Schools in Alta Vista, Waco¶
Public Schools¶
Alta Vista is served by Waco Independent School District (WISD). The neighborhood's elementary school operates under a special in-district charter arrangement as part of the Transformation Waco initiative.
Waco ISD Schools Serving the Alta Vista Area¶
| School | Address | Grades | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ~~Alta Vista Elementary~~ | ~~2101 Gurley Lane, Waco, TX 76706~~ | ~~PK–5~~ | CLOSED June 2025 — replaced by Kendrick Elementary |
| Kendrick Elementary | Waco, TX 76706 | PK–5 | NEW — opened Fall 2025; replaced Alta Vista Elementary |
| South Waco Elementary | Gurley Lane area, Waco, TX 76706 | PK–5 | Waco ISD; expanded 2025 to absorb Alta Vista students |
| Cesar Chavez Middle School | Northwest of Alta Vista (across I-35) | 6–8 | Waco ISD |
| Waco High School | 2020 N 42nd St, Waco, TX 76710 | 9–12 | Niche B- |
Note: School assignment depends on specific address. Verify your attendance zone at wacoisd.org.
Alta Vista Elementary — CLOSED June 2025¶
Alta Vista Elementary permanently closed at the end of the 2024–25 school year (June 2025). Its approximately 530 students were redistributed to the newly built Kendrick Elementary School and the expanded South Waco Elementary School for 2025–26, funded by a $355 million bond approved by voters in November 2021. Community families expressed concern about the consolidation.
- Final TEA Rating (2025): C — the school's final academic year rating before closure; one point away from a B
- Enrollment (final year): ~530 students (PK–5)
- Student-to-Teacher Ratio: 14.6:1
- Free/Reduced Lunch: 93.2% of students qualify
- Demographics: Hispanic 65.2%, African American 21.8%, White 8.7%
- Final-year achievement: 5th graders reading pass rate reached 62% (up 18 percentage points); above state average on 5th grade reading and math
- Chronic absenteeism: Dropped from 26% (2021-22) to 14% (2022-23) under Transformation Waco
Kendrick Elementary (Replacement School — Opened Fall 2025)¶
The new Kendrick Elementary School opened for the 2025-26 school year, absorbing Alta Vista students. The facility was previewed in December 2024 and was funded through the 2021 bond program.
Transformation Waco — Contract Ended June 2024¶
The in-district charter contract between Waco ISD and Transformation Waco (a Prosper Waco partnership) officially ended June 2024 after a board decision in October 2023 not to renew. Transformation Waco transitioned to a standalone nonprofit providing wraparound support services only (after-school programs, clinical social workers, Family Resource Center, Inspiración Early Childhood program). In September 2024, the Forever Fund selected Transformation Waco as its inaugural grant recipient for this continuing work.
- Final measured outcomes: 75% of students met academic growth goals; 81% of after-school participants met growth targets; chronic absenteeism district-wide dropped from 35% to 22% across all Transformation Waco campuses.
Waco ISD District Overview¶
Waco ISD serves approximately 14,000 students across the city. The district has faced persistent academic challenges:
- 2025 TEA District Rating: D (score: 63/100) — 4th consecutive D
- A 5th consecutive D rating would trigger potential TEA state takeover of the district
- 8 of 25 campuses received F grades in 2025; 6 received D grades
- 13 of 15 elementary schools had failing student achievement scores
- Best-performing campus: Lake Air Montessori School (score 78)
- Superintendent Tiffany Spicer called the results "disheartening but not discouraging"
- District improvement steps: new math curriculum (adopted June 2025, first since 2014), refined reading/language arts curriculum, new Office of School Leadership
- Financial accountability: Waco ISD received a Superior financial rating for the 20th consecutive year (separate from academic A-F ratings)
Sources: TEA TXschools.gov, Texas Tribune Schools Explorer, Waco Tribune-Herald, KWBU, The Waco Bridge.
Private Schools¶
There are no private schools within the Alta Vista neighborhood. Nearby options include:
- Bishop Louis Reicher Catholic School (PK–12) — Waco
- Vanguard College Preparatory School (6–12) — Waco
- Eagle Christian Academy (PK–12) — Waco
Homeschooling¶
Resources for homeschooling families in the Central Texas area:
- Texas Home Educators (THE): Statewide organization providing resources and support.
- Texas Home School Coalition (THSC): Search tool to find local homeschool groups.
- TheHomeSchoolMom.com: Lists homeschool groups in Texas.
Sources: Waco ISD (wacoisd.org), Texas Tribune Schools, NeighborhoodScout, SchoolDigger, Niche.com, Waco Tribune-Herald (Transformation Waco reporting), TXschools.gov (TEA).