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Does UNIVERSITY H S have enough mental health and stress support?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
1,752
High
DISTRICT 760 · STATE 796
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·WACO ISD·NCES 484428005059
University High School
3201 S NEW RD, WACO, TX 76706 · (254) 756-1843 · McLennan County
GRADES 09–12HIGH12-CITYTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL1,752 STUDENTS
Student : Teacher
14.2:1
123 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 28.8:1 · STATE 15.1:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
84%
1,470 students
DISTRICT 89% · STATE 65%
Community
1
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other high schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 9 | 486 | 28% |
| Grade 10 | 484 | 28% |
| Grade 11 | 448 | 26% |
| Grade 12 | 334 | 19% |
Student demographics
44%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 53% · STATE 63% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
Test scores
STAAR 2025-26 . % Meets Grade Level or AboveReading
39.0%
TX avg 54.5% . +20.0pp since 2020
Mathematics
19.0%
TX avg 45.3% . -21.0pp since 2020
What this means: On the STAAR, Texas's statewide test, about 39 of every 100 students at this school read at grade level and about 19 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all Texas schools, those numbers are about 55 and 45. Reading scores are up about 20 points since 2020, while math scores are down about 21 points.
Performance levels, 2025-26
| Subject | Masters Grade Level | Meets Grade Level | Approaches Grade Level | Did Not Meet Grade Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 2.0% | 37.0% | 21.0% | 40.0% |
| Mathematics | 4.0% | 15.0% | 43.0% | 38.0% |
Share of tested students at each STAAR level. Each student counts in one level, so a row adds to about 100%.
STAAR results by year
| School year | Reading | Mathematics |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 39.0% | 19.0% |
| 2024-25 | 36.0% | 17.0% |
| 2023-24 | 38.0% | 24.0% |
| 2022-23 | 23.0% | 34.0% |
| 2021-22 | 21.0% | 33.0% |
| 2020-21 | 19.0% | 40.0% |
% Meets Grade Level or Above, all students and all tested grades.
Source: STAAR. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
BeatsExpectations
Demographically-adjusted score · methodologyTier
AS EXPECTED
Performing as predicted given the school's student profile
Actual proficiency
39.5%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
37.9%
based on TX schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
+1.6pp
above demographic expectation
What this means: About 40% of students here test proficient in math and reading, compared with the roughly 38% typical for Texas schools with a similar share of low-income students. BeatsExpectations measures results against demographically similar schools rather than by raw scores, and this school falls within the typical range, neither among Texas's top nor bottom 10%.
BeatsExpectations runs a per-state regression of proficiency on free/reduced-lunch share, then scores each school by residual. How this is calculated →
Where University High School ranks
Among high schools| Measure | This school | In Texas | In McLennan County |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 39.5% | #1,145 of 1,385 | #16 of 20 |
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 19.0% | #1,336 of 1,425 | #20 of 20 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 39.0% | #1,265 of 1,425 | #18 of 20 |
| 3-year test score change ranked biggest gain first | +0.5pp | #1,064 of 1,184 | #12 of 13 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 1,752 | #395 of 2,107 | #3 of 34 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 14.2:1 | #586 of 1,344 | #18 of 20 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 44.4% | #824 of 1,346 | #16 of 21 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 83.9% | #327 of 1,522 | #5 of 22 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked fastest growth first | +1.0% | #642 of 672 | #10 of 11 |
Ranked against other public high schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
1,752
-11 (-1%) vs 2020
+87% since 1990-91, when it was 935
Student : Teacher
14.2:1
was 15.3:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 1,752 | 123.5 | 14.2:1 | 84% (1,470) |
| 2023-24 | 1,750 | 113.6 | 15.4:1 | 89% (1,561) |
| 2022-23 | 1,678 | 110.8 | 15.2:1 | 89% (1,491) |
| 2020-21 | 1,763 | 115 | 15.3:1 | 91% (1,597) |
| 2017-18 | 1,735 | 113.8 | 15.2:1 | 82% (1,419) |
| 2015-16 | 1,667 | 104 | 16.0:1 | 84% (1,401) |
| 2010-11 | 1,341 | 90 | 14.9:1 | 82% (1,096) |
| 2000-01 | 1,040 | 68 | 15.3:1 | 63% (654) |
| 1990-91 | 935 | 64 | 14.6:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for University High School.
About University High School
University High School is a high school in WACO, Texas, and it is part of WACO ISD. It educates 1,752 students in grades 9 through 12. The school's enrollment is 120% above the 796 average for high schools in Texas.
Enrollment across the 24 schools in WACO ISD totals 13,476 students.
Hispanic students account for 71% of enrollment at University High School. Other students are 22% Black and 5% White. That is higher than the 27% Hispanic share among all McLennan County residents. By the diversity index, University High School comes in at 44%.
University High School counts 123.5 full-time-equivalent teachers, about 14.2 students for each one. Among high schools in Texas, the typical ratio is 15.1:1. About 84% of enrolled students meet the income rules for free or reduced-price lunch. It compares with 62% for public schools in McLennan County.
Given its share of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, University High School would be expected to post about 37.9%. Its actual average proficiency rate on state tests is 39.5%.
County data help place the school in context: in McLennan County, median household income is about $66,643, about 29% of adults have at least a bachelor's degree, and the poverty rate is about 11%. University High School is among the 124 public schools in McLennan County.
The next-closest public school is Alta Vista Elementary School, about 0.6 miles away. There are at least 8 more public schools inside five miles. Ranking the closest schools with test data puts University High School at 3rd of 8.
Its NCES locale code is City: Mid-size: the school is inside a principal city with a population between 100,000 and 250,000.
In 2020-21, University High School enrolled 1,763; in 2024-25, 1,752. Over the same period, the student-to-teacher ratio fell to 14.2:1, from 15.3:1.
Discussion on this page can cover school safety, transportation, and start times. Reviews and ratings from people who know the school are welcome.
McLennan County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
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
Related schools
Other schools in WACO ISD
- Waco High SchoolHigh · 1,885 students
- Tennyson Middle SchoolMiddle · 963 students
- Bell's Hill Elementary SchoolElementary · 786 students
- Cesar Chavez Middle SchoolMiddle · 786 students
- Lake Air Montessori SchoolElementary · 734 students
- G W Carver Middle SchoolMiddle · 723 students
Other schools in WACO
- Midway High SchoolHigh · 2,687 students
- Waco High SchoolHigh · 1,885 students
- Tennyson Middle SchoolMiddle · 963 students
- La Vega High SchoolHigh · 881 students
- Bell's Hill Elementary SchoolElementary · 786 students
- Cesar Chavez Middle SchoolMiddle · 786 students
Nearby schools
- Alta Vista Elementary School0.6 mi · 479
- South Waco Elementary School1.5 mi · 490
- Harmony School of Innovation - Waco1.7 mi · 614
- Robinson Elementary School1.9 mi · 328
- Robinson Primary School2.0 mi · 389
- Bell's Hill Elementary School2.3 mi · 786
Frequently asked questions
About University High SchoolWhat is the total enrollment at University High School?
University High School enrolls approximately 1,752 students in grades 09-12.
Is University High School an elementary, middle, or high school?
University High School is a high school covering grades 09-12.
How many teachers does University High School have?
University High School employs 123 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 14.2:1.
What is the student diversity at University High School?
Student demographics at University High School are roughly 5% White, 71% Hispanic, 22% Black, 0% Asian, 1% Two or more.
What district is University High School in?
University High School is part of WACO ISD.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.