Wheatley Alternative Education Center

Wheatley Alternative Education Center is a public alternative school in Temple, Texas, serving grades 2-12 with a total enrollment of 63 students. The school is part of the Temple Independent School District, which is ranked 788 out of 961 districts in Texas and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While Wheatley Alternative Education Center has relatively low dropout rates, its test scores on the STAAR assessments are significantly lower than the district and state averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 2024-2025, the school's proficiency rates are projected to be around 16-20% in reading and 0-17% in math, compared to the district's 35-48% and the state's 31-58% proficiency rates. The school also has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 83% to 89% in recent years, indicating a high concentration of economically disadvantaged students. However, Wheatley Alternative Education Center has a relatively high per-student spending, ranging from $15,794 to $39,050 in recent years, and a lower student-teacher ratio compared to nearby schools, which may suggest that the alternative education model is providing some benefits to the students, even if they are not yet reflected in standardized test performance.

Compared to nearby schools like Buckholts School and Belton New Technical H S At Waskow, which have higher test scores and graduation rates, Wheatley Alternative Education Center faces significant challenges in terms of student achievement. However, the school's focus on serving economically disadvantaged students may be providing valuable support and opportunities for its students, even if the academic outcomes are not yet on par with the district and state averages.