Summary
Jefferson J H in Jefferson, TX, is a mid-sized middle school serving 307 students in grades 5 through 8 within the Jefferson Independent School District (Isd). The school has a high percentage of students from low socio-economic backgrounds, with over 68% qualifying for free or reduced lunch. While the school has maintained a perfect 0.0% dropout rate for the last five years—a significant achievement compared to nearby Marshall J H, which reported a 1.9% dropout rate—its overall academic performance has been consistently low, earning a 1-star rating from Schooldigger for the past decade and ranking in the bottom quarter of Texas middle schools.
The most striking differentiator is the severe underperformance in Mathematics. In the most recent testing year, proficiency rates in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Math at Jefferson J H were drastically lower than the state average and the high-performing Harleton J H, located just 14.5 miles away. For example, only 9.38% of Jefferson's 6th graders were proficient in Math, compared to 38.57% statewide and 56.52% at Harleton. However, there is a notable bright spot: 70% of Jefferson students taking the Algebra I End-of-Course exam were proficient, significantly outperforming the state average of 54.03%. This suggests the school effectively prepares a select group of advanced students for high school-level math, even as the majority struggle.
Jefferson J H offers a favorable student-teacher ratio of 10.9, lower than Marshall J H (13.1) and comparable to Harleton J H (11.0), yet this small class size is not translating into higher test scores. The school's challenges are systemic, affecting nearly all student subgroups, with White and Multi-racial students consistently ranking in the bottom 10% of the state. The stark contrast with Harleton J H, which achieves strong results with a lower percentage of economically disadvantaged students, suggests the performance gap is less about funding—Jefferson spends $11,547 per student, similar to Harleton's $12,654—and more about instructional quality and school culture. For parents, Jefferson J H offers strong student retention and a promising Algebra I program, but faces significant hurdles in core academic areas, especially math.
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