Life School, TX - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on Life School

Life School is a charter district serving kindergarten through twelfth grade across Ellis County, Texas, with a mid-sized enrollment distributed across eight campuses in Oak Cliff, Red Oak, Lancaster, Cedar Hill, Mountain Creek, Waxahachie, and Carrollton. The student body is substantially Black and Hispanic, each making up close to half the enrollment, with a smaller white population and very small numbers of Asian and multiracial students.

The district made a significant operational change in August 2023 when it shifted to a four-day school week, Monday through Thursday with most Fridays off. To meet Texas state requirements for instructional minutes, the district extended each day by roughly an hour and a half. This is a lasting structural change that affects family scheduling, childcare arrangements, and the overall school calendar, and it reflects a deliberate pedagogical choice by the district leadership.

In state testing from the most recent school year, Life School shows mixed and grade-level-dependent results. Reading proficiency is stronger, particularly in middle grades; by eighth grade, about half of students reached the "meets" standard or above. Math performance is weaker across the board, with roughly a third of students meeting or exceeding the standard in fourth and fifth grade, dropping to about one in five by seventh grade before recovering slightly in eighth. Science proficiency was low in fifth grade and moderate by eighth grade. Social studies proficiency was notably low, with only a small portion of eighth graders meeting the standard. Because only one year of testing data was available, trends over time cannot be assessed. The district's overall proficiency index sits below the median among the ten districts in Ellis County.

Chronic absenteeism in the district is slightly below the county median, suggesting attendance is a challenge but not distinctly worse than neighboring districts. Per-pupil spending is in the lower range for the county, reflecting charter school operational patterns.

Looking ahead, Life School purchased acreage in Duncanville in fall 2023 for a new high school and middle school campus, with groundbreaking tentatively planned for August 2026. The Oak Cliff elementary and middle schools will remain in place while the high school relocates to a more centrally located site serving the broader Best Southwest region. Unlike traditional public schools, charter construction is self-funded through the district's own bonding and does not draw on local property tax revenues.

The district has eight separate schools operating across its territory. State testing data for earlier grades was limited; third-grade results on a Spanish-language assessment had too small a population to report proficiency rates. A parent considering Life School should be aware that the four-day week is now standard across the district, that academic performance varies considerably by subject and grade level with particular gaps in math and social studies, and that the district is in growth mode with major facility changes underway.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

5,734

Grades

KG–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 42%

Black 45%

White 9%

Asian 0%

Two+ 3%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 4

31%

50%

Gr 5

43%

51%

Gr 6

39%

58%

Gr 7

42%

63%

Gr 8

54%

69%

Math

Gr 3

25%

29%

Gr 4

30%

45%

Gr 5

31%

47%

Gr 6

30%

35%

Gr 7

18%

28%

Gr 8

34%

39%

Science

Gr 5

18%

24%

Gr 8

33%

44%

Social studies

Gr 8

12%

22%

all_subjects_approaches

Gr ALL

45%

—

all_subjects_masters

Gr ALL

—

all_subjects_meets

Gr ALL

22%

—

ela_approaches

Gr ALL

43%

—

ela_masters

Gr ALL

—

ela_meets

Gr ALL

21%

—

math_approaches

Gr ALL

42%

—

math_masters

Gr ALL

—

math_meets

Gr ALL

21%

—

science_approaches

Gr ALL

57%

—

science_masters

Gr ALL

12%

—

science_meets

Gr ALL

24%

—

social_studies_approaches

Gr ALL

53%

—

social_studies_masters

Gr ALL

—

social_studies_meets

Gr ALL

24%

—

Schools in this District

8 schools are officially reported under this district.

LIFE SCHOOL OAK CLIFF

LIFE SCHOOL RED OAK

LIFE SCHOOL LANCASTER

LIFE SCHOOL CEDAR HILL

LIFE SCHOOL MOUNTAIN CREEK

LIFE H S WAXAHACHIE

LIFE MIDDLE WAXAHACHIE

LIFE SCHOOL CARROLLTON

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

5 grades reported

35%

Grade 4

35%

Grade 5

31%

Grade 6

21%

Grade 7

36%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

5 grades reported

37%

Grade 4

46%

Grade 5

44%

Grade 6

48%

Grade 7

59%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

20%

Grade 5

36%

Grade 8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

15%

Grade 8

Data Currently Unavailable

Community & Housing Context
Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.