Summary:
There are two middle schools serving grades 6-8 in the 78242 zip code of San Antonio, Texas, an area where over 93% of students face significant socioeconomic challenges as indicated by free or reduced lunch eligibility.
Sharon Christa McAuliffe Middle (part of Southwest Independent School District (Isd)) is the clear standout, consistently outperforming Alan B Shepard Middle (part of South San Antonio Independent School District (Isd)) in nearly every academic metric. McAuliffe has a higher state ranking (20th percentile vs. 7th percentile), a much lower dropout rate (0.2% vs. 1.1%), and significantly better proficiency in Reading and Mathematics on STAAR tests. The most dramatic difference is in advanced coursework: 80.33% of McAuliffe students taking the Algebra I End-of-Course exam were proficient, far exceeding both the district (31.55%) and state (54.03%) averages, while Shepard achieved only 33.1%.
Both schools struggle with grade-level math, with alarmingly low proficiency rates in 7th grade (e.g., only 4.59% at McAuliffe in 2024-2025). Shepard Middle has a lower student-to-teacher ratio (12.8:1 vs. 14.6:1) and slightly lower spending per student ($10,941 vs. $11,358), yet achieves worse outcomes, suggesting factors like curriculum and leadership drive the performance gap. Both schools are on a declining trajectory in state rankings, with Shepard falling from the 12th to the 7th percentile over three years. For parents, McAuliffe Middle offers a stronger academic environment, particularly for advanced math students, while both schools face systemic challenges in core math instruction.
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