South Waco Elementary

Summary:

South Waco Elementary is a public elementary school serving 462 students in grades PK-5 in the Waco Independent School District (ISD) in Texas. The school has a predominantly African American (50.65%) and Hispanic (37.88%) student population and has consistently ranked among the lowest-performing elementary schools in the state.

South Waco Elementary's academic performance, as measured by STAAR test scores, is significantly below the state and district averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 12.5% of 3rd-grade students were proficient or better in STAAR Reading, compared to 48.85% statewide and 23.54% for the Waco ISD. The school also has an extremely high percentage of students (over 96%) who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population. Despite a relatively low student-teacher ratio and higher per-student spending, South Waco Elementary has not been able to address its persistent low performance over the past decade.

While the nearby schools in the Waco ISD also face challenges, some, such as Bell's Hill Elementary and Crestview Elementary, have demonstrated relatively stronger academic performance and higher statewide rankings compared to South Waco Elementary. This suggests that factors beyond just socioeconomic status may be contributing to the persistent low performance at South Waco Elementary, and addressing these issues will require a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 2104 Gurley Ln
       Waco, TX  76706-2832


(254) 753-6802

District: Waco Independent School District (Isd)

SchoolDigger Rank:
4660th of 4,675 Texas Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $11,331 Help


Students who attend South Waco Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Cesar Chavez Middle
High:    University High School

Student/teacher ratio:  13.4 Help
Number of students:  462

Racial breakdown:

African American:
50.6%
Hispanic:
37.9%
White:
5.2%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  96.1% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details South Waco Elementary ranks worse than 99.7% of elementary schools in Texas. It also ranks last among 15 ranked elementary schools in the Waco Independent School District (Isd). (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 3.95. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (50.6%), Hispanic (37.9%), White (5.2%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 96.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at South Waco Elementary is 13.4, which is the 3rd best among 15 elementary schools in the Waco Independent School District (Isd). (See more...)
Help
Compare South Waco Elementary employs 34.2 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at South Waco Elementary is $11,331. 10 elementary schools in the Waco Independent School District (Isd) spend more per student.
Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Waco Independent School District (Isd):

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


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Rank History for South Waco Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at South Waco Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 1.41 3457th 3465 0.2%
2005 5.07 3443rd 3475 0.9%
2006 5.81 3424th 3476 1.5%
2007 4.21 3693rd 3724 0.8%
2008 4.98 3732nd 3768 1.0%
2009 8.55 3794th 3884 2.3%
2010 19.57 3615th 3937 8.2%
2011 27.72 3476th 4095 15.1%
2012 14.02 4016th 4206 4.5%
2013 6.41 4154th 4221 1.6%
2014 1.24 4250th 4260 0.2%
2015 3.30 4272nd 4320 1.1%
2016 9.99 4088th 4286 4.6%
2017 16.41 3958th 4329 8.6%
2018 16.12 3993rd 4359 8.4%
2019 19.51 3950th 4479 11.8%
2021 12.26 4380th 4578 4.3%
2022 4.39 4555th 4581 0.6%
2023 5.60 4591st 4647 1.2%
2024 3.95 4660th 4675 0.3%
See the entire list of Texas Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at South Waco Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.67 2394th 3226 25.8%
2019 38.74 2181st 3333 34.6%
2023 21.26 3197th 3556 10.1%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at South Waco Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 22.97 3172nd 3558 10.8%
2019 20.08 3437th 3684 6.7%
2021 32.05 2637th 3799 30.6%
2022 24.43 3421st 3952 13.4%
2023 16.33 3942nd 4086 3.5%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at South Waco Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 24.76 3680th 4264 13.7%
2019 30.35 3437th 4309 20.2%
2021 17.86 4134th 4451 7.1%
2022 6.97 4441st 4477 0.8%
2023 7.60 4457th 4521 1.4%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at South Waco Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 21.02 3778th 4306 12.3%
2019 21.70 3793rd 4348 12.8%
2021 13.20 4318th 4499 4.0%
2022 6.41 4522nd 4561 0.9%
2023 8.44 4489th 4588 2.2%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at South Waco Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 14.31 2951st 3106 5.0%
2022 14.99 2799th 2958 5.4%
2023 0.41 2970th 2980 0.3%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for At Risk students at South Waco Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 27.13 3555th 4240 16.2%
2019 29.48 3437th 4295 20.0%
2021 18.98 4105th 4331 5.2%
2022 9.86 4406th 4461 1.2%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for At Risk Students!

Rank History for Male students at South Waco Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 14.89 4065th 4319 5.9%
2019 20.87 3802nd 4357 12.7%
2021 13.34 4274th 4498 5.0%
2022 4.38 4546th 4563 0.4%
2023 5.56 4534th 4585 1.1%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at South Waco Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.13 2070th 2483 16.6%
2019 37.19 1673rd 2515 33.5%
2021 21.30 2207th 2444 9.7%
2022 12.39 2360th 2421 2.5%
2023 11.42 2398th 2443 1.8%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at South Waco Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 25.83 3476th 4168 16.6%
2019 33.48 3056th 4188 27.0%
2021 19.77 3907th 4329 9.7%
2022 10.07 4300th 4376 1.7%
2023 8.72 4326th 4401 1.7%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at South Waco Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.87 2408th 3127 23.0%
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.

South Waco 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 South Waco Elementary

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1990 135 347 6 180 0 n/a n/a 0 668
1991 118 313 4 194 1 n/a n/a 0 630
1992 131 321 5 219 1 n/a n/a 0 677
1993 105 372 8 243 2 n/a n/a 0 730
1994 96 368 7 225 1 n/a n/a 0 697
1995 95 382 4 215 0 n/a n/a 0 696
1996 95 382 4 215 0 n/a n/a 0 696
1997 86 299 6 199 0 n/a n/a 0 590
1998 79 300 4 189 0 n/a n/a 0 572
1999 86 290 1 168 0 n/a n/a 0 545
2000 84 264 2 226 0 n/a n/a 0 576
2001 73 260 2 239 0 n/a n/a 0 574
2002 39 257 0 253 2 n/a n/a 0 551
2003 39 257 0 253 2 n/a n/a 0 551
2004 37 257 2 255 3 n/a n/a 0 554
2005 45 242 5 288 3 n/a n/a 0 583
2006 47 267 1 291 0 n/a n/a 0 606
2007 44 236 4 267 1 n/a n/a 0 552
2008 33 262 4 312 1 n/a n/a 0 612
2009 53 244 3 347 2 n/a n/a 0 649
2010 53 249 1 289 2 n/a n/a 0 594
2011 49 238 2 312 8 0 8 0 617
2012 53 261 2 326 26 0 5 0 673
2013 32 239 6 282 4 0 6 0 569
2014 43 250 6 245 1 1 6 0 552
2015 41 242 9 257 1 0 5 0 555
2016 30 223 9 257 3 1 8 0 531
2017 31 231 7 246 2 1 5 0 523
2018 42 250 7 217 2 1 7 0 526
2019 28 259 3 199 0 0 15 0 504
2020 26 290 2 208 0 0 16 0 542
2021 19 282 5 159 0 0 14 0 479
2022 28 262 8 169 0 0 13 0 480
2023 24 234 8 175 2 0 19 0 462

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 South Waco Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1990 668 43.0 15.5 n/a
1991 630 43.0 14.6 n/a
1992 677 45.0 15.0 77.5
1993 730 47.0 15.5 86.4
1994 697 49.5 14.1 77.2
1995 696 46.7 14.9 83
1996 696 46.7 14.9 83
1997 590 41.5 14.2 75.6
1998 572 37.5 15.3 86.5
1999 545 37.3 14.6 93.4
2000 576 37.6 15.3 92.9
2001 574 38.3 15.0 96
2002 551 37.4 14.7 97.3
2003 551 37.4 14.7 97.3
2004 554 37.7 14.7 96.9
2005 583 37.5 15.5 98.3
2006 606 41.8 14.5 96
2007 552 37.9 14.6 97.1
2008 612 37.4 16.4 96.1
2009 649 38.3 16.9 90.6
2010 594 34.7 17.0 96.5
2011 617 33.8 18.2 95.8
2012 673 32.0 21.0 95.5
2013 569 33.2 17.1 95.1
2014 552 33.9 16.2 97.5
2015 555 32.0 17.3 98
2016 531 31.0 17.1 95.5
2017 523 34.0 15.3 94.3
2018 526 34.0 15.4 96
2019 504 33.5 15.0 98.2
2020 542 34.0 15.9 96.7
2021 479 30.8 15.5 99.4
2022 480 32.9 14.5 96.9
2023 462 34.2 13.4 96.1

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 South Waco Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1990 668 43.0 15.5 n/a
1991 630 43.0 14.6 n/a
1992 677 45.0 15.0 77.5
1993 730 47.0 15.5 86.4
1994 697 49.5 14.1 77.2
1995 696 46.7 14.9 83
1996 696 46.7 14.9 83
1997 590 41.5 14.2 75.6
1998 572 37.5 15.3 86.5
1999 545 37.3 14.6 93.4
2000 576 37.6 15.3 92.9
2001 574 38.3 15.0 96
2002 551 37.4 14.7 97.3
2003 551 37.4 14.7 97.3
2004 554 37.7 14.7 96.9
2005 583 37.5 15.5 98.3
2006 606 41.8 14.5 96
2007 552 37.9 14.6 97.1
2008 612 37.4 16.4 96.1
2009 649 38.3 16.9 90.6
2010 594 34.7 17.0 96.5
2011 617 33.8 18.2 95.8
2012 673 32.0 21.0 95.5
2013 569 33.2 17.1 95.1
2014 552 33.9 16.2 97.5
2015 555 32.0 17.3 98
2016 531 31.0 17.1 95.5
2017 523 34.0 15.3 94.3
2018 526 34.0 15.4 96
2019 504 33.5 15.0 98.2
2020 542 34.0 15.9 96.7
2021 479 30.8 15.5 99.4
2022 480 32.9 14.5 96.9
2023 462 34.2 13.4 96.1

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 South Waco Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,301 (12.2%) $9,367 (87.8%) $10,668
2020 $1,389 (13.6%) $8,815 (86.4%) $10,203
2021 $1,649 (14.6%) $9,682 (85.4%) $11,331

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

Impact of COVID-19 on South Waco 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 3950th of 4479 Elementary schoolsRanks 4591st of 4647 Elementary schools
 10.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Reading (South Waco Elementary)2629
 3%
   3rd Grade Reading (Waco Independent School District (Isd))2727
   3rd Grade Reading (Texas)4450
 6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (South Waco Elementary)3211
 21%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Waco Independent School District (Isd))2520
 5%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Texas)4843
 5%
4th Grade Reading (South Waco Elementary)2310
 13%
   4th Grade Reading (Waco Independent School District (Isd))2525
   4th Grade Reading (Texas)4347
 4%
4th Grade Mathematics (South Waco Elementary)194
 15%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Waco Independent School District (Isd))2717
 10%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Texas)4647
 1%
5th Grade Reading (South Waco Elementary)3720
 17%
   5th Grade Reading (Waco Independent School District (Isd))3437
 3%
   5th Grade Reading (Texas)5156
 5%
5th Grade Mathematics (South Waco Elementary)4611
 35%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Waco Independent School District (Isd))3829
 9%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Texas)5650
 6%
5th Grade Science (South Waco Elementary)367
 29%
   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 Students504462
 8.3%
African American259234
 9.7%
American Indian02
Asian38
 166.7%
Hispanic199175
 12.1%
Pacific Islander00
White2824
 14.3%
Two or More Races1519
 26.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients98.2%96.1%
 2.1%


Schools Near South Waco Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about South Waco Elementary

South Waco Elementary ranks in the bottom 0.3% of Texas elementary schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 462 students attended South Waco Elementary.

Students who attend South Waco Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Cesar Chavez Middle
High : University High School

Students at South Waco Elementary are 51% African American, 38% Hispanic, 5% White, 4% Two or more races, 2% Asian.


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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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