Total enrollment
45,603
+1,228 (+3%) vs SY 2020-21
McLennan County
Texas · Public K-12
Across 124 public schools, McLennan County, Texas serves roughly 45,703 K-12 students, roughly 1 in 6 residents. By grade band, the county runs 61 elementary, 21 middle, and 36 high schools.
4-year change in McLennan County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
106
+4 (+4%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How McLennan County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Texas | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 45.6% | #102 of 192 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 45,703 | #22 of 196 | #237 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 107 | #16 of 196 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 13.8:1 | #106 of 196 | #1,262 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 61.8% | #98 of 196 | #1,030 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 66.5% | #23 of 192 | #253 of 2,707 |
Counties need at least 3 schools and 1,000 students to be ranked. Test proficiency is ranked within the state only, since each state gives a different test. Each rank links to the full list.
McLennan County school rankings
Residents
266,067
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
124
25 districts
Enrollment
45,703
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$66,643
Above Texas avg
Free/reduced lunch
61.8%
Above Texas avg
Elementary
61
20,682 students
Middle
21
10,222 students
High
36
14,437 students
Combined / other
6
362 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
WACO ISD
13,476 students · 25 districts in McLennan County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of McLennan County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".
County residents
School enrollment
Bachelor's+
28.7%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
10.5%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
4.5%
civilian labor
Median age
34
24.0% under 18
Test scores in McLennan County
Latest 2025-26 ELA proficiency, 82 schools ranked. Texas state average: 55.6%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- SOUTH BOSQUE EL· 91.0%
- CRAWFORD EL· 86.0%
- WOODWAY EL· 83.0%
- RIVER VALLEY MIDDLE· 82.0%
- MIDWAY H S· 80.0%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- DEAN HIGHLAND EL· 20.0%
- G W CARVER MIDDLE· 20.0%
- SOUTH WACO EL· 21.0%
- AUDRE AND BERNARD RAPOPORT ACADEMY· 23.0%
- CONNALLY J H· 23.0%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AXTELL/BE DAEP | Eddy | High | 08-12 | 4 | · |
| CHALLENGE ACADEMY | Waco | High | 11-11 | 2 | · |
| CHALLENGE ACADEMY | Waco | High | 08-09 | 2 | · |
| CHALLENGE ACADEMY | Waco | High | 08-10 | 1 | · |
| CHALLENGE ACADEMY | Waco | High | 12-12 | 1 | · |
| CHALLENGE ACADEMY | Waco | High | 09-09 | 1 | · |
| MCLENNAN COUNTY CHALLENGE ACADEMY | Waco | High | 10-10 | 1 | · |
| CHALLENGE ACADEMY | Eddy | High | 09-09 | 0 | · |
| AXTELL/BRUCEVILLE-EDDY LEARNING CENTER | Eddy | Combined | M-M | · | · |
| CHALLENGE ACADEMY | Waco | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| CHALLENGE ACADEMY | Waco | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| CHALLENGE ACADEMY | Waco | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| CHALLENGE ACADEMY | Waco | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| CHALLENGE ACADEMY | Waco | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| CHALLENGE ACADEMY | Waco | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| CHALLENGE ACADEMY | Waco | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| CHALLENGE ACADEMY | Waco | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| G W CARVER MIDDLE | Waco | Combined | M-M | · | · |
| MCLENNAN CO CHALLENGE ACADEMY | Waco | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| MCLENNAN COUNTY CHALLENGE ACADEMY | Valley Mills | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| MCLENNAN COUNTY CHALLENGE ACADEMY | Waco | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| VALLEY MILLS DAEP | Valley Mills | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| WACO CHARTER SCHOOL | Waco | Combined | M-M | · | · |
| WEST BROOKHAVEN YOUTH RANCH SCHOOL | West | Combined | M-M | · | · |
Cities in McLennan County
About McLennan County
Across the sprawling Texas county of McLennan County of about 266,067 residents, the public-school footprint covers 124 schools and about 45,703 students.
Looking at the broader picture, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $66,643, 29% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate is around 11%.
For a sense of the school types, McLennan County is made up of 61 elementary schools (20,682 students), 21 middle schools (10,222), 36 high schools (14,437), and 6 combined or other schools.
WACO ISD is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 13,476 students across McLennan County.
Over the past 4-year window. Across the same 4-year window, public-school enrollment rose 3%: 44,375 students in SY 2020-21 versus 45,603 in SY 2024-25. McLennan County now counts 106 public schools, up from 102 in SY 2020-21.
Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for McLennan County discusses enrollment trends, district policy changes, and bus-route updates. Members of the local community share what they see day-to-day.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data