West Avenue El, Waco TX - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on West Avenue El

West Avenue Elementary is a small school serving prekindergarten through fifth grade in Waco's central core. It enrolls a student body that is predominantly African American and Hispanic, with nearly all students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the neighborhood's high economic need. The school is part of Waco ISD, which has recently implemented a centralized, data-driven instructional model aimed at standardizing math and English teaching across its campuses.

The most recent Texas state test results show academic performance well below what the school and families would want. In English language arts, the school shows variation by grade: third grade proficiency is around one-third of students, fourth grade around one-quarter, and fifth grade around half. In math, the results are notably lower. Fourth grade shows proficiency for a small minority, and fifth grade around one-quarter. Fifth grade science proficiency is very low. Grade three math results were reported for a Spanish-language assessment with too few students tested to yield a reliable percentage.

When viewed across all tested grades and subjects, West Avenue's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in McLennan County. The pattern across subjects suggests students are struggling most in math, where proficiency rates run from low to very low depending on grade. English language arts shows relatively stronger results in the upper grades, particularly fifth grade, though still below what would indicate broad student mastery.

State data does not reveal the school's special education identification rate, English learner count, or chronic absenteeism rate, so a parent investigating further would want to ask the school directly about student support services and attendance. The school houses roughly equal numbers of students across most grades, with slightly fewer fourth graders.

Waco ISD itself is navigating significant structural change. The district approved a bond in 2021 for major school reconstruction, and separately, in 2026 approved a charter performance contract with an outside operator to take over two struggling elementary schools beginning fall 2026 to avoid state takeover. West Avenue is not one of those two schools. However, the wider district context of standardized curriculum, data-driven instruction initiatives, and accountability pressure is the environment in which West Avenue operates. For families considering West Avenue, the school's test results represent a real academic challenge that would merit direct conversation with school leadership about how they are addressing gaps in math proficiency and what interventions or supports are in place.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 416%

School 16% · District 4% · ▲ 12 pts above district

▼ 25 pts below state median · ▼ 30 pts below county median

Grade 524%

School 24% · District 22% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 14 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 332%

School 32% · District 6% · ▲ 26 pts above district

▼ 14 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Grade 426%

School 26% · District 23% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▼ 23 pts below state median · ▼ 24 pts below county median

Grade 552%

School 52% · District 4% · ▲ 48 pts above district

▼ 2 pts below state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

Science

Grade 514%

School 14% · District 0% · ▲ 14 pts above district

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▼ 13 pts below county median

This schoolWACO 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.