Best Public Schools in Waco, TX

The city of Waco, Texas is home to 51 schools spanning elementary, middle, high, and alternative education, across several Midway ISD, Waco ISD, and other local districts. While the data reveals stark performance disparities, with some schools like Midway High School and Bosqueville High School consistently outperforming state and district averages, others like Brazos High School struggle with low graduation rates and poor academic outcomes.

The data suggests a strong correlation between a school's socioeconomic status, as measured by free and reduced lunch rates, and its academic performance. High-poverty schools like Parkdale Elementary and Alta Vista Elementary tend to underperform wealthier schools like South Bosque Elementary in the Midway ISD district. This highlights the need for targeted interventions and additional resources to support economically disadvantaged students in the Waco area.

Interestingly, the data also includes several high-performing charter and private schools, such as Paul and Jane Meyer Public High School and Methodist Children's Home, which outperform many of the traditional public schools in the region. This suggests that alternative school models may be effective in improving student outcomes and addressing the systemic inequities present in the Waco school system.