The top reported proficiency rate is 13% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Tekoa Academy of Accelerated Studies - Orange
Tekoa Academy of Accelerated Studies - Orange is a charter school serving pre-kindergarten through eighth grade in Orange, Texas. The school is small, enrolling about a hundred students across its full grade range, with a particularly heavy concentration in the early grades.
The student population is predominantly Black, with a substantial share of students from lower-income households. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school operates as part of a single-campus district rather than within a broader district structure.
Academic performance presents a clear challenge. On the most recent state testing data available, proficiency rates in math and English language arts are low. In third and fourth grades, where the school has testable cohorts, proficiency on state standardized tests sits in the low range for both subjects. By sixth grade, math proficiency reaches zero, and in both sixth and seventh grades across the tested grades overall, the school's performance falls in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in Orange County. The most comprehensive measure available—an overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grades—places the school well below the median for its county peers.
This academic trajectory reflects a sharp turn from the school's recent past. The Texas Education Agency granted the school an 'A' rating in 2022-2023 but dropped it to an 'F' for the 2024-2025 school year, triggering a formal recovery plan. In response, the school adopted the state-developed Bluebonnet curriculum for the current year to align instruction more tightly with state standards and the state assessment. The school also added new teaching and intervention staff and instituted Family Academic Nights to give parents resources for STAAR preparation at home. These are substantive operational changes aimed at addressing the performance decline, though it is too early to measure their effect.
The school's name reflects an accelerated and STEM-focused mission, though the current testing data do not show acceleration or STEM strength on display. A parent considering this school may want to look into further detail with leadership about how the curriculum recovery plan is being implemented in practice and what the school's specific academic focus entails given the recent rating shift.
The community context is one of growth. Orange itself is experiencing significant new residential construction driven by petrochemical and industrial investment. The city has a mixed character of historic downtown, petrochemical industry along the Sabine River, and expanding suburbs. Housing costs are moderate relative to state benchmarks. Employment in the area is anchored by manufacturing and chemical plants, with newer healthcare options and a community college adding service jobs.
The school's location on 14th Street places it within the city proper rather than on an isolated campus. A school of this size and grade band has no graduation rate to report, as it does not serve high school grades. State testing data for science and social studies were not available, likely due to the small tested cohorts in those grades.
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