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Hardin-Jefferson J H

Q: Is Hardin-Jefferson J H a good school?

Hardin-Jefferson J H ranks 683 rd of 2335 Texas middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

683^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,335 Texas Middle Schools

Better than 71% of Texas middle schools

Summary

Hardin-Jefferson J H in Sour Lake, TX, serves 656 students in grades 6-8 and is part of the high-performing Hardin-Jefferson Independent School District (Isd), which ranks in the 78th percentile statewide. This middle school stands out as a pillar of stability and consistent high performance in a region where nearby schools, such as those in the Beaumont Independent School District (Isd) like Odom Middle and Smith Middle, often rank in the bottom 10-20% of Texas schools. With a current state rank in the 71st percentile, Hardin-Jefferson J H has earned 4-star ratings from the state for nearly a decade, including a peak 5-star rating in 2015-2016, and maintains a perfect zero percent dropout rate—a record not shared by many peers like Kountze Middle (1.3% dropout rate).

The school’s most impressive academic strength is its 8th-grade mathematics program, where 72.27% of students were proficient in 2025-2026, far exceeding the state average of 47.24% and outperforming nearby schools like Lumberton Middle (61st percentile) and Hamshire-Fannett Middle (62nd percentile). This strong math foundation leads to exceptional performance in Algebra I End-of-Course exams, with 96.88% of students proficient—nearly double the state average. While a small nearby school, Devers Jh, achieves near-perfect scores with only 56 students, Hardin-Jefferson’s success with a much larger and more diverse student body demonstrates scalable excellence. However, the school faces challenges in social studies, where only 31.34% of 8th graders were proficient in 2025-2026, a sharp drop from 48.24% two years prior, and has seen slight declines in overall ranking and performance for White students and those from low socio-economic backgrounds.

Despite these challenges, Hardin-Jefferson J H excels in supporting special education students, ranking in the 72nd percentile statewide and earning 4 stars—a notable strength that is not universally shared by its peers. The school also benefits from being part of a district that provides a strong foundation, with a moderate level of economic disadvantage (about 40% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch). While the school’s overall ranking has slipped from a peak of the 93rd percentile in 2016 to the 71st percentile in 2026, it remains a top choice in the area, offering a stable, high-quality education with standout math programs and a commitment to keeping all students engaged through middle school.

656

Students ?

16.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$8,783

Per pupil spending ?

39.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

3025 Hwy 326 S
Sour Lake, TX 77659

(409) 981-6420

District: Hardin-Jefferson Independent School District (Isd)

Students who attend Hardin-Jefferson J H usually attend:

High:

Hardin-Jefferson High School

Feeder schools for Hardin-Jefferson J H:

Elementary:	China Elementary
	Sour Lake Elementary

Racial breakdown:

White:

70.3%

Hispanic:

12.7%

African American:

12.5%

See top rated Texas middle schools

Compare Hardin-Jefferson J H to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 93rd percentile in 2016 → 71st in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Texas average (52% vs 47% meeting standards)

✓Above the Texas median (71st percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 22 percentile points since 2016

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school52%

District avg55%

Texas avg47%

683^rd of 2,335

Texas public middle schools ?

Top 29%▼ down 22 pts since 2016

From top 7% (2016) to top 29% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Texas Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

206^th of 951Hardin-Jefferson Independent School District (Isd) among Texas districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	63.0	683 of 2335	70.7%	★★★★☆
2025	63.2	709 of 2344	69.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	74.6	440 of 2372	81.5%	★★★★☆
2023	73.3	453 of 2330	80.6%	★★★★☆
2022	76.2	383 of 2254	83.0%	★★★★☆
2021	77.8	355 of 2252	84.2%	★★★★☆
2019	71.9	449 of 2193	79.5%	★★★★☆
2018	71.9	433 of 2080	79.2%	★★★★☆
2017	75.4	353 of 2027	82.6%	★★★★☆
2016	86.0	139 of 1987	93.0%	★★★★★
2015	81.3	238 of 2043	88.4%	★★★★☆
2014	75.3	384 of 1987	80.7%	★★★★☆
2013	70.5	492 of 1973	75.1%	★★★★☆
2012	71.6	456 of 1951	76.6%	★★★★☆
2011	70.2	418 of 1895	77.9%	★★★★☆
2010	65.5	560 of 1803	68.9%	★★★☆☆
2009	66.9	515 of 1763	70.8%	★★★★☆
2008	66.7	516 of 1718	70.0%	★★★★☆
2007	62.8	618 of 1684	63.3%	★★★☆☆
2006	74.0	321 of 1585	79.7%	★★★★☆
2005	70.5	394 of 1582	75.1%	★★★★☆
2004	65.4	513 of 1573	67.4%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	44.7	641 of 1295	50.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	55.3	453 of 1280	64.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	55.3	462 of 1273	63.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	49.3	526 of 1251	58.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	42.4	636 of 1213	47.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	52.5	457 of 1193	61.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	53.8	443 of 1167	62.0%	★★★☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2024	85.3	23 of 617	96.3%	★★★★★
2023	89.3	7 of 616	98.9%	★★★★★
2022	76.1	106 of 606	82.5%	★★★★☆
2021	79.0	79 of 589	86.6%	★★★★☆

At Risk

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2022	53.6	781 of 2182	64.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	63.9	463 of 2118	78.1%	★★★★☆
2019	67.6	368 of 2058	82.1%	★★★★☆
2018	84.2	127 of 2008	93.7%	★★★★★

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2024	46.7	830 of 1770	53.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	71.1	294 of 1720	82.9%	★★★★☆
2022	67.8	311 of 1643	81.1%	★★★★☆
2021	65.4	294 of 1592	81.5%	★★★★☆
2019	68.1	265 of 1445	81.7%	★★★★☆
2018	50.9	473 of 1376	65.6%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	64.1	615 of 2240	72.5%	★★★★☆
2024	72.3	428 of 2242	80.9%	★★★★☆
2023	69.4	501 of 2241	77.6%	★★★★☆
2022	71.1	461 of 2221	79.2%	★★★★☆
2021	70.7	465 of 2151	78.4%	★★★★☆
2019	65.6	560 of 2047	72.6%	★★★★☆
2018	71.1	435 of 2008	78.3%	★★★★☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	65.4	530 of 1497	64.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	63.7	624 of 1481	57.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	66.3	510 of 1488	65.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	67.6	525 of 1501	65.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	58.1	723 of 1446	50.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	58.8	677 of 1430	52.7%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	60.0	663 of 2141	69.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	55.5	776 of 2119	63.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	66.0	519 of 2116	75.5%	★★★★☆
2022	80.4	242 of 2077	88.3%	★★★★☆
2021	78.6	238 of 2043	88.4%	★★★★☆
2019	65.5	478 of 1935	75.3%	★★★★☆
2018	67.9	405 of 1895	78.6%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	50.3	996 of 2253	55.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	66.5	485 of 2235	78.3%	★★★★☆
2023	67.8	491 of 2251	78.2%	★★★★☆
2022	67.5	460 of 2220	79.3%	★★★★☆
2021	70.6	382 of 2172	82.4%	★★★★☆
2019	72.9	320 of 2073	84.6%	★★★★☆
2018	68.2	407 of 2039	80.0%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	61.1	691 of 2253	69.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	74.7	384 of 2246	82.9%	★★★★☆
2023	75.6	389 of 2245	82.7%	★★★★☆
2022	78.7	320 of 2228	85.6%	★★★★☆
2021	81.7	269 of 2168	87.6%	★★★★☆
2019	75.0	373 of 2069	82.0%	★★★★☆
2018	70.8	422 of 2030	79.2%	★★★★☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	52.2	361 of 806	55.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	49.9	382 of 818	53.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	46.5	431 of 817	47.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	50.9	363 of 813	55.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	71.4	143 of 743	80.8%	★★★★☆
2019	68.8	184 of 753	75.6%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	57.6	542 of 1956	72.3%	★★★★☆
2024	63.7	434 of 1891	77.0%	★★★★☆
2023	55.1	542 of 1815	70.1%	★★★★☆
2022	68.8	251 of 1757	85.7%	★★★★☆
2021	67.4	259 of 1712	84.9%	★★★★☆
2019	69.3	228 of 1626	86.0%	★★★★☆
2018	49.7	570 of 1597	64.3%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	53.9	753 of 1731	56.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	67.2	444 of 1733	74.4%	★★★★☆
2023	61.4	611 of 1749	65.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	63.9	508 of 1723	70.5%	★★★★☆
2021	66.1	458 of 1700	73.1%	★★★★☆
2019	61.7	569 of 1684	66.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	61.9	549 of 1673	67.2%	★★★☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Asian (2024)96th percentile+15 vs school

Female (2026)73rd percentile~ school

Special Education (2026)72nd percentile~ school

Male (2026)69th percentile~ school

Hispanic (2026)69th percentile~ school

Gifted and Talented (2026)65th percentile-6 vs school

At Risk (2022)64th percentile-19 vs school

White (2026)56th percentile-14 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)56th percentile-15 vs school

Multi-racial (2026)55th percentile-16 vs school

English Language Learner (2024)53rd percentile-28 vs school

African American (2026)51st percentile-20 vs school

By subject vs Texas (2025-2026) ?

Algebra I97%+43 vs state

Reading55%~ state avg

Mathematics53%+14 vs state

Social Studies31%~ state avg

5.0

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Schools Near Hardin-Jefferson J H

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				STAAR EOC Algebra I (2026)	STAAR EOC Biology (2026)	STAAR EOC English I Reading (2026)	STAAR Reading (2026)			STAAR Mathematics (2026)			STAAR Social Studies (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
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 (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	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 Reading 6th Grade	STAAR Reading 7th Grade	STAAR Reading 8th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 6th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 7th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 8th Grade	STAAR Social Studies 8th Grade	Total
Hardin-Jefferson J H	Public	6-8	3025 Hwy 326 S	Sour Lake	77659	Hardin County	Hardin-Jefferson Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	No	(409) 981-6420	656	40	16.2	39.8%	461 (70.3%)	82 (12.5%)	83 (12.7%)	8 (1.2%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (3.0%)	63	683^rd of 2335 public middle schools	70.7%		63.2	709^th of 2344 public middle schools	69.8%	26	96.9			53.9	54.3	58.2	52.1	32.2	72.3	31.3	$8,783
Devers Jh	Public	6-8	201 S Chism	Devers	77538	Liberty County	Devers Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(936) 549-7591	56	4	12.6	33.9%	35 (62.5%)	3 (5.4%)	17 (30.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.8%)	97.4	27^th of 2335 public middle schools	98.8%		96.6	44^th of 2344 public middle schools	98.1%	17	100.0			86.4	87.5	85.7	90.9	93.8	71.4	71.4	$11,201
Vincent Middle	Public	6-8	350 Eldridge Dr	Beaumont	77707	Jefferson County	Beaumont Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(409) 617-5950	637	44	14.6	81.9%	24 (3.8%)	448 (70.3%)	140 (22.0%)	13 (2.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (1.7%)	8.8	2263^rd of 2335 public middle schools	3.1%		9.6	2235^th of 2344 public middle schools	4.7%	28	68.0			23.7	30.5	29.6	13.8	0.0	12.1	7.1	$9,201
Marshall Middle	Public	6-8	6455 Gladys	Beaumont	77706	Jefferson County	Beaumont Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(409) 617-5900	694	44	15.8	80.3%	105 (15.1%)	382 (55.0%)	150 (21.6%)	30 (4.3%)	2 (0.3%)	4 (0.6%)	21 (3.0%)	21.2	2018^th of 2335 public middle schools	13.6%		22.7	1952^nd of 2344 public middle schools	16.7%	66	87.8			42.9	40.5	42.1	19.8	0.0	19.5	16.4	$9,139
Hull-Daisetta J H	Public	7-8	117 N Main Hwy 770	Daisetta	77533	Liberty County	Hull-Daisetta Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(936) 536-6321	58	4	13.6	69.0%	40 (69.0%)	7 (12.1%)	10 (17.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.7%)	9.9	2250^th of 2335 public middle schools	3.6%		11.7	2210^th of 2344 public middle schools	5.7%	40					21.9	22.6		0.0	15.6	16.1	$13,152
Lumberton Middle	Public	6-8	107 S Lhs Dr	Lumberton	77657	Hardin County	Lumberton Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	No	(409) 923-7790	918	58	15.9	37.5%	750 (81.7%)	8 (0.9%)	120 (13.1%)	9 (1.0%)	8 (0.9%)	1 (0.1%)	22 (2.4%)	54.5	907^th of 2335 public middle schools	61.2%		53.9	951^st of 2344 public middle schools	59.4%	44	96.3			53.6	44.6	57.5	32.9	44.2	53.2	34.3	$7,934
Hamshire-Fannett Middle	Public	6-8	11375 Dugat Rd	Beaumont	77705	Jefferson County	Hamshire-Fannett Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	No	(409) 794-2361	469	33	14.2	36.5%	288 (61.4%)	52 (11.1%)	110 (23.5%)	6 (1.3%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	9 (1.9%)	55.3	887^th of 2335 public middle schools	62.0%		50.3	1067^th of 2344 public middle schools	54.5%	180	79.5			55.1	54.1	59.2	34.8	21.3	49.7	37.5	$7,684
Smith Middle	Public, Magnet, Charter	6-8	4415 Concord	Beaumont	77703	Jefferson County	Beaumont Independent School District (Isd)	Yes	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(409) 617-5825	532			87.0%	5 (0.9%)	377 (70.9%)	130 (24.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (3.6%)	5.8	2292^nd of 2335 public middle schools	1.8%		8.1	2259^th of 2344 public middle schools	3.6%	33	69.2			15.8	20.9	15.9	6.1		4.1	14.6	$12,972
Odom Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	2550 W Virginia Ave	Beaumont	77705	Jefferson County	Beaumont Independent School District (Isd)	No	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(409) 617-5925	837	50	16.8	68.8%	49 (5.9%)	467 (55.8%)	279 (33.3%)	33 (3.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (1.1%)	24.5	1917^th of 2335 public middle schools	17.9%		45	1220^th of 2344 public middle schools	48.0%	697	73.5	98.2	97.4	25.1	36.9	49.3	15.0		29.0	24.0	$7,208
Hardin County J J A E P	Public	8	440 W Monroe	Kountze	77625	Hardin County	Hardin-Jefferson Independent School District (Isd)	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(409) 246-8490	1				1 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)

Frequently Asked Questions about Hardin-Jefferson J H

What district is Hardin-Jefferson J H in?

Hardin-Jefferson Independent School District (Isd)

What is the racial makeup of Hardin-Jefferson J H?

Students at Hardin-Jefferson J H are 70% White, 13% Hispanic, 13% African American, 3% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

Is Hardin-Jefferson J H a good school?

Hardin-Jefferson J H ranks 683^rd of 2335 Texas middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Hardin-Jefferson J H?

In the 2024-25 school year, 656 students attended Hardin-Jefferson J H.

What high school do graduates of Hardin-Jefferson J H attend?

Students who attend Hardin-Jefferson J H usually go on to attend Hardin-Jefferson High School

Rate Hardin-Jefferson J H!

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Latest Texas data All new data »

2025–26 STAAR, STAAR EOC & STAAR Spanish test scoresJun 12, 2026

2021–22 through 2023–24 school spending dataJan 10, 2026

2023–24 dropout rates & graduation ratesSep 17, 2025

2024–25 STAAR EOC & STAAR Spanish test scoresJun 23, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Texas Education Agency.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.