Alta Vista Elementary

Summary:

Alta Vista Elementary is a public charter school in Waco, Texas, serving 545 students from pre-kindergarten to 5th grade. The school is part of the Waco Independent School District, which is ranked 901 out of 968 districts in Texas and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Despite having the highest per-student spending among nearby schools at $13,445, Alta Vista Elementary consistently ranks in the bottom 10% of Texas elementary schools, with a statewide ranking between 4213 and 4578 out of 4675 schools over the past several years. The school's performance on STAAR tests is significantly below the district and state averages across all grade levels and subject areas. Additionally, Alta Vista has a significantly higher percentage of Hispanic students (62.94%) and a lower percentage of White students (10.28%) compared to the surrounding schools, which range from 30.39% to 93.55% Hispanic and 1.45% to 61.05% White. The school also has an extremely high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 89.36% to 90.67% over the past three years, which is significantly higher than the nearby schools.

While the nearby schools, such as Parkdale Elementary, Robinson Pri, and Crestview Elementary, also serve economically disadvantaged populations, they generally outperform Alta Vista Elementary on academic measures. This suggests that there may be opportunities to learn from the successful practices and strategies employed by these higher-performing schools to address the persistent academic challenges faced by Alta Vista Elementary.


Detail:

Public, Charter PK, KG-5

 3637 Alta Vista Dr
       Waco, TX  76706-3726


(254) 662-3050

District: Waco Independent School District (Isd)

SchoolDigger Rank:
4578th of 4,675 Texas Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $13,445 Help


Students who attend Alta Vista Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Cesar Chavez Middle
High:    University High School

Student/teacher ratio:  14.6 Help
Number of students:  528

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
65.2%
African American:
21.8%
White:
8.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  93.2% Help


 See top rated Texas elementary schools

 Compare Alta Vista Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Alta Vista Elementary ranks worse than 97.9% of elementary schools in Texas. It also ranks 11th among 15 ranked elementary schools in the Waco Independent School District (Isd). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 7.38. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (65.2%), African American (21.8%), White (8.7%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 93.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Alta Vista Elementary is 14.6. 8 elementary schools in the Waco Independent School District (Isd) have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Alta Vista Elementary employs 36 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Alta Vista Elementary is $13,445, which is the 3rd highest among 15 elementary schools in the Waco Independent School District (Isd).
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Alta Vista Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Alta Vista Elementary 4578th of 4675 Texas public elementary schools. (See Alta Vista Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Waco Independent School District (Isd):

SchoolDigger ranks Waco Independent School District (Isd) 901st of 968 Texas school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Alta Vista Elementary.

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Rank History for Alta Vista Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Alta Vista Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 48.10 2116th 3465 38.9%
2005 40.26 2468th 3475 29.0%
2006 38.59 2558th 3476 26.4%
2007 29.78 3078th 3724 17.3%
2008 28.11 3179th 3768 15.6%
2009 23.91 3441st 3884 11.4%
2010 17.85 3662nd 3937 7.0%
2011 35.88 3137th 4095 23.4%
2012 36.27 3079th 4206 26.8%
2013 15.04 3974th 4221 5.9%
2014 20.06 3814th 4260 10.5%
2015 10.15 4122nd 4320 4.6%
2016 9.72 4093rd 4286 4.5%
2017 15.27 4004th 4329 7.5%
2018 16.27 3988th 4359 8.5%
2019 19.51 3951st 4479 11.8%
2021 14.92 4213th 4578 8.0%
2022 7.37 4505th 4581 1.7%
2023 7.36 4540th 4647 2.3%
2024 7.38 4578th 4675 2.1%
See the entire list of Texas Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Alta Vista Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 8.15 3195th 3226 1.0%
2019 14.25 3232nd 3333 3.0%
2021 17.63 3291st 3446 4.5%
2022 11.32 3428th 3487 1.7%
2023 9.90 3495th 3556 1.7%
2024 9.96 3575th 3638 1.7%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Alta Vista Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 25.18 3037th 3558 14.6%
2019 26.56 3080th 3684 16.4%
2021 22.63 3340th 3799 12.1%
2022 21.11 3623rd 3952 8.3%
2023 20.65 3749th 4086 8.2%
2024 11.65 4190th 4261 1.7%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Alta Vista Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.34 3585th 4264 15.9%
2019 27.11 3632nd 4309 15.7%
2021 17.00 4181st 4451 6.1%
2022 10.31 4393rd 4477 1.9%
2023 10.07 4406th 4521 2.5%
2024 8.04 4499th 4560 1.3%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Alta Vista Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 17.58 3952nd 4306 8.2%
2019 20.46 3847th 4348 11.5%
2021 18.56 3976th 4499 11.6%
2022 10.68 4414th 4561 3.2%
2023 13.33 4339th 4588 5.4%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Alta Vista Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 25.26 2809th 3184 11.8%
2021 29.18 2359th 3006 21.5%
2022 5.57 2912th 2958 1.6%
2023 15.84 2797th 2980 6.1%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for At Risk students at Alta Vista Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 17.66 4034th 4240 4.9%
2019 25.21 3692nd 4295 14.0%
2021 17.67 4161st 4331 3.9%
2022 11.98 4365th 4461 2.2%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for At Risk Students!

Rank History for Male students at Alta Vista Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 18.34 3906th 4319 9.6%
2019 20.38 3838th 4357 11.9%
2021 14.08 4231st 4498 5.9%
2022 6.60 4512th 4563 1.1%
2023 4.97 4547th 4585 0.8%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Alta Vista Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.27 1491st 2483 40.0%
2019 51.60 1077th 2515 57.2%
2021 16.14 2344th 2444 4.1%
2022 15.69 2303rd 2421 4.9%
2023 19.21 2227th 2443 8.8%
2024 12.70 2361st 2421 2.5%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Alta Vista Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 21.12 3748th 4168 10.1%
2019 24.93 3585th 4188 14.4%
2021 21.06 3833rd 4329 11.5%
2022 9.30 4316th 4376 1.4%
2023 9.41 4310th 4401 2.1%
2024 8.70 4355th 4431 1.7%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Alta Vista Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 6.76 3079th 3127 1.5%
2019 8.50 3064th 3142 2.5%
2021 11.77 2939th 3082 4.6%
2022 6.71 3031st 3082 1.7%
2023 10.90 2971st 3106 4.3%
2024 11.12 2957th 3078 3.9%
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.

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





Data source: Texas Education Agency

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)
50%

0%

0%

0%

50%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Saturday, August 21, 2021

Open Quote It is a well operated school with an outstanding administration and teachers. Behavior is not a problem and the school is well maintained in a great location. Children are respected and receive an excellent education here. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Alta Vista Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 141 142 2 95 n/a n/a n/a 0 380
1989 141 149 7 107 0 n/a n/a 0 404
1990 77 55 3 62 0 n/a n/a 0 197
1991 112 103 1 92 0 n/a n/a 0 308
1992 120 91 3 93 0 n/a n/a 0 307
1993 124 136 1 102 0 n/a n/a 0 363
1994 114 100 1 67 0 n/a n/a 0 282
1995 79 158 3 75 0 n/a n/a 0 315
1996 79 158 3 75 0 n/a n/a 0 315
1997 98 144 2 84 0 n/a n/a 0 328
1998 76 158 3 95 0 n/a n/a 0 332
1999 144 163 2 182 0 n/a n/a 0 491
2000 124 159 2 169 0 n/a n/a 0 454
2001 114 151 2 204 0 n/a n/a 0 471
2002 127 117 2 229 0 n/a n/a 0 475
2003 127 117 2 229 0 n/a n/a 0 475
2004 112 130 2 215 0 n/a n/a 0 459
2005 97 146 3 232 0 n/a n/a 0 478
2006 94 133 0 236 0 n/a n/a 0 463
2007 92 125 1 265 1 n/a n/a 0 484
2008 79 123 3 254 1 n/a n/a 0 460
2009 79 123 2 283 0 n/a n/a 0 487
2010 70 135 2 288 2 n/a n/a 0 497
2011 45 97 0 305 0 0 13 0 460
2012 51 94 0 298 1 0 9 0 453
2013 63 104 0 325 6 0 9 0 507
2014 57 131 1 298 16 0 11 0 514
2015 51 125 1 330 2 0 11 0 520
2016 58 137 1 352 0 0 11 0 559
2017 48 130 1 323 1 0 15 0 518
2018 51 103 1 330 1 0 12 0 498
2019 42 105 2 339 0 0 14 0 502
2020 46 114 3 324 0 1 17 0 505
2021 45 100 1 313 0 0 8 0 467
2022 51 105 0 326 2 0 20 0 504
2023 56 122 1 343 1 0 22 0 545
2024 46 115 0 344 4 0 19 0 528

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 Alta Vista Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 380 24.0 15.8 n/a
1989 404 n/a n/a n/a
1990 197 20.0 9.8 n/a
1991 308 19.6 15.7 n/a
1992 307 20.4 15.0 58
1993 363 23.0 15.8 74.1
1994 282 22.0 12.8 63.1
1995 315 23.0 13.7 66
1996 315 23.0 13.7 66
1997 328 24.5 13.4 62.8
1998 332 25.0 13.3 71.7
1999 491 34.1 14.4 80.2
2000 454 35.5 12.8 78.9
2001 471 32.8 14.4 77.5
2002 475 32.0 14.8 82.1
2003 475 32.0 14.8 82.1
2004 459 28.2 16.3 78
2005 478 29.2 16.4 80.1
2006 463 28.7 16.1 75.8
2007 484 28.6 16.9 77.1
2008 460 28.8 16.0 79.6
2009 487 30.0 16.2 79.1
2010 497 30.0 16.5 85.1
2011 460 29.7 15.4 85.4
2012 453 30.3 14.9 89.4
2013 507 30.0 16.8 90.3
2014 514 32.5 15.7 92.8
2015 520 32.0 16.2 92.5
2016 559 33.0 16.9 89.8
2017 518 34.4 15.0 94.6
2018 498 33.4 14.8 93.8
2019 502 34.0 14.7 88.8
2020 505 34.3 14.7 91.7
2021 467 33.0 14.1 90.1
2022 504 34.5 14.5 90.7
2023 545 36.1 15.0 89.4
2024 528 36.0 14.6 93.2

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 Alta Vista Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 380 24.0 15.8 n/a
1989 404 n/a n/a n/a
1990 197 20.0 9.8 n/a
1991 308 19.6 15.7 n/a
1992 307 20.4 15.0 58
1993 363 23.0 15.8 74.1
1994 282 22.0 12.8 63.1
1995 315 23.0 13.7 66
1996 315 23.0 13.7 66
1997 328 24.5 13.4 62.8
1998 332 25.0 13.3 71.7
1999 491 34.1 14.4 80.2
2000 454 35.5 12.8 78.9
2001 471 32.8 14.4 77.5
2002 475 32.0 14.8 82.1
2003 475 32.0 14.8 82.1
2004 459 28.2 16.3 78
2005 478 29.2 16.4 80.1
2006 463 28.7 16.1 75.8
2007 484 28.6 16.9 77.1
2008 460 28.8 16.0 79.6
2009 487 30.0 16.2 79.1
2010 497 30.0 16.5 85.1
2011 460 29.7 15.4 85.4
2012 453 30.3 14.9 89.4
2013 507 30.0 16.8 90.3
2014 514 32.5 15.7 92.8
2015 520 32.0 16.2 92.5
2016 559 33.0 16.9 89.8
2017 518 34.4 15.0 94.6
2018 498 33.4 14.8 93.8
2019 502 34.0 14.7 88.8
2020 505 34.3 14.7 91.7
2021 467 33.0 14.1 90.1
2022 504 34.5 14.5 90.7
2023 545 36.1 15.0 89.4
2024 528 36.0 14.6 93.2

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 Alta Vista Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,722 (15.3%) $9,553 (84.7%) $11,275
2020 $1,958 (15.9%) $10,319 (84.1%) $12,277
2021 $1,969 (14.6%) $11,476 (85.4%) $13,445

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Alta Vista 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 3951st of 4479 Elementary schoolsRanks 4540th of 4647 Elementary schools
 9.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Reading (Alta Vista Elementary)2826
 2%
   3rd Grade Reading (Waco Independent School District (Isd))2727
   3rd Grade Reading (Texas)4450
 6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Alta Vista Elementary)2219
 3%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Waco Independent School District (Isd))2520
 5%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Texas)4843
 5%
4th Grade Reading (Alta Vista Elementary)3720
 17%
   4th Grade Reading (Waco Independent School District (Isd))2525
   4th Grade Reading (Texas)4347
 4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Alta Vista Elementary)2712
 15%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Waco Independent School District (Isd))2717
 10%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Texas)4647
 1%
5th Grade Reading (Alta Vista Elementary)3223
 9%
   5th Grade Reading (Waco Independent School District (Isd))3437
 3%
   5th Grade Reading (Texas)5156
 5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Alta Vista Elementary)265
 21%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Waco Independent School District (Isd))3829
 9%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Texas)5650
 6%
5th Grade Science (Alta Vista Elementary)2810
 18%
   5th Grade Science (Waco Independent School District (Isd))3423
 11%
   5th Grade Science (Texas)4834
 14%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students502545
 8.6%
African American105122
 16.2%
American Indian01
Asian21
 50%
Hispanic339343
 1.2%
Pacific Islander00
White4256
 33.3%
Two or More Races1422
 57.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients88.8%89.4%
 0.5%


Schools Near Alta Vista Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Alta Vista Elementary

Alta Vista Elementary ranks in the bottom 2.1% of Texas elementary schools.

Students at Alta Vista Elementary are 65% Hispanic, 22% African American, 9% White, 4% Two or more races.

Students who attend Alta Vista Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Cesar Chavez Middle
High : University High School

In the 2023-24 school year, 528 students attended Alta Vista 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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