State ratings show multiple Waco campuses struggling; district pursues turnarounds
The Texas Education Agency’s annual A-F accountability ratings released Friday show eight Waco Independent School District campuses received an F for the 2025-26 school year, continuing a pattern of low ratings at several neighborhood schools and prompting renewed scrutiny of district recovery efforts.
District officials say a contract with the Third Future Schools charter operator to run South Waco Elementary will limit the immediate consequences of its recent failing grade. "
That contract is expected to shield it from intervention for at least two years." The arrangement means the campus will remain under the locally approved turnaround contract rather than triggering an automatic state takeover — at least in the short term.
The TEA’s accountability system bases ratings largely on students’ performance on STAAR tests, as well as measures of progress and how well schools close achievement gaps for student groups such as English learners and students with disabilities. Statewide, the agency reported that among more than 9,000 campuses, 24% scored an A, 34% a B, 23% a C, 10% a D and 4% an F.
Which Waco campuses received failing grades
The districts and campuses cited in the TEA release include schools that have been under targeted improvement or turnaround plans and others receiving their first F. According to the district and the TEA data, the campuses and their recent histories are:
- South Waco Elementary — received an F; currently operated under a Third Future Schools contract.
- Dean Highland Elementary — received an F, its fourth consecutive.
- G.W. Carver Middle School — received an F, its fourth consecutive; the campus is under a turnaround plan.
- Cesar Chavez Middle School — received an F, its second consecutive.
- J.H. Hines Elementary — received an F, its second consecutive.
- Mountainview Elementary — received an F, the first for the campus in recent reporting.
- West Avenue Elementary — received an F, also a first-time F.
- Parkdale and Kendrick elementaries — while not listed among the eight Fs this year, they have been part of district turnaround efforts along with Carver and Chavez.
Waco ISD has adopted state-required "targeted improvement plans" for several campuses as part of efforts to address persistent low performance at schools including Waco High School, J.H. Hines, Mountainview and Cedar Ridge elementary schools.
Consequences and context
Under Texas law, campuses that receive five consecutive F ratings can trigger a TEA decision to either close the campus or replace the district’s elected trustees and superintendent. The law is intended to create strong incentives for interventions aimed at improving student outcomes, but it has also resulted in controversial state takeovers in recent years. Last year, the Connally district north of Waco experienced such state intervention.
District leaders have said they are pursuing multiple strategies to improve outcomes, including contracting with external operators for turnaround management and implementing targeted improvement plans. Supporters say the accountability system helps hold campuses and leaders accountable, while critics argue the ratings can disproportionately affect low-income and minority-serving schools and can lead to state action that removes local control.
What this means for families and the community
The A-F ratings are intended to give families information about school performance and may also influence business and community investment decisions. For parents, the new ratings may affect choices about where to enroll children and which schools receive the most attention and resources from district leaders.
Waco ISD leaders and state education officials must balance short-term interventions with long-term improvement strategies. The district’s use of the Third Future Schools contract for South Waco Elementary means the campus will remain under its current turnaround operator for at least the near term, while other campuses continue under district-led improvement plans.
| Campus | Recent consecutive Fs |
|---|---|
| Dean Highland Elementary | 4 |
| G.W. Carver Middle School | 4 |
| Cesar Chavez Middle School | 2 |
| J.H. Hines Elementary | 2 |
| Mountainview Elementary | 1 |
| West Avenue Elementary | 1 |
The TEA ratings and the district’s response will likely remain a central topic in local school board discussions, community meetings and the plans of parents weighing options for their children’s schooling. The district has signaled it will continue implementing and monitoring turnaround and improvement plans as it seeks to raise student achievement across the affected campuses.
