Ward Elementary

Summary:

Ward Elementary is a public elementary school in Abilene, Texas, serving 494 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Abilene Independent School District, which is ranked 676 out of 968 districts in Texas and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Ward Elementary has a more diverse student population compared to nearby schools, with a higher percentage of Hispanic (31.98%) and Asian (5.26%) students. Academically, the school generally outperforms the Abilene ISD average but lags behind the state average, particularly in 3rd grade Math. The school's rankings for specific student subgroups vary significantly, with Asian and Multi-racial students performing the poorest compared to their peers statewide, while English Language Learner students have performed exceptionally well. Ward Elementary also has a higher percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds (52.23% free/reduced lunch) compared to nearby schools.

Over the past decade, Ward Elementary's statewide ranking has steadily declined, suggesting the school may be struggling to keep up with the academic performance of its peers. The significant variation in performance among different student subgroups indicates the school may need to implement more targeted interventions and support. When compared to the nearby Wylie ISD schools, which are ranked significantly higher, Ward Elementary appears to be in the middle of the pack in terms of academic performance and student demographics, providing potential opportunities for the school to learn from higher-performing peers.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 3750 Paint Brush
       Abilene, TX  79606-2679


(325) 690-3666

District: Abilene Independent School District (Isd)

SchoolDigger Rank:
2426th of 4,675 Texas Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,266 Help


Students who attend Ward Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Clack Middle
High:    Cooper High School

Student/teacher ratio:  15.9 Help
Number of students:  494

Racial breakdown:

White:
46.0%
Hispanic:
32.0%
African American:
11.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  52.2% Help


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 Compare Ward Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Ward Elementary ranks worse than 51.9% of elementary schools in Texas. It also ranks 4th among 13 ranked elementary schools in the Abilene Independent School District (Isd). (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 45.98. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (46%), Hispanic (32%), African American (11.1%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 52.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Abilene Independent School District (Isd). (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Ward Elementary is 15.9. 9 elementary schools in the Abilene Independent School District (Isd) have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Ward Elementary employs 31 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Ward Elementary is $9,266. 10 elementary schools in the Abilene Independent School District (Isd) spend more per student.
Schooldigger Rankings:

Ward Elementary was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Abilene Independent School District (Isd):

SchoolDigger ranks Abilene Independent School District (Isd) 676th of 968 Texas school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Ward Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Ward Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 86.65 108th 3465 96.9%
2005 82.81 296th 3475 91.5%
2006 84.34 199th 3476 94.3%
2007 78.85 508th 3724 86.4%
2008 79.10 518th 3768 86.3%
2009 72.76 910th 3884 76.6%
2010 74.24 827th 3937 79.0%
2011 57.67 1954th 4095 52.3%
2012 62.39 1568th 4206 62.7%
2013 70.31 1163rd 4221 72.4%
2014 79.68 734th 4260 82.8%
2015 72.44 1137th 4320 73.7%
2016 74.43 1019th 4286 76.2%
2017 76.16 823rd 4329 81.0%
2018 64.90 1257th 4359 71.2%
2019 58.57 1588th 4479 64.5%
2021 58.44 1600th 4578 65.1%
2022 53.55 1951st 4581 57.4%
2023 47.80 2312th 4647 50.2%
2024 45.98 2426th 4675 48.1%
See the entire list of Texas Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Ward Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 69.55 277th 1046 73.5%
2019 15.92 1004th 1112 9.7%
2021 13.75 895th 961 6.9%
2023 41.30 703rd 1099 36.0%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Ward Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 94.68 86th 3446 97.5%
2022 65.60 877th 3487 74.8%
2023 41.42 2164th 3556 39.1%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Ward Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 48.66 1490th 3558 58.1%
2019 59.44 964th 3684 73.8%
2021 66.55 678th 3799 82.2%
2022 40.37 2254th 3952 43.0%
2023 39.09 2369th 4086 42.0%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Ward Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 66.17 1030th 4264 75.8%
2019 58.34 1474th 4309 65.8%
2021 49.56 2061st 4451 53.7%
2022 44.31 2528th 4477 43.5%
2023 42.28 2722nd 4521 39.8%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Ward Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 60.19 1479th 4306 65.7%
2019 57.85 1608th 4348 63.0%
2021 61.53 1431st 4499 68.2%
2022 55.37 1824th 4561 60.0%
2023 48.83 2240th 4588 51.2%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Ward Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 51.67 1891st 3106 39.1%
2019 54.12 1841st 3184 42.2%
2021 64.87 1199th 3006 60.1%
2022 65.12 1103rd 2958 62.7%
2023 53.69 1759th 2980 41.0%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for At Risk students at Ward Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.24 2941st 4240 30.6%
2019 47.46 2150th 4295 49.9%
2021 31.80 3233rd 4331 25.4%
2022 35.01 3165th 4461 29.1%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for At Risk Students!

Rank History for Male students at Ward Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 65.75 1182nd 4319 72.6%
2019 58.97 1509th 4357 65.4%
2021 55.59 1708th 4498 62.0%
2022 51.50 2085th 4563 54.3%
2023 46.10 2379th 4585 48.1%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Ward Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 5.67 964th 1005 4.1%
2021 56.90 423rd 967 56.3%
2022 37.45 711th 957 25.7%
2023 26.34 863rd 1015 15.0%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Ward Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 75.84 352nd 2483 85.8%
2019 63.77 654th 2515 74.0%
2021 59.61 738th 2444 69.8%
2022 59.67 782nd 2421 67.7%
2023 42.11 1379th 2443 43.6%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Ward Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 55.65 1615th 4168 61.3%
2019 47.89 2137th 4188 49.0%
2021 53.13 1743rd 4329 59.7%
2022 39.44 2787th 4376 36.3%
2023 43.82 2507th 4401 43.0%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Ward Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 53.59 1415th 3127 54.7%
2019 55.45 1357th 3142 56.8%
2021 45.83 1665th 3082 46.0%
2022 39.15 2070th 3082 32.8%
2023 33.54 2248th 3106 27.6%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Texas Education Agency, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Ward Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Texas Education Agency

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Enrollment information for Ward Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1993 506 20 10 27 1 n/a n/a 0 564
1994 490 16 12 21 0 n/a n/a 0 539
1995 454 24 14 33 0 n/a n/a 0 525
1996 454 24 14 33 0 n/a n/a 0 525
1997 442 23 13 35 0 n/a n/a 0 513
1998 435 29 8 45 2 n/a n/a 0 519
1999 406 32 8 40 0 n/a n/a 0 486
2000 402 32 14 42 1 n/a n/a 0 491
2001 364 31 5 41 0 n/a n/a 0 441
2002 365 40 8 82 0 n/a n/a 0 495
2003 365 40 8 82 0 n/a n/a 0 495
2004 364 44 10 77 1 n/a n/a 0 496
2005 380 53 14 90 1 n/a n/a 0 538
2006 382 60 20 82 2 n/a n/a 0 546
2007 403 75 24 118 5 n/a n/a 0 625
2008 368 90 14 120 4 n/a n/a 0 596
2009 354 88 14 116 5 n/a n/a 0 577
2010 320 75 27 136 6 n/a n/a 0 564
2011 314 70 27 130 4 2 23 0 570
2012 285 73 44 137 4 0 31 0 574
2013 305 64 29 141 2 1 32 0 574
2014 318 45 19 137 0 2 28 0 549
2015 306 52 14 144 1 2 31 0 550
2016 305 61 15 157 1 1 29 0 569
2017 297 57 19 161 1 0 22 0 557
2018 300 51 22 171 1 0 20 0 565
2019 308 31 22 164 1 0 27 0 553
2020 312 36 27 166 4 0 27 0 572
2021 255 56 20 154 2 0 27 0 514
2022 244 52 21 154 1 0 26 0 498
2023 227 55 26 158 2 0 26 0 494

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Ward Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1993 564 32.0 17.6 7.4
1994 539 33.2 16.2 2.2
1995 525 34.7 15.1 4.4
1996 525 34.7 15.1 4.4
1997 513 35.1 14.6 5.1
1998 519 32.9 15.8 6.7
1999 486 31.9 15.2 11.7
2000 491 30.7 16.0 9.6
2001 441 32.2 13.7 10.9
2002 495 31.5 15.7 23.8
2003 495 31.5 15.7 23.8
2004 496 31.9 15.5 27
2005 538 34.3 15.7 30.5
2006 546 36.8 14.8 33.9
2007 625 38.9 16.1 31.7
2008 596 40.1 14.9 35.1
2009 577 37.0 15.6 38.1
2010 564 36.9 15.2 45.2
2011 570 34.4 16.5 44.7
2012 574 33.9 16.8 46
2013 574 31.3 18.3 46.5
2014 549 31.5 17.4 39
2015 550 31.0 17.7 39.5
2016 569 34.0 16.7 43.8
2017 557 32.2 17.2 51.3
2018 565 32.2 17.4 50.6
2019 553 32.3 17.1 43
2020 572 33.5 17.0 43.2
2021 514 35.3 14.5 49
2022 498 31.0 16.0 42.4
2023 494 31.0 15.9 52.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Ward Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1993 564 32.0 17.6 7.4
1994 539 33.2 16.2 2.2
1995 525 34.7 15.1 4.4
1996 525 34.7 15.1 4.4
1997 513 35.1 14.6 5.1
1998 519 32.9 15.8 6.7
1999 486 31.9 15.2 11.7
2000 491 30.7 16.0 9.6
2001 441 32.2 13.7 10.9
2002 495 31.5 15.7 23.8
2003 495 31.5 15.7 23.8
2004 496 31.9 15.5 27
2005 538 34.3 15.7 30.5
2006 546 36.8 14.8 33.9
2007 625 38.9 16.1 31.7
2008 596 40.1 14.9 35.1
2009 577 37.0 15.6 38.1
2010 564 36.9 15.2 45.2
2011 570 34.4 16.5 44.7
2012 574 33.9 16.8 46
2013 574 31.3 18.3 46.5
2014 549 31.5 17.4 39
2015 550 31.0 17.7 39.5
2016 569 34.0 16.7 43.8
2017 557 32.2 17.2 51.3
2018 565 32.2 17.4 50.6
2019 553 32.3 17.1 43
2020 572 33.5 17.0 43.2
2021 514 35.3 14.5 49
2022 498 31.0 16.0 42.4
2023 494 31.0 15.9 52.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Ward Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,036 (13.0%) $6,958 (87.0%) $7,994
2020 $915 (11.5%) $7,008 (88.5%) $7,923
2021 $1,167 (12.6%) $8,099 (87.4%) $9,266

Data source: Texas Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Ward Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 1588th of 4479 Elementary schoolsRanks 2312th of 4647 Elementary schools
 14.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Reading (Ward Elementary)4452
 8%
   3rd Grade Reading (Abilene Independent School District (Isd))3542
 7%
   3rd Grade Reading (Texas)4450
 6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Ward Elementary)3947
 8%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Abilene Independent School District (Isd))3735
 2%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Texas)4843
 5%
4th Grade Reading (Ward Elementary)6348
 15%
   4th Grade Reading (Abilene Independent School District (Isd))3838
   4th Grade Reading (Texas)4347
 4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Ward Elementary)5449
 5%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Abilene Independent School District (Isd))3534
 1%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Texas)4647
 1%
5th Grade Reading (Ward Elementary)5550
 5%
   5th Grade Reading (Abilene Independent School District (Isd))4147
 6%
   5th Grade Reading (Texas)5156
 5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Ward Elementary)4444
   5th Grade Mathematics (Abilene Independent School District (Isd))4337
 6%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Texas)5650
 6%
5th Grade Science (Ward Elementary)4320
 23%
   5th Grade Science (Abilene Independent School District (Isd))3723
 14%
   5th Grade Science (Texas)4834
 14%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students553494
 10.7%
African American3155
 77.4%
American Indian12
 100%
Asian2226
 18.2%
Hispanic164158
 3.7%
Pacific Islander00
White308227
 26.3%
Two or More Races2726
 3.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients43%52.2%
 9.2%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Ward Elementary

Students at Ward Elementary are 46% White, 32% Hispanic, 11% African American, 5% Asian, 5% Two or more races.

Ward Elementary ranks 2426th of 4675 Texas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Ward Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Clack Middle
High : Cooper High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 494 students attended Ward Elementary.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Texas Education Agency.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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