Summary:
There are two middle schools serving grades 6-8 in the 77642 zip code of Port Arthur, Texas: Jefferson Middle and Bob Hope School, which present a stark contrast in academic performance and school culture despite serving similar communities.
Bob Hope School, a public charter school, is the standout performer in this area. It ranks in the 78th percentile statewide (4 stars) and consistently achieves proficiency rates that are double or triple those of its local counterpart. For example, in 6th Grade Math, Bob Hope School achieved a 76.34% proficiency rate compared to Jefferson Middle's 20.98%. This success comes despite having a higher student-teacher ratio (20.2:1) and spending $2,520 less per student ($8,468 vs. $10,988). The school also boasts a very low dropout rate of 0.3% and has shown consistent improvement in its state ranking over the last three years. In contrast, Jefferson Middle, a traditional public school in the Port Arthur Independent School District (Isd), ranks in the 11th percentile (1 star) and struggles academically across nearly all subjects, with a high dropout rate of 2.2% and a very high poverty rate of 92.42% free/reduced lunch.
One interesting finding is the "Algebra I Anomaly" at Jefferson Middle, which reports a 100% proficiency rate on the Algebra I End-of-Course exam, likely due to only a small, highly selective group of advanced students taking the test. Meanwhile, Bob Hope School's 80.15% proficiency rate suggests a larger and more diverse group of students is being accelerated. Overall, the data shows that a high-poverty environment does not have to be a barrier to academic success, as Bob Hope School demonstrates that a different educational model can lead to dramatically better outcomes for students in the same community, while Jefferson Middle faces significant challenges despite having more resources per student.
Thank you for your feedback!