Central Heights El, Nacogdoches TX

Original Research by School Decision on Central Heights El

Central Heights Elementary serves the early elementary grades, from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, in a school community of about mid-size enrollment for its grade band. The school sits on US Highway 259 North in Nacogdoches, part of Central Heights Independent School District, which earned strong accountability ratings across all its campuses in 2025.

Academically, the school shows moderate proficiency across tested subjects. In English language arts, students perform more consistently across grade levels, with stronger results in the upper grades. Reading proficiency reaches solid ground by fifth grade. Mathematics proficiency is in a similar range, holding steady from third through fifth grade. Fifth-grade science proficiency sits notably below ELA and math, at about half of students meeting grade-level standards, which may be worth discussing with the school if science is a priority for your family.

Among all students tested, language arts and math achievement both register around mid-range proficiency overall, with a subset of students reaching advanced performance levels. The data available covers only the most recent school year, so longer-term trends are not visible here. The school's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile relative to other districts in Nacogdoches County, a meaningful strength in the local context.

The student body is racially and economically diverse. White students make up about two-thirds of enrollment, with Hispanic students representing a substantial minority, and smaller populations of other backgrounds. About half the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting moderate family economic need in the attendance area.

Nacogdoches itself is a small college town anchored by Stephen F. Austin State University, with a walkable historic downtown and newer commercial corridors along highways. The area has extensive parks and trails, a public library, and limited bus transit. Home prices in the zip code are below state average, and rental costs are moderate. The town's economy centers on the university, healthcare, and manufacturing, particularly poultry processing. The district recently added a five-classroom special education wing at the high school, completed in mid-2024, indicating capacity investment in specialized services.

For a family considering Central Heights Elementary, this is a school where reading and math proficiency cluster in the middle-to-upper range relative to peers in the county, with science instruction as a softer area. The elementary-grade focus means no graduation or secondary-pathway data applies. The school sits within a district earning top accountability marks, and the community offers an affordable, education-centered small-town setting with university resources nearby.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 362%

School 62% · District 62%

▲ 22 pts above state median · ▲ 20 pts above county median

Grade 471%

School 71% · District 71%

▲ 30 pts above state median · ▲ 27 pts above county median

Grade 569%

School 69% · District 69%

▲ 28 pts above state median · ▲ 30 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 365%

School 65% · District 65%

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▲ 24 pts above county median

Grade 473%

School 73% · District 73%

▲ 24 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

Grade 578%

School 78% · District 78%

▲ 24 pts above state median · ▲ 30 pts above county median

Science

Grade 551%

School 51% · District 51%

▲ 28 pts above state median · ▲ 20 pts above county median

This schoolCENTRAL HEIGHTS ISD, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income52%Higher-income73%21 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income61%Higher-income79%18 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income65%Higher-income86%21 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income41%Higher-income73%32 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income61%Higher-income77%16 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income56%Higher-income78%22 pp gap