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Schools›Texas›WACO
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·WACO ISD·NCES 484428007397

CHALLENGE ACADEMY

2015 ALEXANDER AVE, WACO, TX 76708 · (254) 754-0803 · McLennan County
GRADES 07–12HIGH12-CITYTITLE IALTERNATIVE EDUCATION SCHOOL52 STUDENTS
Enrollment
52
High
DISTRICT 760 · STATE 796
Student : Teacher
13.4:1
4 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 28.8:1 · STATE 15.1:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
92%
48 students
DISTRICT 89% · STATE 65%
Community
0
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other high schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade
Grade 7
4
Grade 8
5
Grade 9
23
Grade 10
12
Grade 11
3
Grade 12
5
Student demographics
White
6%
DISTRICT 8% · STATE 24%
Hispanic
52%
DISTRICT 62% · STATE 54%
Black
42%
DISTRICT 27% · STATE 13%
Native American
n/r
Pacific Islander
n/r
n/r: not reliably reported by NCES for this school. Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment are systematically under-reported in the source data.
Gender split
Male
71%
Female
29%

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Test scores

STAAR 2023-24 . % Meets Grade Level or Above
Reading
0.0%
own-school result
State assessment results for this school reflect a specialized student population. The figures above are the school's own reported scores; they are not directly comparable to state averages or to general-enrollment schools, so the usual state-average comparison line is suppressed here.
Source: STAAR. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →

BeatsExpectations

Not computed for this school
BeatsExpectations is not computed for specialized-population schools (schools for the deaf or blind, therapeutic and behavioral-health placements, juvenile-justice and alternative-education settings, and similar). State ELA/Math proficiency rates are not a comparable metric for these populations, so a demographically-adjusted residual against general-enrollment peers would be misleading. About the methodology →

7-year change

SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25
Enrollment
52
+30 (+136%) vs 2017
Student : Teacher
13.4:1
was 5.5:1
% White
6%
was 9%
% Hispanic
52%
was 41%
% Black
42%
was 41%
% Asian
0%
was 0%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data

About CHALLENGE ACADEMY

CHALLENGE ACADEMY is a senior high of micro-enrollment scale in WACO, Texas, one of the schools within WACO ISD, hosting 52 students in grades 7 through 12. That puts it 93% smaller than the typical public school in Texas, which averages around 796 students.

Within WACO ISD, which oversees 24 schools and 13,476 students, CHALLENGE ACADEMY is one campus in the system.

For racial and ethnic makeup, CHALLENGE ACADEMY reports that the most-represented group is Hispanic (52%), with the rest of the student body spread across multiple groups. The remainder consists of 42% Black, 6% White. By comparison, McLennan County as a whole is about 27% Hispanic, so the school skews visibly more Hispanic than its surroundings.

On the resource side, Staff filings list 4 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 13.4:1 students per teacher. The state averages around 15.1:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. About 92% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. Set against McLennan County (around 62%), the school's rate is meaningfully above typical.

In the surrounding community, McLennan County reports that median household income runs about $66,643, 29% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 11%. In all, McLennan County runs 124 public schools (combined enrollment of about 45,703 students), of which CHALLENGE ACADEMY is one.

Nearest neighbor: CHALLENGE ACADEMY, around 0.0 miles off. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools.

Geographically, the school is in a high-density area.

Five-year trend. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at CHALLENGE ACADEMY has grew 136%, going from 22 students in 2018 to 52 in 2025. Over the same period, the Hispanic share increased from 41% to 52%. Class-load math has rose: from 5.5:1 in 2018 to 13.4:1 in 2025.

Inside the community feed, the feed for CHALLENGE ACADEMY typically covers enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. Members of the school community can share what they know.

McLennan County at a glance

View full county profile
Population
266,067
Census ACS
Median income
$66,643
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
29%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
11%
Below federal line
Schools in county
124
45,703 students

Quick facts

School name
CHALLENGE ACADEMY
District
WACO ISD
Address
2015 ALEXANDER AVE, WACO, TX 76708
Phone
(254) 754-0803
County
McLennan County
Level
High
Grade range
07–12
Total enrollment
52
Teachers (FTE)
4
Student–teacher ratio
13.4:1
Free/Reduced lunch
48 (92%)
Locale
12-City: Mid-size
NCES ID
484428007397
Charter school
No
Virtual school
No

Related schools

Other schools in WACO ISD
Other schools in WACO
Nearby schools

Frequently asked questions

About CHALLENGE ACADEMY
How large is CHALLENGE ACADEMY?
CHALLENGE ACADEMY enrolls approximately 52 students in grades 07-12.
Is CHALLENGE ACADEMY an elementary, middle, or high school?
CHALLENGE ACADEMY is a high school covering grades 07-12.
What is the student-teacher ratio at CHALLENGE ACADEMY?
The student-to-teacher ratio at CHALLENGE ACADEMY is approximately 13.4:1 (4 FTE teachers).
What is the racial breakdown of students at CHALLENGE ACADEMY?
At CHALLENGE ACADEMY, the student body is approximately 6% White, 52% Hispanic, 42% Black.
What district is CHALLENGE ACADEMY in?
CHALLENGE ACADEMY is part of WACO ISD.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.
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