Is Challenge Academy a good school?

Challenge Academy ranks in the bottom 1.3% of Texas high schools.

How many students attend Challenge Academy?

In the 2023-24 school year, 30 students attended Challenge Academy.

What is the racial makeup of Challenge Academy?

Students at Challenge Academy are 57% Hispanic, 37% African American, 7% White.

Challenge Academy

Summary:

Challenge Academy is a small public high school in Waco, Texas, serving grades 8-12 with a total enrollment of just 25 students. The school is part of the Waco Independent School District, which is ranked 901 out of 968 districts in the state and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Challenge Academy stands out from nearby schools in several key ways. The school has a significantly higher percentage of African American and Hispanic students compared to the surrounding area, with 36% African American and 52% Hispanic students. Academically, Challenge Academy consistently ranks among the lowest-performing high schools in Texas, with proficiency rates on state exams that are far below the district and state averages. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the school had 0% proficiency in Algebra I, English I Reading, and English II Reading, compared to the district's 27.78%, 29.17%, and 39.45% proficiency rates, respectively.

When compared to other high schools in Waco, such as Waco High School and Brazos High School, Challenge Academy is the lowest-performing. The school also has a very high percentage of students from low-income families, with 88% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, much higher than the surrounding schools. Despite these challenges, Challenge Academy has maintained a 0% dropout rate, which may be due to its small size and specialized nature.

Detail:

Public 8-12

2015 Alexander Ave
Waco, TX 76708

(254) 754-0803

District: Waco Independent School District (Isd)

SchoolDigger Rank:
1961^st of 1,987 Texas High Schools

Student/teacher ratio: 10.0

Number of students: 30

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

56.7%

African American:

36.7%

White:

6.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 90%

See top rated Texas high schools

Compare Challenge Academy to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Challenge Academy is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2022 the calculated Average Standard Score was 5.52. (See more...)

Compare Details Challenge Academy ranks worse than 98.7% of high schools in Texas. It also ranks 4^th among 5 ranked high schools in the Waco Independent School District (Isd). (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 2.5. (See more...)

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (56.7%), African American (36.7%), White (6.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 90% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Challenge Academy is 10, which is the lowest among 5 high schools in the Waco Independent School District (Isd)! (See more...)

Compare Challenge Academy employs 3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details

Schooldigger 2022 Rankings:

Challenge Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Challenge Academy 1961^st of 1987 Texas public high schools. (See Challenge Academy in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

At Risk students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

Waco Independent School District (Isd):

SchoolDigger ranks Waco Independent School District (Isd) 901^st of 968 Texas school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Challenge Academy

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Rank History for all middle school students at Challenge Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	5.52	2219^th	2254	1.6%

See the entire list of Texas High School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Challenge Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	6.89	2192^nd	2220	1.3%

See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school At Risk students at Challenge Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	12.87	2129^th	2182	2.4%

See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for At Risk Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Challenge Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	5.82	2198^th	2228	1.3%

See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for Male Students!

Data source: test scores: Texas Education Agency, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Challenge Academy

Compare

Rank History for all high school students at Challenge Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	TX State Percentile
2019	4.76	1749^th	1857	5.8%
2022	3.34	1826^th	1876	2.7%
2023	1.50	1958^th	1961	0.2%
2024	2.50	1961^st	1987	1.3%

See the entire list of Texas High School Rankings!

Rank History for high school Low Socio Economic Status students at Challenge Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	TX State Percentile
2019	3.95	1771^st	1818	2.6%
2022	4.61	1786^th	1847	3.3%
2023	1.88	1886^th	1897	0.6%

See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for high school At Risk students at Challenge Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	TX State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	6.16	1793^rd	1810	0.9%
2022	8.29	1785^th	1837	2.8%

See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for At Risk Students!

Rank History for high school Male students at Challenge Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	TX State Percentile
2019	8.22	1703^rd	1824	6.6%
2022	5.16	1770^th	1853	4.5%
2023	1.92	1909^th	1913	0.2%

See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for high school African American students at Challenge Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	TX State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	3.42	1062^nd	1069	0.7%

See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for high school Hispanic students at Challenge Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	TX State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	4.69	1692^nd	1762	4.0%
2023	2.20	1804^th	1820	0.9%

See the entire list of Best Texas High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Data source: test scores: Texas Education Agency, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Texas Education Agency

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Enrollment information for Challenge Academy

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Year	White	African American	Hispanic	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1997	7	30	15	n/a	n/a	52
1998	19	86	38	n/a	n/a	143
1999	10	50	50	n/a	n/a	110
2000	7	55	43	n/a	n/a	105
2001	4	44	21	n/a	n/a	69
2002	2	45	10	n/a	n/a	57
2003	2	45	10	n/a	n/a	57
2004	3	35	25	n/a	n/a	63
2005	5	32	19	n/a	n/a	56
2006	4	47	24	n/a	n/a	75
2007	4	11	8	n/a	n/a	23
2008	0	8	6	n/a	n/a	14
2009	2	11	5	n/a	n/a	18
2010	1	9	8	n/a	n/a	18
2011	2	13	13	0	0	28
2012	5	15	14	0	0	34
2013	3	21	17	0	0	41
2014	3	17	6	0	1	27
2015	4	8	8	0	0	20
2016	1	8	6	0	0	15
2017	3	20	13	0	1	37
2018	2	9	9	0	2	22
2019	1	10	7	0	0	18
2020	1	12	10	0	0	23
2021	0	5	2	0	0	7
2022	1	11	8	0	1	21
2023	2	9	13	0	1	25
2024	2	11	17	0	0	30

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Challenge Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1997	52	0.0	0.0	48.1
1998	143	0.0	0.0	88.8
1999	110	0.0	0.0	38.2
2000	105	0.0	0.0	16.2
2001	69	0.0	0.0	39.1
2002	57	0.0	n/a	5.3
2003	57	0.0	n/a	5.3
2004	63	0.0	n/a	49.2
2005	56	n/a	n/a	33.9
2006	75	n/a	n/a	64
2007	23	6.7	3.4	87
2008	14	6.8	2.1	64.3
2009	18	7.0	2.6	77.8
2010	18	6.0	3.0	83.3
2011	28	13.5	2.0	89.3
2012	34	3.0	11.3	88.2
2013	41	3.0	13.6	92.7
2014	27	1.5	17.7	88.9
2015	20	4.0	5.0	90
2016	15	3.0	5.0	80
2017	37	3.0	12.3	83.8
2018	22	4.0	5.5	81.8
2019	18	3.7	4.8	72.2
2020	23	3.0	7.6	65.2
2021	7	4.0	1.7	n/a
2022	21	3.0	7.0	85.7
2023	25	3.0	8.3	88
2024	30	3.0	10.0	90

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Challenge Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1997	52	0.0	0.0	48.1
1998	143	0.0	0.0	88.8
1999	110	0.0	0.0	38.2
2000	105	0.0	0.0	16.2
2001	69	0.0	0.0	39.1
2002	57	0.0	n/a	5.3
2003	57	0.0	n/a	5.3
2004	63	0.0	n/a	49.2
2005	56	n/a	n/a	33.9
2006	75	n/a	n/a	64
2007	23	6.7	3.4	87
2008	14	6.8	2.1	64.3
2009	18	7.0	2.6	77.8
2010	18	6.0	3.0	83.3
2011	28	13.5	2.0	89.3
2012	34	3.0	11.3	88.2
2013	41	3.0	13.6	92.7
2014	27	1.5	17.7	88.9
2015	20	4.0	5.0	90
2016	15	3.0	5.0	80
2017	37	3.0	12.3	83.8
2018	22	4.0	5.5	81.8
2019	18	3.7	4.8	72.2
2020	23	3.0	7.6	65.2
2021	7	4.0	1.7	n/a
2022	21	3.0	7.0	85.7
2023	25	3.0	8.3	88
2024	30	3.0	10.0	90

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Challenge Academy

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$793 (2.5%)	$30,828 (97.5%)	$31,620
2020	$813 (26.0%)	$2,317 (74.0%)	$3,130

Data source: Texas Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Challenge Academy

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 1749^th of 1857 High schools	Ranks 1958^th of 1961 High schools	5.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
8th Grade Reading (Challenge Academy)	0	0
8th Grade Reading (Waco Independent School District (Isd))	39	41	2%
8th Grade Reading (Texas)	53	56	3%
8th Grade Mathematics (Challenge Academy)	0	0
8th Grade Mathematics (Waco Independent School District (Isd))	36	15	21%
8th Grade Mathematics (Texas)	55	38	17%
End of Course English I Reading (Challenge Academy)	0	0
End of Course English I Reading (Waco Independent School District (Isd))	32	33	1%
End of Course English I Reading (Texas)	49	54	5%
End of Course English II Reading (Challenge Academy)	17	0	17%
End of Course English II Reading (Waco Independent School District (Isd))	32	34	2%
End of Course English II Reading (Texas)	51	56	5%
End of Course U.S. History (Challenge Academy)	33	0	33%
End of Course U.S. History (Waco Independent School District (Isd))	62	54	8%
End of Course U.S. History (Texas)	75	71	4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	18	25	38.9%
African American	10	9	10%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	7	13	85.7%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	1	2	100%
Two or More Races	0	1
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	72.2%	88%	15.8%

Schools Near Challenge Academy

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				STAAR EOC Algebra I (2024)	STAAR EOC Biology (2024)	STAAR EOC English I Reading (2024)	STAAR EOC English II Reading (2024)	STAAR EOC U.S. History (2024)	STAAR Reading (2024)			STAAR Mathematics (2024)			STAAR Science (2024)	STAAR Social Studies (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2021)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	STAAR EOC Algebra I End of Course	STAAR EOC Biology End of Course	STAAR EOC English I Reading End of Course	STAAR EOC English II Reading End of Course	STAAR EOC U.S. History End of Course	STAAR Reading 6th Grade	STAAR Reading 7th Grade	STAAR Reading 8th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 6th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 7th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 8th Grade	STAAR Science 8th Grade	STAAR Social Studies 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Challenge Academy	Public	8-12	2015 Alexander Ave	Waco	76708	McLennan County	Waco Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	No	(254) 754-0803	30	3	10.0	90.0%	2 (6.7%)	11 (36.7%)	17 (56.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2.5	1961^st of 1987 public high schools	1.3%		1.5	1958^th of 1961 public high schools	0.2%	3	0.0	12.5	0.0	0.0
Methodist Children's Home	Public, Charter	6-12	1111 Herring Ave	Waco	76708	McLennan County	University Of Texas University Charter School	Yes	No	(n/a)	No	(254) 715-0208	90	10	9.0		25 (27.8%)	32 (35.6%)	28 (31.1%)	1 (1.1%)	1 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (3.3%)	12.2	1750^th of 1987 public high schools	11.9%		19.3	1605^th of 1961 public high schools	18.2%	145	5.3	10.0	7.7	45.8	36.8	14.3	11.1	0.0	14.3	11.1	0.0	0.0	11.1	$20,657	$2,515	$18,142
Waco Center For Youth	Public	7-12	3501 N 19th St	Waco	76708	McLennan County	Axtell Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(254) 745-5339	69	7	9.8	95.7%	40 (58.0%)	11 (15.9%)	14 (20.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (4.3%)	16.7	1673^rd of 1987 public high schools	15.8%		11.9	1721^st of 1961 public high schools	12.2%	48	0.0	15.8	25.0	55.0	41.7		0.0	14.3		0.0	8.3	0.0	0.0	$27,156	$2,703	$24,454
Brazos High School	Public	9-12	3005 Edna Ave	Waco	76708	McLennan County	Waco Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(254) 754-9422	100	7	14.3	97.0%	6 (6.0%)	38 (38.0%)	56 (56.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1.6	1986^th of 1987 public high schools	0.1%		2.5	1932^nd of 1961 public high schools	1.5%	54	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	11.1									$12,868	$2,257	$10,610
Premier H S Of Waco	Public, Charter	9-12	4720 N 19th St	Waco	76708	McLennan County	Premier High Schools	Yes	No	(n/a)	Yes	(254) 752-0441	154	6	24.9	77.3%	33 (21.4%)	37 (24.0%)	80 (51.9%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.9%)	20.1	1621^st of 1987 public high schools	18.4%		31.7	1353^rd of 1961 public high schools	31.0%	268	40.0	41.7	34.6	37.5	37.8									$6,953	$993	$5,960
Waco High School	Public	9-12	2020 N 42nd St	Waco	76710	McLennan County	Waco Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(254) 776-1150	1,778	144	12.3	87.1%	178 (10.0%)	528 (29.7%)	1,026 (57.7%)	5 (0.3%)	2 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	38 (2.1%)	17.3	1661^st of 1987 public high schools	16.4%		18	1628^th of 1961 public high schools	17.0%	33	22.6	30.2	28.2	36.9	51.0									$10,886	$1,568	$9,318
Paul And Jane Meyer Public High School	Public, Charter	9-12	1020 Elm Ave Bld 500	Waco	76704	McLennan County	Rapoport Academy Public School	Yes	No	(n/a)	Yes	(254) 754-2288	227	23	10.0	62.1%	53 (23.3%)	55 (24.2%)	112 (49.3%)	3 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.8%)	60.4	675^th of 1987 public high schools	66.0%		65.5	546^th of 1961 public high schools	72.2%	129	45.8	51.6	73.8	85.7	57.6									$17,037	$997	$16,040
Harmony School Of Innovation - Waco	Public, Charter	6-12	1100 S Valley Mills Dr	Beverly Hills	76711	McLennan County	Harmony Public Schools - North Texas	Yes	No	(n/a)	Yes	(254) 235-0321	606	39	15.6	83.0%	69 (11.4%)	53 (8.7%)	460 (75.9%)	7 (1.2%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.3%)	31.1	1383^rd of 1987 public high schools	30.4%		30.4	1378^th of 1961 public high schools	29.7%	5	41.4	36.1	42.3	48.8	56.5	28.2	45.3	43.6	21.4	26.2	8.6	34.6	8.3	$9,084	$832	$8,252
Bill Logue Detention Center	Public	7-12	2601 Gholson Rd	Waco	76704	McLennan County	Waco Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	No	(254) 754-0803	16	1	16.0	81.3%	1 (6.3%)	9 (56.3%)	6 (37.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15.3	1693^rd of 1987 public high schools	14.8%		2.9	1906^th of 1961 public high schools	2.8%	213	0.0		40.0
Bosqueville High School	Public	9-12	7636 Rock Creek Rd	Waco	76708	McLennan County	Bosqueville Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(254) 757-3113	221	20	10.9	31.7%	154 (69.7%)	6 (2.7%)	52 (23.5%)	1 (0.5%)	1 (0.5%)	1 (0.5%)	6 (2.7%)	75.9	296^th of 1987 public high schools	85.1%		80.5	201^st of 1961 public high schools	89.8%	95	71.7	63.3	81.0	78.4	81.0									$12,665	$718	$11,947

Challenge Academy

Challenge Academy:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Waco Independent School District (Isd):

What do you think?

Rank History for Challenge Academy

Rank History for all middle school students at Challenge Academy

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Challenge Academy

Rank History for middle school At Risk students at Challenge Academy

Rank History for middle school Male students at Challenge Academy

Rank History for Challenge Academy

Rank History for all high school students at Challenge Academy

Rank History for high school Low Socio Economic Status students at Challenge Academy

Rank History for high school At Risk students at Challenge Academy

Rank History for high school Male students at Challenge Academy

Rank History for high school African American students at Challenge Academy

Rank History for high school Hispanic students at Challenge Academy

Enrollment information for Challenge Academy

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Challenge Academy

Student/Teacher Ratio Challenge Academy

Per Pupil Expenditures for Challenge Academy

Impact of COVID-19 on Challenge Academy

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Challenge Academy

Frequently Asked Questions about Challenge Academy

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