The reported proficiency rate for English language arts is 20%.
Original Research by School Decision on Connally El
Connally Elementary serves fourth and fifth graders in Waco. The school is currently in the process of a significant transition. Beginning in fall 2026, the district is consolidating its elementary campuses and moving these grades to Connally Primary School in Elm Mott, closing the long-standing Connally Elementary building. This shift reflects declining enrollment in the district's elementary grades and represents a change families with students here would experience.
The school sits within Connally ISD, which is undergoing a state takeover by the Texas Education Agency after two campuses, including Connally Elementary, received five consecutive failing accountability ratings. The state has replaced the elected school board with an appointed board of managers and installed a new superintendent, placing the district under direct state oversight. The TEA will re-evaluate this intervention within the coming years to determine whether it continues or phases out. Simultaneously, the district implemented a uniform, districtwide curriculum and new instructional materials since 2023, alongside increased emphasis on campus culture, behavior, and attendance as part of turnaround efforts.
Academic performance at Connally Elementary is weak. On the most recent state testing, fourth-grade performance in English language arts showed proficiency well below county norms. Testing data for fifth grade and for math across both grades is either incomplete or drawn from a very small tested group, making a full picture difficult. Across all tested subjects and grades combined, the school's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile among the county's school districts.
The student population is diverse and economically disadvantaged. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic need in the school's service area. The enrollment is split evenly between fourth and fifth grades. Black and Hispanic students each make up a large share of enrollment, with a smaller percentage of white students and very few students from other racial and ethnic groups.
Waco itself is undergoing downtown redevelopment led by the City and Hunt Development Group, including new mixed-use developments, housing, and infrastructure, though this activity is downtown and may or may not affect school families depending on where they live.
The repeated failure of bond elections to fund a new elementary building shaped the district's facilities landscape. Voters rejected a bond in 2022 and again in May 2024, which would have raised the tax rate measurably. The district ultimately canceled another bond proposal in early 2026 in favor of the consolidation strategy now underway. Families weighing this school would be entering a district in active restructuring, with a new governance model, new instructional direction, and a facilities footprint being redrawn in real time. A parent may want to look into further details with the district about the transition timeline and the academic supports being provided during this period of change.
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