McLennan County Schools & Education
McLennan County, Texas
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
42/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
90.7%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
90.7%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 91.6%
Per-Pupil Spending
$6,578
National avg $13,239
State avg $7,498
School Score
42/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 56/100
State Score Position
#213
of 253 counties by score
Education Data Brief: McLennan County
Measured School Summary
McLennan County performs at an average level with a school score of 42/100 and a solid graduation rate of 90.7%.
Funding Context
At $6,578 per pupil, McLennan County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 26% below the Texas average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 0.9 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 12% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read McLennan County before comparing districts
County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.
Local context that changes the interpretation
113 public schools and 20 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.
Overall screen
42/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #213 of 253 Texas counties with school score data.
Completion
90.7%
0.9 pts below the state average
Funding context
$6,578
$920 below the state average
School coverage
113
20 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
McLennan County has 113 public schools across 20 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.
Verify local rules
Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.
What McLennan County school data means before you move
County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.
Large multi-district county
McLennan County has many school records across many districts. County averages are only the opening screen; neighborhood-level assignment and grade-band fit matter more here.
State position
#213
of 253 Texas counties with school score data. The county score is 14 points below the state average.
Data confidence
Usable
3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.
K-12 continuity check
These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.
WACO ISD
Elementary to high school visible
13,824 students
25 listed schools in this county slice.
MIDWAY ISD
Elementary to high school visible
8,739 students
12 listed schools in this county slice.
LA VEGA ISD
Elementary to high school visible
3,017 students
5 listed schools in this county slice.
CHINA SPRING ISD
Elementary to high school visible
3,010 students
6 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
WACO ISD is the largest listed district slice, with 25 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.
What the data cannot tell you
NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.
Questions to ask before choosing an address
Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in McLennan County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different McLennan County district systems?
What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?
Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?
Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?
Data Story
Diverse District Landscape and Charter Presence in McLennan County
Education data brief for McLennan County, Texas.
McLennan County features a complex educational structure with 20 different school districts and 113 public schools serving 45,997 students. Charter schools make up 11.5% of the county's total schools, with 13 such institutions in operation. Waco ISD is the largest district, enrolling 13,824 students across 25 schools, followed by Midway ISD with 8,739 students. The county’s composite school score is 41.7, which is lower than the Texas state average of 56.3 and the national median of 50.0. The graduation rate of 90.7% is slightly below the state average of 91.6% but remains above the national average of 87.0%. Per-pupil expenditure is $6,578, lower than both the state average of $7,498 and the national average of $13,000. The schools are distributed across various locales, including 46 city schools and 45 rural schools. For more detailed information on specific district boundaries and school performance, consult the NCES Common Core of Data.
Sources
- NCES Common Core of Data
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS
School Overview
Total Schools
113
in McLennan County
Reported Enrollment
45,997
113 schools reporting
School Districts
20
districts
Charter Schools
13
12% of total
School Level Breakdown
20 School Districts in McLennan County
WACO ISD
GuideMIDWAY ISD
GuideLA VEGA ISD
CHINA SPRING ISD
ROBINSON ISD
CONNALLY ISD
LORENA ISD
MCGREGOR ISD
WEST ISD
RAPOPORT ACADEMY PUBLIC SCHOOL
113 Public Schools in McLennan County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 6 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 20 of 113 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIDWAY H S | Profile | MIDWAY ISD | WACO, 76712City: Midsize | 9–12 | High | 2,648 |
| WACO H S | Profile | WACO ISD | WACO, 76710City: Midsize | 9–12 | High | 2,011 |
| UNIVERSITY H S | Profile | WACO ISD | WACO, 76706City: Midsize | 9–12 | High | 1,678 |
| MIDWAY MIDDLE | Profile | MIDWAY ISD | HEWITT, 76643Suburb: Midsize | 6–8 | Middle | 1,075 |
| TENNYSON MIDDLE | Profile | WACO ISD | WACO, 76710City: Midsize | 6–8 | Middle | 999 |
| CHINA SPRING H S | Profile | CHINA SPRING ISD | CHINA SPRING, 76633Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 948 |
| RIVER VALLEY MIDDLE | Record | MIDWAY ISD | MCGREGOR, 76657City: Midsize | 6–8 | Middle | 931 |
| LA VEGA H S | Record | LA VEGA ISD | WACO, 76705Suburb: Midsize | 9–12 | High | 882 |
| CESAR CHAVEZ MIDDLE | Record | WACO ISD | WACO, 76706City: Midsize | 6–8 | Middle | 840 |
| BELL'S HILL EL | Record | WACO ISD | WACO, 76706City: Midsize | PK–5 | Primary | 760 |
| LAKE AIR MONTESSORI SCHOOL | Record | WACO ISD | WACO, 76710City: Midsize | PK–8 | Primary | 697 |
| ROBINSON H S | Record | ROBINSON ISD | ROBINSON, 76706Suburb: Midsize | 9–12 | High | 696 |
| CHINA SPRING EL | Record | CHINA SPRING ISD | CHINA SPRING, 76633Rural: Fringe | 2–4 | Primary | 677 |
| LA VEGA EL | Record | LA VEGA ISD | WACO, 76705Suburb: Midsize | 1–3 | Primary | 659 |
| HARMONY SCHOOL OF INNOVATION - WACO | Record | HARMONY PUBLIC SCHOOLS - NORTH TEXAS | BEVERLY HILLS, 76711Suburb: Midsize | 6–12 | Charter | 611 |
| PARK HILL EL | Record | MIDWAY ISD | HEWITT, 76643Suburb: Midsize | PK–5 | Primary | 611 |
| DEAN HIGHLAND EL | Record | WACO ISD | WACO, 76707City: Midsize | PK–5 | Primary | 598 |
| CONNALLY HIGH SCHOOL | Record | CONNALLY ISD | WACO, 76705Suburb: Midsize | 9–12 | High | 596 |
| SOUTH BOSQUE EL | Record | MIDWAY ISD | WACO, 76712Suburb: Midsize | PK–5 | Primary | 595 |
| LA VEGA INT H P MILES CAMPUS | Record | LA VEGA ISD | WACO, 76705Suburb: Midsize | 4–6 | Middle | 592 |
MIDWAY H S
MIDWAY ISD
WACO, 76712 / City: Midsize
WACO H S
WACO ISD
WACO, 76710 / City: Midsize
UNIVERSITY H S
WACO ISD
WACO, 76706 / City: Midsize
MIDWAY MIDDLE
MIDWAY ISD
HEWITT, 76643 / Suburb: Midsize
TENNYSON MIDDLE
WACO ISD
WACO, 76710 / City: Midsize
CHINA SPRING H S
CHINA SPRING ISD
CHINA SPRING, 76633 / Rural: Fringe
HARMONY SCHOOL OF INNOVATION - WACO
HARMONY PUBLIC SCHOOLS - NORTH TEXAS
BEVERLY HILLS, 76711 / Suburb: Midsize
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$6,578
State avg $7,498
Compare Nearby Counties
Review McLennan County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
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What is the graduation rate in McLennan County?
How much does McLennan County spend per student?
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Data Sources
Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.
Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.