Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Nolan Creek School

Q: Is Nolan Creek School a good school?

Nolan Creek School ranks 2626 th of 4627 Texas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public, Charter Grades K-7

2626^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 4,627 Texas Elementary Schools

Better than 43% of Texas elementary schools

Summary

Nolan Creek School in Belton, TX, is a small K-7 charter school with just 109 students, operating under the Orenda Charter School district and serving as a combined elementary and middle school in an area where most nearby schools only serve K-5.

This school stands out for its extremely small size and unique grade span, but its academic performance is highly inconsistent from year to year. For example, in the most recent data, 3rd-grade reading proficiency was just 9.09%, while 5th-grade reading reached 66.67%. This volatility is likely due to the small student body, where a single cohort of 10-15 students can dramatically swing scores. The school also shows a clear strength in reading over math, and 5th-grade science scores (46.15% proficient) significantly outperformed the state average (29.57%). However, overall state rankings have fluctuated, dropping from the 66th percentile to the 43rd percentile recently. Compared to nearby schools, Nolan Creek is located just 0.64 miles from Southwest Elementary, the lowest-performing school in the area, while high-performing Lakewood Elementary is only 5 miles away, highlighting a stark contrast in educational outcomes within a small geographic area.

For parents, the key takeaway is that Nolan Creek offers a close-knit, K-7 environment that may provide continuity through the middle school transition, but its academic results are unpredictable. The school spends less per student ($9,712) than many nearby schools, and its performance for specific student groups, such as male and at-risk students, can swing dramatically from one year to the next. While it has bright spots in reading and science, the overall inconsistency means families should carefully consider whether the small-school experience outweighs the potential for uneven instruction across grades.

109

Students ?

12.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$10,363

Per pupil spending ?

17%

Free/discounted lunch ?

505 E Ave C
Belton, TX 76513-3500

(254) 939-4491

District: Orenda Charter School

Racial breakdown:

White:

46.8%

Hispanic:

32.1%

African American:

11.9%

See top rated Texas elementary schools

Compare Nolan Creek School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 44th percentile in 2019 → 43rd in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Texas average (42% vs 51% meeting standards)

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

!Mathematics scores 10 pts below the Texas average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school42%

District avg64%

Texas avg51%

2,626^th of 4,627

Texas public elementary schools ?

Bottom 43%▼ down 1 pts since 2019

See the entire ranking list of Texas Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

429^th of 951Orenda Charter School among Texas districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	41.4	2626 of 4627	43.2%	★★☆☆☆
2025	59.8	1593 of 4651	65.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	48.7	2250 of 4710	52.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	46.8	2355 of 4647	49.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	41.0	2677 of 4581	41.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	63.7	1388 of 4578	69.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	42.8	2510 of 4479	44.0%	★★☆☆☆

At Risk

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2022	43.3	2571 of 4461	42.4%	★★☆☆☆
2021	82.7	306 of 4331	92.9%	★★★★★
2019	20.5	3956 of 4295	7.9%	☆☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	53.7	1875 of 4575	59.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	56.1	1465 of 3744	60.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	32.6	3326 of 4658	28.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	37.3	2956 of 4588	35.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	14.8	4243 of 4561	7.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	70.0	1059 of 4499	76.5%	★★★★☆
2019	39.3	2711 of 4348	37.6%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2025	59.1	1266 of 3644	65.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	38.7	2850 of 4401	35.2%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2025	61.5	1154 of 3705	68.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	28.8	3597 of 4521	20.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	59.9	1357 of 4309	68.5%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	33.4	3216 of 4582	29.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	66.6	1037 of 3739	72.3%	★★★★☆
2024	61.6	1496 of 4647	67.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	59.4	1611 of 4585	64.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	53.9	1941 of 4563	57.5%	★★★☆☆
2021	54.3	1778 of 4498	60.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	48.9	2079 of 4357	52.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	49.8	1999 of 4319	53.7%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	50.5	1543 of 3006	48.7%	★★☆☆☆
2025	40.8	1687 of 2612	35.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	36.9	2125 of 3108	31.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	31.4	2344 of 3106	24.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	27.8	2491 of 3082	19.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	41.3	1884 of 3082	38.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	27.4	2525 of 3142	19.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2025	52.1	1013 of 2344	56.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	46.8	1179 of 2372	50.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	58.7	768 of 2252	65.9%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2024	46.4	1077 of 2246	52.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	34.1	1422 of 2168	34.4%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2021	41.0	1043 of 1700	38.6%	★★☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Elementary school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)69th percentile+3 vs school

Hispanic (2025)65th percentile~ school

Female (2026)59th percentile+16 vs school

White (2026)49th percentile+5 vs school

At Risk (2022)42nd percentile~ school

Male (2026)30th percentile-13 vs school

Middle school

Male (2024)52nd percentile~ school

White (2021)39th percentile-27 vs school

By subject vs Texas (2025-2026) ?

Reading48%-7 vs state

Mathematics37%-10 vs state

5.0

2 ratings · 1 written review

5★2

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★0

Rate Nolan Creek School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

What people are saying

by a parent
Monday, June 21, 2021

My children were enrolled in the local school district and they were not receiving the attention they required due to the teacher/student ratio. My eldest is smart as a whip and this was not being nurtured because of the ratio. I had issues with bullying with my youngest and the administration didn't care she was just another student in a chair to go towards their numbers and funding they did not protect my child. These two reasons I pulled my children from the local school district and since they have been attending Nolan Creek School they have blossomed and have been given the protection and attention they deserve as students. The school is very inclusive and allows my children to be in the best learning environment. The faculty and the administration are top notch they truly care about their students and parents. This may be a small school but the community that the children are a part of is large. Close Quote

Schools Near Nolan Creek School

Load more schools when map is moved

Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				STAAR Spanish Reading (2026)			STAAR Spanish Mathematics (2026)			STAAR Reading (2026)			STAAR Mathematics (2026)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	STAAR Spanish Reading 3rd Grade	STAAR Spanish Reading 4th Grade	STAAR Spanish Reading 5th Grade	STAAR Spanish Mathematics 3rd Grade	STAAR Spanish Mathematics 4th Grade	STAAR Spanish Mathematics 5th Grade	STAAR Reading 3rd Grade	STAAR Reading 4th Grade	STAAR Reading 5th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 3rd Grade	STAAR Mathematics 4th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 5th Grade	Total
Nolan Creek School	Public, Charter	K-7	505 E Ave C	Belton	76513	Bell County	Orenda Charter School	Yes	No	(n/a)	No	(254) 939-4491	109	9	12.2		51 (46.8%)	13 (11.9%)	35 (32.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (9.2%)	41.4	2626^th of 4627 public elementary schools	43.2%		59.8	1593^rd of 4651 public elementary schools	65.7%	1033							9.1	53.9	66.7	20.0	30.8	50.0	$10,363
Southwest Elementary	Public	K-5	611 S Saunders	Belton	76513	Bell County	Belton Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(254) 215-3500	415	33	12.6	81.9%	82 (19.8%)	30 (7.2%)	286 (68.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (3.9%)	16	4240^th of 4627 public elementary schools	8.4%		21.2	3964^th of 4651 public elementary schools	14.8%	276	23.1	30.0	0.0	20.0	0.0	0.0	30.0	41.7	36.1	15.5	38.3	25.4	$11,593
Leon Heights Elementary	Public	K-5	1501 N Main	Belton	76513	Bell County	Belton Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(254) 215-3200	184	18	10.2	58.2%	88 (47.8%)	10 (5.4%)	72 (39.1%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (7.1%)	46.8	2286^th of 4627 public elementary schools	50.6%		56.7	1743^rd of 4651 public elementary schools	62.5%	543							57.1	43.8	65.8	51.4	21.9	34.2	$9,986
Hubbard Branch Elementary	Public	K-5	1651 Ot Tyler	Belton	76513	Bell County	Belton Independent School District (Isd)	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(254) 215-2000	514	40	12.8	66.3%	195 (37.9%)	59 (11.5%)	215 (41.8%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (8.0%)	16.9	4194^th of 4627 public elementary schools	9.4%					(n/a)							32.6	41.9	36.5	29.1	24.7	21.7	$00
Chisholm Trail Elementary	Public	K-5	1082 S Wheat Rd	Belton	76513	Bell County	Belton Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(254) 316-5100	766	56	13.7	57.7%	255 (33.3%)	64 (8.4%)	391 (51.0%)	7 (0.9%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.4%)	45 (5.9%)	49.9	2120^th of 4627 public elementary schools	54.2%		33.3	3236^th of 4651 public elementary schools	30.4%	1116	19.2	24.0		0.0	0.0		45.4	46.9	56.9	46.6	36.7	57.8	$7,435
Sparta Elementary	Public	K-5	1800 Sparta Rd	Belton	76513	Bell County	Belton Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	No	(254) 215-3600	549	41	13.2	29.5%	361 (65.8%)	23 (4.2%)	123 (22.4%)	7 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (6.4%)	61.5	1548^th of 4627 public elementary schools	66.5%		58.5	1648^th of 4651 public elementary schools	64.6%	100							58.4	52.9	55.0	48.3	54.7	56.0	$8,265
Charter Oak Elementary	Public	K-5	8402 Poison Oak Rd	Temple	76502	Bell County	Belton Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(254) 215-4000	602	47	12.7	40.9%	270 (44.9%)	31 (5.1%)	260 (43.2%)	10 (1.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (5.0%)	58.2	1700^th of 4627 public elementary schools	63.3%		67.3	1246^th of 4651 public elementary schools	73.2%	454	7.1	16.7		16.7			54.3	62.3	63.0	50.0	38.0	48.9	$8,902
Joe M Pirtle Elementary	Public	K-5	714 S Pea Rdg	Temple	76502	Bell County	Belton Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	No	(254) 215-3400	575	41	14.0	40.3%	276 (48.0%)	63 (11.0%)	169 (29.4%)	10 (1.7%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	53 (9.2%)	39.5	2789^th of 4627 public elementary schools	39.7%		49.8	2152^nd of 4651 public elementary schools	53.7%	637							49.5	44.7	55.8	34.3	37.9	42.1	$7,862
Thornton Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2825 Cottonwood Ln	Temple	76502	Bell County	Temple Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(254) 215-5700	763	44	17.4	67.1%	152 (19.9%)	98 (12.8%)	449 (58.8%)	21 (2.8%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	40 (5.2%)	32.8	3241^st of 4627 public elementary schools	30.0%		31.3	3346^th of 4651 public elementary schools	28.1%	105							27.6	47.1	46.7	34.7	45.8	41.7	$7,762
Lakewood Elementary	Public	K-5	11200 Fm 2305	Belton	76513	Bell County	Belton Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	No	(254) 215-3100	572	41	13.9	18.7%	400 (69.9%)	13 (2.3%)	93 (16.3%)	23 (4.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (7.3%)	87.3	493^rd of 4627 public elementary schools	89.3%		89.3	398^th of 4651 public elementary schools	91.4%	95							75.0	68.3	83.8	63.3	56.7	71.6	$7,463

Frequently Asked Questions about Nolan Creek School

How many students attend Nolan Creek School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 109 students attended Nolan Creek School.

Is Nolan Creek School a good school?

Nolan Creek School ranks 2626^th of 4627 Texas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What district is Nolan Creek School in?

Orenda Charter School

What is the racial makeup of Nolan Creek School?

Students at Nolan Creek School are 47% White, 32% Hispanic, 12% African American, 9% Two or more races.

Rate Nolan Creek School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

TXTexas Elementary School Rankings

TXTexas District Rankings

Schools in Belton, TX

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Nolan Creek School!

Latest Texas data All new data »

2025–26 STAAR, STAAR EOC & STAAR Spanish test scoresJun 12, 2026

2021–22 through 2023–24 school spending dataJan 10, 2026

2023–24 dropout rates & graduation ratesSep 17, 2025

2024–25 STAAR EOC & STAAR Spanish test scoresJun 23, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Texas Education Agency.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.