Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 78109

This analysis examines two middle schools in the 78109 zip code (Converse, TX): Judson Middle and Idea Converse College Preparatory, which serve grades 6-8 and are part of the Judson Independent School District (Isd) and Idea Public Schools, respectively.

The standout school in this area is Idea Converse College Preparatory, which has shown consistent improvement in its state ranking over the past three years, moving from the 31st to the 40th percentile. It outperforms Judson Middle in nearly every core subject, with 7th-grade math proficiency at 33.64% compared to Judson's 8.47%. The school also excels in advanced coursework, with 75.68% proficiency on the English II End-of-Course exam, significantly exceeding district and state averages. This performance is supported by a per-student spending of $16,883, more than double Judson's $8,080. In contrast, Judson Middle has experienced a dramatic decline, dropping from the 25th to the 6th percentile in state ranking, with critically low math proficiency rates in the single digits for 7th and 8th grade.

Key findings reveal a spending-achievement paradox, where Judson Middle achieves significantly less with significantly less funding. While both schools serve a high percentage of economically disadvantaged students (73.42% at Judson, 66.23% at Idea Converse), Judson Middle shows a fascinating split: its advanced students taking Algebra I and Biology End-of-Course exams perform exceptionally well (83.33% in Biology, 13 points above the state average), but the majority of students in standard classes are being left behind. Additionally, Judson Middle reports a very low dropout rate of 0.4%, while Idea Converse College Preparatory reports a higher rate of 3.6%, which may reflect different student populations or reporting methods.