Wheatley Alternative Education Center

Wheatley Alternative Education Center in Temple, TX, is a small alternative school within the Temple Independent School District (Isd), serving just 55 students in grades 1 through 12, and is designed for students who need a non-traditional setting to stay on track.

The school’s most remarkable strength is its perfect 0% dropout rate over the last five years, a standout achievement for an alternative campus. This shows a powerful commitment to keeping at-risk students in school, even when academic test scores are low. For example, 7th-grade reading proficiency was just 10% in 2025-2026, compared to 78.57% at Priority Charter Schools Temple. However, Wheatley invests heavily in this mission, spending $39,050 per student—about 4 times more than Priority Charter—which funds very small class sizes (a 9:1 student-teacher ratio) and intensive support services like counseling. This high cost is a trade-off for a safety-net environment where the primary goal is student stabilization and re-engagement, not just test scores.

Compared to nearby alternatives, Wheatley serves a more disadvantaged population, with 76% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. While Buckholts School also struggles academically, it shows occasional bright spots like 75% proficiency in U.S. History, whereas Wheatley lacks such high points. The school’s challenge is clear: it succeeds brilliantly at preventing dropouts but has not yet translated that retention into academic progress. For parents, Wheatley offers a high-support, low-pressure environment focused on keeping students in school, but families should expect that standardized test scores will be far below district and state averages.