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Waelder School

Q: Is Waelder School a good school?

Waelder School ranks in the bottom 8.4% of Texas alternative schools.

Q: How many students attend Waelder School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 302 students attended Waelder School.

Q: What is the racial makeup of Waelder School?

Students at Waelder School are 86% Hispanic, 8% White, 5% African American, 2% Two or more races.

Public, Alternative Grades PK, KG-12

4239^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 4,627 Texas Alternative Schools

Better than 8% of Texas alternative schools

Summary

Waelder School in Waelder, TX, is a small PK-12 campus within the Waelder Independent School District (Isd), serving 302 students in a rural, high-poverty community where over 90% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

The school’s most notable strength is its consistent 100% graduation rate for the past three years, a remarkable achievement given the challenges of its student population. However, this success contrasts sharply with persistent struggles on state assessments (STAAR), where proficiency in core subjects like Reading and Math often falls well below state averages. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 0% of 8th graders were proficient in Math, Science, and Social Studies, yet the school still graduates all its students. This suggests a strong focus on student support and alternative pathways to graduation, but raises questions about academic rigor and college or career readiness. Compared to the nearby Legacy Ranch Inspire Academy, a much smaller K-11 school (33 students), Waelder offers a more comprehensive, traditional experience with a full PK-12 grade span and richer multi-year data. In the one grade where comparison is possible (6th grade, 2024-2025), Waelder underperformed Legacy Ranch in both Reading (14.29% vs. 40%) and Math (7.14% vs. 20%).

Despite low test scores, Waelder benefits from a low student-teacher ratio of about 9.5:1, which should allow for individualized instruction. The school also spends significantly less per student ($11,585–$13,540) than Legacy Ranch ($18,654), suggesting efficient resource use. A bright spot is Biology, where proficiency (63% in 2022-2023) once exceeded the state average, though it has since dropped. Test scores show extreme year-to-year volatility due to small class sizes, making it hard to identify long-term trends. Overall, Waelder excels at keeping students in school and graduating them, but faces a systemic academic crisis, particularly in Math and Reading, that warrants further investigation into curriculum rigor and support for college or workforce readiness.

302

Students ?

9.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

$10,994

Per pupil spending ?

90.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

201 Us Hwy 90 W
Waelder, TX 78959-0247

(830) 239-5602

District: Waelder Independent School District (Isd)

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

85.8%

White:

7.6%

African American:

5.0%

See top rated Texas elementary schools

Compare Waelder School to nearby alternative schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 40th percentile in 2023 → 24th in 2026

Strengths

✓100% graduate within 4 years

✓Small classes — about 10 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Texas average (31% vs 51% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (8th percentile)

!Ranking has slipped — down 16 percentile points since 2023

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school31%

District avg31%

Texas avg51%

Elementary school

4,239^th of 4,627

Texas public elementary schools ?

Bottom 8%▬ steady since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Texas Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

Middle school

2,067^th of 2,335

Texas public middle schools ?

Bottom 11%▲ up 9 pts since 2016

From bottom 3% (2016) to bottom 11% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Texas Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

High school

1,517^th of 2,009

Texas public high schools ?

Bottom 24%▲ up 2 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Texas High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

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	16.0	4239 of 4627	8.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	11.3	4447 of 4651	4.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	7.4	4612 of 4710	2.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	7.6	4526 of 4647	2.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	10.3	4393 of 4581	4.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	10.3	4470 of 4578	2.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	10.8	4329 of 4479	3.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	15.5	4031 of 4359	7.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	10.4	4177 of 4329	3.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	14.7	3941 of 4286	8.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	4.2	4260 of 4320	1.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	6.6	4192 of 4260	1.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	8.3	4120 of 4221	2.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	8.1	4120 of 4206	2.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	16.6	3825 of 4095	6.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	12.6	3781 of 3937	4.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2009	8.4	3801 of 3884	2.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2008	5.8	3722 of 3768	1.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2007	18.6	3429 of 3724	7.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2006	10.2	3374 of 3476	2.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2005	24.1	3053 of 3475	12.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2004	33.7	2737 of 3465	21.0%	★☆☆☆☆

At Risk

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2022	12.9	4346 of 4461	2.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	17.5	4164 of 4331	3.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	21.3	3910 of 4295	9.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	22.9	3789 of 4240	10.6%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2024	14.3	3505 of 3668	4.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	18.5	3287 of 3556	7.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	11.5	3423 of 3487	1.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	13.6	3391 of 3446	1.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	10.7	3278 of 3333	1.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	13.6	3133 of 3226	2.9%	☆☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	19.1	4098 of 4575	10.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	5.8	4622 of 4658	0.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	7.8	4517 of 4588	1.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	12.5	4350 of 4561	4.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	13.3	4313 of 4499	4.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	11.5	4218 of 4348	3.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	15.7	4021 of 4306	6.6%	☆☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	19.2	4044 of 4413	8.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	8.8	4386 of 4465	1.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	11.7	4261 of 4401	3.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	13.4	4202 of 4376	4.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	11.9	4261 of 4329	1.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	12.7	4073 of 4188	2.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	16.6	3941 of 4168	5.4%	☆☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	21.0	4103 of 4520	9.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	10.7	4478 of 4594	2.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	12.1	4357 of 4521	3.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	13.0	4311 of 4477	3.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	13.0	4344 of 4451	2.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	18.0	4041 of 4309	6.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	21.0	3877 of 4264	9.1%	☆☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	21.6	3950 of 4582	13.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	8.8	4544 of 4647	2.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	10.9	4394 of 4585	4.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	12.1	4345 of 4563	4.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	11.6	4365 of 4498	3.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	15.1	4079 of 4357	6.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	20.4	3811 of 4319	11.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2024	7.4	4285 of 4292	0.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	16.6	3589 of 3684	2.6%	☆☆☆☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	19.1	2067 of 2335	11.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	32.2	1655 of 2344	29.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	13.1	2204 of 2372	7.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	17.6	2048 of 2330	12.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	19.4	1945 of 2254	13.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	26.1	1711 of 2252	24.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	15.3	1996 of 2193	9.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	17.8	1864 of 2080	10.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	7.2	1979 of 2027	2.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	5.4	1937 of 1987	2.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	3.4	1981 of 2043	3.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	18.1	1774 of 1987	10.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	9.0	1882 of 1973	4.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	17.8	1734 of 1951	11.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	33.6	1554 of 1895	18.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	40.3	1328 of 1803	26.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	43.7	1193 of 1763	32.3%	★★☆☆☆

At Risk

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2022	16.6	2070 of 2182	5.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	31.9	1562 of 2118	26.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	27.3	1714 of 2058	16.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	32.6	1477 of 2008	26.4%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2024	21.0	1563 of 1770	11.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	16.0	1635 of 1720	4.9%	☆☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	28.0	1751 of 2240	21.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	7.0	2222 of 2242	0.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	11.5	2111 of 2241	5.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	18.7	1964 of 2221	11.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	30.4	1554 of 2151	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	19.1	1820 of 2047	11.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	21.2	1748 of 2008	12.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	33.4	1542 of 2141	28.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	14.4	2009 of 2119	5.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	20.5	1861 of 2116	12.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	22.3	1784 of 2077	14.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	31.3	1475 of 2043	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	15.7	1821 of 1935	5.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	22.1	1660 of 1895	12.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	27.2	1819 of 2253	19.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	13.2	2139 of 2235	4.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	25.4	1855 of 2251	17.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	25.9	1849 of 2220	16.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	33.2	1538 of 2172	29.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	15.9	1959 of 2073	5.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	22.1	1817 of 2039	10.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	17.0	2054 of 2253	8.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	15.0	2072 of 2246	7.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	28.9	1676 of 2245	25.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	23.8	1826 of 2228	18.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	25.3	1690 of 2168	22.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	14.8	1927 of 2069	6.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	21.1	1762 of 2030	13.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	35.4	1287 of 1956	34.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	31.0	1277 of 1712	25.4%	★☆☆☆☆

High school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	27.9	1517 of 2009	24.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	27.3	1456 of 1974	26.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	17.7	1655 of 1990	16.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	40.3	1169 of 1961	40.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	45.3	988 of 1876	47.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	37.3	1177 of 1861	36.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	29.0	1365 of 1857	26.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	24.3	1403 of 1797	21.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	11.8	1560 of 1777	12.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	29.6	1366 of 1762	22.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	28.1	1381 of 1743	20.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	32.3	1296 of 1734	25.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	21.0	1419 of 1652	14.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	25.0	1351 of 1603	15.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	63.9	651 of 1672	61.1%	★★★☆☆
2010	54.3	909 of 1568	42.0%	★★☆☆☆
2009	50.2	979 of 1539	36.4%	★★☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2022	37.6	576 of 1031	44.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	28.9	719 of 1020	29.5%	★☆☆☆☆

At Risk

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2022	38.6	1041 of 1837	43.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	49.9	733 of 1829	59.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	39.2	1068 of 1810	41.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	32.0	1271 of 1784	28.8%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2024	14.9	1299 of 1437	9.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	7.2	1341 of 1371	2.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	42.8	563 of 1278	55.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	34.7	711 of 1136	37.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	16.2	1098 of 1113	1.3%	☆☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	33.4	1349 of 1936	30.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	19.1	1554 of 1880	17.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	58.2	696 of 1891	63.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	41.3	1076 of 1841	41.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	38.2	1142 of 1815	37.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	29.8	1356 of 1798	24.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	15.4	1573 of 1781	11.7%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	31.2	1353 of 1860	27.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	20.4	1490 of 1805	17.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	42.8	979 of 1820	46.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	52.1	698 of 1762	60.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	46.1	869 of 1743	50.1%	★★★☆☆
2019	32.5	1210 of 1714	29.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	28.3	1294 of 1691	23.5%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	29.9	1444 of 1937	25.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	23.7	1508 of 1884	20.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	48.7	835 of 1897	56.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	50.3	760 of 1847	58.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	43.4	1013 of 1848	45.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	35.2	1262 of 1818	30.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	34.2	1240 of 1794	30.9%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	26.8	1478 of 1954	24.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	21.3	1498 of 1891	20.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	27.3	1397 of 1913	27.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	45.4	920 of 1853	50.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	33.8	1217 of 1840	33.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	18.0	1576 of 1824	13.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	32.7	1241 of 1803	31.2%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2024	5.1	1536 of 1548	0.8%	☆☆☆☆☆

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

Male (2026)14th percentile+5 vs school

Female (2026)10th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)9th percentile~ school

Hispanic (2026)8th percentile~ school

English Language Learner (2024)4th percentile~ school

At Risk (2022)3rd percentile~ school

Special Education (2024)<1st percentile~ school

Middle school

Special Education (2026)34th percentile+23 vs school

Hispanic (2026)28th percentile+17 vs school

Female (2026)22nd percentile+10 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)19th percentile+8 vs school

English Language Learner (2024)12th percentile+5 vs school

Male (2026)9th percentile-3 vs school

At Risk (2022)5th percentile-9 vs school

High school

African American (2022)44th percentile-3 vs school

At Risk (2022)43rd percentile-4 vs school

Female (2026)30th percentile+6 vs school

Hispanic (2026)27th percentile+3 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)25th percentile~ school

Male (2026)24th percentile~ school

English Language Learner (2024)10th percentile-7 vs school

Special Education (2024)1st percentile-16 vs school

By subject vs Texas (2025-2026) ?

Biology69%~ state avg

Algebra I39%-15 vs state

English I Reading37%-19 vs state

English II Reading33%-27 vs state

Reading32%-22 vs state

Social Studies24%-8 vs state

Mathematics22%-21 vs state

★

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Schools Near Waelder School

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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 ()				Ranking ()				STAAR EOC Algebra I (2026)	STAAR EOC Biology (2026)	STAAR EOC English I Reading (2026)	STAAR EOC English II Reading (2026)	STAAR Reading (2026)						STAAR Mathematics (2026)						STAAR Social Studies (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 ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	SchoolDigger Rating ()	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	Rank Change from Previous Year	STAAR EOC Algebra I End of Course	STAAR EOC Biology End of Course	STAAR EOC English I Reading End of Course	STAAR EOC English II Reading End of Course	STAAR Reading 3rd Grade	STAAR Reading 4th Grade	STAAR Reading 5th Grade	STAAR Reading 6th Grade	STAAR Reading 7th Grade	STAAR Reading 8th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 3rd Grade	STAAR Mathematics 4th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 5th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 6th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 7th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 8th Grade	STAAR Social Studies 8th Grade	Total
Waelder School	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	201 Us Hwy 90 W	Waelder	78959	Gonzales County	Waelder Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(830) 239-5602	302	32	9.5	90.1%	23 (7.6%)	15 (5.0%)	259 (85.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.7%)								(n/a)	38.9	68.8	36.8	33.3	54.6	23.8	32.1	28.6	15.4	42.9	27.3	33.3	21.4	21.4	7.7	19.1	23.8	$10,994
Legacy Ranch Inspire Academy	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-11	13326 N Hwy 183	Gonzales	78629	Gonzales County	Inspire Academies	Yes	No	(n/a)	Yes	(210) 638-5300	33	4	9.3	90.9%	9 (27.3%)	6 (18.2%)	17 (51.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)																		$13,479

Frequently Asked Questions about Waelder School

Is Waelder School a good school?

Waelder School ranks in the bottom 8.4% of Texas alternative schools.

What district is Waelder School in?

Waelder Independent School District (Isd)

What is the racial makeup of Waelder School?

Students at Waelder School are 86% Hispanic, 8% White, 5% African American, 2% Two or more races.

How many students attend Waelder School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 302 students attended Waelder School.

Rate Waelder School!

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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.