Waelder Isd, TX - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on Waelder Isd

Waelder ISD is a small rural district in Gonzales County, Texas, serving pre-K through 12th grade. The district enrolls roughly three hundred students across all grade levels, with a substantial majority identifying as Hispanic. The vast majority of the district's cohort is economically disadvantaged, though specific free-or-reduced-price-lunch counts were not available in the data provided.

The academic picture reflects serious underlying challenges. Reading and math proficiency on the STAAR assessment remain low across most grade levels. In third and fourth grade, proficiency in math sits well below what most districts achieve; by fourth grade, proficiency in both reading and math is very low. Middle grades show mixed results: sixth and seventh grade performance remains weak across subjects, while eighth grade stands out with roughly half of students reaching proficiency in both math and reading. Science proficiency in fifth grade is very low, though eighth-grade science results are substantially stronger. Social studies at eighth grade also lags considerably.

A parent may want to look into these numbers further with the district, particularly the gap between fourth and fifth grade on one hand and eighth grade on the other. The causes could reflect curriculum shifts, staff changes, or demographic composition at those grade levels, and the district can clarify what drives the variation.

What deserves careful attention is the district's ongoing facilities crisis. Waelder ISD has failed to pass school bonds four times in as many years: in November 2021, May 2022, May 2023, and November 2023. The district has publicly stated that this failure leaves unaddressed a range of structural and safety problems, including an undersized cafeteria with leaking windows where some students eat outside, a middle school building with documented mold and asbestos issues and leaking windows, and insufficient classroom space. These are not speculative concerns; they come from the district's own statements about why the bonds were necessary.

The housing market in the communities served by Waelder ISD is relatively affordable compared to state and national benchmarks, though home values have declined modestly in the past year. Property tax remains a point of contention: had the November 2023 bond passed, the total school tax rate would have risen, though the published data showing the precise rate change was partially redacted in available sources.

The district is small enough that it likely operates as a single campus or tightly integrated set of schools rather than as a sprawling system. This can mean closer relationships between families and staff, but it also means fewer elective offerings and specialized programs than larger districts typically provide. Beyond core academics, the data available did not include information about career pathways, dual-credit options, advanced course offerings, or extracurricular depth.

For families considering enrollment in Waelder ISD, the critical factor is the unresolved facilities situation. Four consecutive bond failures signal either sustained community skepticism about the district's leadership or genuine reluctance among property owners to absorb higher taxes, or both. That skepticism or resistance has real consequences: aging buildings with documented safety issues remain unfixed, creating a learning environment that, by the district's own account, is compromised by physical conditions. Coupled with low state test results in most grade bands, this paints a district under genuine stress. A parent should contact the district directly to understand the current timeline and prospects for addressing these facility deficiencies, and should visit the schools in person to assess conditions firsthand.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

297

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 88%

Black 5%

White 5%

Two+ 2%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

14%

80%

Gr 4

24%

—

Gr 5

18%

—

Gr 6

—

Gr 7

30%

—

Gr 8

53%

—

Math

Gr 3

24%

—

Gr 4

—

Gr 5

27%

—

Gr 6

—

Gr 7

—

Gr 8

53%

—

Science

Gr 5

—

Gr 8

59%

—

Social studies

Gr 8

18%

—

all_subjects_approaches

Gr ALL

24%

—

all_subjects_masters

Gr ALL

—

all_subjects_meets

Gr ALL

—

ela_approaches

Gr ALL

15%

—

ela_masters

Gr ALL

—

ela_meets

Gr ALL

—

math_approaches

Gr ALL

23%

—

math_masters

Gr ALL

—

math_meets

Gr ALL

—

science_approaches

Gr ALL

67%

—

science_masters

Gr ALL

—

science_meets

Gr ALL

17%

—

social_studies_approaches

Gr ALL

33%

—

social_studies_masters

Gr ALL

—

social_studies_meets

Gr ALL

17%

—

Schools in this District

1 schools are officially reported under this district.

WAELDER SCHOOL

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

32%

Grade 3

Grade 4

33%

Grade 5

Grade 6

Grade 7

53%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

27%

Grade 3

26%

Grade 4

25%

Grade 5

14%

Grade 6

30%

Grade 7

53%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

Grade 5

59%

Grade 8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

18%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$346,169

Year-over-year change-7.7%

Range across 5 ZIP codes$251K to $552K

vs. state typical1.15x

vs. national typical0.94x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (5 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
78959	Waelder	$311K	-8.1%	66.0%
78632	Harwood	$427K	-10.3%	13.7%
78629	Gonzales	$251K	-8.6%	8.1%
78953	Rosanky	$552K	-4.5%	7.5%
78941	Flatonia	$445K	+2.0%	4.7%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,747/mo

Home price / national median income4.1x

Comparison

State typical home value$302,187 (-2.0% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

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.