Harleton Independent School District (Isd)

The Harleton Independent School District (Isd) is a small, rural district in Texas serving approximately 705 students across three schools: Harleton Elementary (PK-5), Harleton J H (6-8), and Harleton High School (9-12).

The district's standout school is Harleton J H, which acts as an academic powerhouse with a 5-star rating and consistently high STAAR scores in Reading and Math, far exceeding state averages. In contrast, Harleton Elementary is a significant area of concern, having dropped from the 82nd to the 44th percentile in state rankings over three years. The elementary school struggles most with math, particularly in 4th grade, where only 16.98% of students were proficient in 2025-2026—a staggering 32 points below the state average. Harleton High School is a consistent performer with an improving trajectory, boasting a 96.6% graduation rate and strong results in Biology and English, though it lags in Algebra I.

A key takeaway is the "middle school peak" phenomenon, where Harleton J H outperforms both the elementary and high school levels. The district also shows an inverse relationship between spending and performance: the struggling elementary school spends the least per student ($9,740), while the higher-performing middle and high schools spend over $12,600 each. Additionally, an alarming anomaly at Harleton J H saw 8th-grade Social Studies proficiency plummet from 54% to just 10% in one year, warranting immediate investigation. Overall, while the district ranks in the 74th percentile statewide, parents should note the critical math crisis at the elementary level and the uneven resource allocation across schools.