Summary:
In the 78204 zip code of San Antonio, Texas, two middle schools—Harris Middle and KIPP Aspire Academy—serve grades 5-8 in a high-poverty area where over 91% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, but they offer very different academic experiences.
KIPP Aspire Academy, part of KIPP Texas Public Schools, is the standout school with a strong upward trajectory. Its state ranking jumped from the 15th to the 35th percentile in one year, earning a 2-star rating. In 2025-2026, KIPP Aspire’s 7th-grade reading proficiency (54.95%) more than doubled that of Harris Middle (26.79%) and actually exceeded the state average. Its math performance also leads, with 7th-grade math at 32.43% proficiency versus Harris Middle’s 4.43%. In contrast, Harris Middle, part of San Antonio Independent School District (Isd), has remained stuck in the bottom 10% of Texas middle schools for three consecutive years, with average reading proficiency at 31.02% and math at 17.03%.
Despite spending $1,782 more per student and having a lower student-teacher ratio (14.6:1 vs. 23.2:1), Harris Middle lags behind KIPP Aspire Academy in most subjects. However, Harris Middle shows a notable strength in Algebra I, where 68% of test-takers were proficient in 2025-2026, outperforming both KIPP Aspire (62.35%) and the state average (54.03%). This suggests Harris Middle effectively targets its highest-achieving math students, even as most students struggle with grade-level math. A critical weakness for Harris Middle is 8th-grade social studies, where only 2.38% were proficient in 2024-2025, compared to KIPP Aspire’s 15.45%. Overall, KIPP Aspire’s consistent reading advantage and upward trend make it the stronger choice for families seeking academic growth in this zip code.
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