Connally High School

Connally High School in Waco, TX, is a mid-sized public school serving 614 students in grades 9-12 within the Connally Independent School District (Isd), where over 73% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

Connally High School stands out for its remarkable strength in Biology, where 74.5% of students were proficient in the 2025-2026 school year—outperforming the state average and every nearby school, including La Vega High School (56.9%) and Axtell High School. This represents a dramatic turnaround from just two years prior, when only 26.5% were proficient. The school also shows strong upward momentum in Algebra I, with proficiency nearly doubling from 19% to 35% over the same period. While overall academic performance remains below state averages, these rapid improvements suggest effective instructional changes are taking hold. The school maintains a stable graduation rate around 91%, which is notably higher than Premier H S Of Waco (77.8%) and comparable to La Vega (91.8%). A low student-teacher ratio of 11:1 provides opportunities for more individualized attention than at larger schools like La Vega (13.6:1).

When compared to its closest peer, La Vega High School just 2.86 miles away, Connally shows a stronger science program and lower dropout rate (0.6% vs. 1.9%), while La Vega has a slight edge in English/Language Arts. The school has also made impressive gains with special education students, who jumped from the 10th percentile statewide to the 47th percentile in just two years. However, the school continues to face challenges in math and reading for its larger student population. With per-student spending around $13,000—mid-range compared to peers—Connally demonstrates that strategic focus can drive meaningful improvement even without the highest funding levels.