Public schools in Waco, TX

54 open public schools with an address in Waco, operated by 15 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.

Public schools

NCES preliminary directory 2025–26

Reported students

25,802

52 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25

Median student–teacher ratio

13.9:1

Texas median 14.5:1

Charter schools

2 magnet · 0 virtual

An overview of Waco public schools

The federal directory lists 54 public schools in Waco, TX: 27 elementary, 8 middle, 13 high, 6 combined or other. The 52 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 25,802 students, an average of 496 per school. The largest campus is Midway H S (2,687 students), and the largest elementary school is Bell's Hill El (786).

Waco ISD operates the most schools here (22), and 10 regular districts have at least one Waco campus, plus 5 charter, service, or other agencies. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.

Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 13.9:1, similar to the statewide school median of 14.5:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.

School choice options include 7 charter schools, 2 magnet schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.

Among 14 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 5 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 3 of 15 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.

Independent charter agency

1 school in Waco · 23 total

Elementary schools in Waco

School	Grades	Students	Ratio
Audre and Bernard Rapoport Academy Rapoport Academy Public School · Charter	PK–04	396	12.4:1
Bell's Hill El Waco ISD	PK–05	786	15.7:1
Bosqueville El Bosqueville ISD	PK–05	319	11.4:1
Brook Avenue El Waco ISD	PK–05	356	17:1
Cedar Ridge El Waco ISD	PK–05	446	15.5:1
Chapel Park El Midway ISD	PK–05	532	15.5:1
China Spring El China Spring ISD	02–04	613	14.2:1
Connally Early Childhood Center Connally ISD	PK–KG	251	13.8:1
Connally El Connally ISD	04–05	352	13.6:1
Crestview El Waco ISD	PK–05	464	15.5:1
Dean Highland El Waco ISD	PK–05	617	17.2:1
Hallsburg School Hallsburg ISD	PK–06	131	11.2:1
Harmony Science Acad (Waco) Harmony Public Schools - North Texas · Charter	PK–05	569	14.4:1
Hillcrest Pds Magnet Waco ISD · Magnet	PK–05	431	14.8:1
J H Hines El Waco ISD	PK–05	379	19.4:1
Kendrick El Waco ISD	PK–05	479	14.5:1
La Vega El La Vega ISD	01–03	630	16.2:1
La Vega Pri Phil Bancale Campus La Vega ISD	PK–KG	444	17.2:1
Lake Air Montessori School Waco ISD · Magnet	PK–08	734	13.4:1
Mountainview El Waco ISD	PK–05	349	13.7:1
Parkdale El Waco ISD	PK–05	497	13.8:1
Provident Heights El Waco ISD	PK–05	383	14.7:1
South Bosque El Midway ISD	PK–05	578	16.7:1
South Waco El Waco ISD	PK–05	490	18.1:1
Speegleville El Midway ISD	PK–05	228	11.9:1
West Avenue El Waco ISD	PK–05	249	13.8:1
Woodway El Midway ISD	PK–05	547	15.2:1

Middle schools in Waco

School	Grades	Students	Ratio
Bosqueville Middle Bosqueville ISD	06–08	183	12.3:1
Cesar Chavez Middle Waco ISD	06–08	786	13.9:1
China Spring Int China Spring ISD	05–06	491	15.8:1
G W Carver Middle Waco ISD	06–08	723	13:1
La Vega Int H P Miles Campus La Vega ISD	04–06	695	16.6:1
La Vega J H George Dixon Campus La Vega ISD	07–08	441	13:1
Quinn Campus Public Middle Rapoport Academy Public School · Charter	05–08	269	12:1
Tennyson Middle Waco ISD	06–08	963	15.6:1

High schools in Waco

School	Grades	Students	Ratio
Bill Logue Detention Center Waco ISD · Alternative School	07–12	11	91.7:1
Bosqueville H S Bosqueville ISD	09–12	227	11.9:1
Challenge Academy Waco ISD · Alternative School	06–12	52	13.4:1
Connally H S Connally ISD	09–12	614	11:1
La Vega H S La Vega ISD	09–12	881	13.7:1
Methodist Children's Home University of Texas University Charter School · Charter · Alternative School	06–12	96	8.8:1
Midway H S Midway ISD	09–12	2,687	16.2:1
Paul and Jane Meyer Public H S Rapoport Academy Public School · Charter	09–12	233	9:1
Premier H S of Waco Premier High Schools · Charter · Alternative School	09–12	128	20.2:1
Texasworks - Waco Texas Works · Charter · Alternative School	09–12	—	—
University H S Waco ISD	09–12	1,752	14.2:1
Waco Ctr for Youth Axtell ISD · Alternative School	07–12	69	9.9:1
Waco H S Waco ISD	09–12	1,885	13.4:1

Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Waco

School	Grades	Students	Ratio
Challenge Academy China Spring ISD · Alternative School	10–10	—	—
Challenge Academy Connally ISD · Alternative School	09–10	1	—
Challenge Academy Midway ISD · Alternative School	04–12	1	—
Challenge Academy Robinson ISD · Alternative School	09–11	2	—
G L Wiley Opportunity Center Waco ISD · Alternative School	06–11	98	6.5:1
Gholson ISD Gholson ISD	PK–12	264	13.3:1

Student demographics

Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment

White22.6%
Hispanic49.9%
Black22.5%
Asian1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
Multiracial3.7%

Enrollment-weighted across 52 Waco schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (25,802 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.

Questions about public schools in Waco

How many public schools are in Waco, TX?

The current NCES directory lists 54 open public schools with a location address in Waco: 27 elementary, 8 middle, 13 high, 6 combined or other. Together they reported 25,802 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.

Which school districts serve Waco?

Schools with an address in Waco belong to 15 education agencies, led by Waco ISD (22 schools), Midway ISD (6 schools), La Vega ISD (5 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.

What is the largest public high school in Waco?

Midway H S reported the largest high-school enrollment in Waco, with 2,687 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.

Are there charter schools in Waco?

Yes. 7 of the 54 public schools in Waco are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Audre and Bernard Rapoport Academy, Harmony Science Acad (Waco), Methodist Children's Home. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.

What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Waco schools?

The median reported student–teacher ratio across Waco public schools is 13.9:1, similar to the Texas school median of 14.5:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.

Does living in Waco guarantee a seat at a specific school?

No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.

Nearby Texas cities

Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Texas cities