementary	+1.9	528
4	Bell's Hill EL	7.0 / 10	Elementary	+1.9	781
5	Hillcrest Pds Magnet	7.0 / 10	Elementary	-0.6	433
6	Parkdale EL	6.8 / 10	Elementary	+1.4	520
7	Brook Avenue EL	6.5 / 10	Elementary	+1.5	373
8	Tennyson Middle	6.4 / 10	Middle	+0.4	947
9	G L Wiley Opportunity Center	6.1 / 10	Other	+1.0	77
10	Challenge Academy	5.8 / 10	High	+0.2	30

See all 24 schools — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.

About Waco ISD

Waco ISD is a Waco, Texas school district serving 24 schools.The district educates 13,517 students with a student-teacher ratio of 13.7:1. District-level spending was $14,294 per student in fiscal year 2023 (NCES F-33).

With an average rating of 5.5/10, Waco ISD demonstrates solid academic performance.

The highest-rated school in the district is Lake Air Montessori School, which has a composite score of 8.5/10.

In standardized testing, Waco ISD students show an average math proficiency of 42.8% and ELA proficiency of 46.7%.

The district includes 15 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and 5 high schools.

District Map

Schools in Waco ISD, colored by MySchoolScout rank. Click a pin for details.

District Average Test Scores

Math Proficiency42.8%

School

State

Not reported

ELA Proficiency46.7%

School

State

Not reported

Average proficiency across all schools in Waco ISD with test data.

District Details

State: Texas
City: Waco
Total Enrollment: 13,517
Teachers (FTE): 985
District spending per student: $14,294NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
Child poverty rate: 27.0%Census SAIPE · 2024
District directory year: 2023

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Waco ISD?

Waco ISD has 24 schools in total — 15 elementary, 3 middle, and 5 high schools. You can explore each school's ratings and details on this page.

What is the average rating for Waco ISD?

The average composite rating for Waco ISD is 5.5/10. This score is calculated from the individual ratings of all schools with academic data in the district.

What is the district spending per student in Waco ISD?

Waco ISD's district-level spending was $14,294 per student in fiscal year 2023, according to NCES F-33. This is district context, not an individual-school expense.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Waco ISD?

The average student-teacher ratio in Waco ISD is 13.7:1.

What is the top-rated school in Waco ISD?

Lake Air Montessori School is the highest-rated school in Waco ISD with a composite score of 8.5/10.

What are the test scores in Waco ISD?

Across schools in Waco ISD with test data, the average math proficiency is 42.8% and the average ELA (reading/writing) proficiency is 46.7%. These figures represent the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level standards.

How does Waco ISD compare to other districts in Texas?

Waco ISD has an average school rating of 5.5/10 across 24 schools. Families can compare this to other districts in Texas by visiting individual district pages. Factors like school size, available programs, and community demographics also play a role in choosing the right fit.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools?

MySchoolScout ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic performance, and learning environment — plus college readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context without being factored into the score. Learn more about our rating system on our methodology page.

District Averages

Overall Rating: 5.5/10
Math Proficiency: 42.8%
ELA Proficiency: 46.7%

Resources

🔍Search for District Website 📄Official NCES Data 🏫GreatSchools Profile 📍View on Google Maps

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

Other School Districts in TX

Compare Waco ISD with neighboring districts in the state.

See all districts in TX →

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Texas Education Agency, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.