The top reported proficiency rate is 19% in Math. The lowest is 6% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Tejeda Junior Academy
Tejeda Junior Academy is an alternative school serving only eighth grade within Harlandale ISD in San Antonio, located on the southeast side of the city near Loop 410. It is a small, specialized setting designed to serve students whose needs or circumstances make a traditional middle school environment a poor fit. The school currently enrolls a small cohort of students, almost all of whom are Hispanic, and a substantial majority qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic profile of the neighborhoods it serves.
State testing data from 2023-24 shows proficiency rates well below what the field recognizes as adequate. In math, a small share of students scored at proficient or advanced levels. In English language arts, proficiency was lower still. Science and social studies proficiency was very low as well. These results place the school in the bottom quartile among Bexar County school districts when comparing overall proficiency across all tested subjects. The average scale scores across subjects sit notably below the midpoint for the state assessment. A parent should understand these numbers clearly: this school is not meeting grade-level standards for the majority of its students in any tested subject.
The alternative school designation signals that Tejeda is built around a different model than a traditional junior high. Alternative schools typically serve students who may be struggling behaviorally, academically, or in terms of attendance, or who have had conflicts with the traditional school setting. They often offer smaller classes, more individualized attention, flexible scheduling, or a curriculum designed around student engagement rather than conventional pacing. What specific program model Tejeda uses, what its academic or behavioral supports look like, and what outcomes it tracks beyond state testing are not detailed in available data. A parent considering this school would benefit from speaking directly with staff about the school's philosophy, how it identifies which students to serve, what daily structure and academic supports look like, and whether it has measures of student progress beyond state assessments.
The school's size and setting are likely intentional to its design. It serves only one grade and a very small number of students, which may allow for closer relationships and customized learning plans but also means limited course breadth or peer diversity. Almost all students entering this school carry economic disadvantage, and nearly all are Hispanic, so the peer group is homogeneous in both ethnicity and socioeconomic background.
The data on special populations is incomplete. Counts and rates for students with IEPs and English learners are not reported, which may mean the information is not available or not applicable to how the school records its enrollment. For a parent seeking to understand whether a student with a disability or language learning needs would receive support, direct contact with the school is necessary.
Harlandale ISD itself had no recent strategic changes or shifts reported in available sources, so context on any district-level initiatives that might affect this school's direction is not available.
The zip code in which the school sits has median home values modestly below the state benchmark and rents below state median, suggesting an economically modest neighborhood. Housing affordability is reasonable relative to median household income in the region. San Antonio as a whole is a rapidly growing city with strong economic anchors in healthcare, military, and technology, and the school sits in a part of the metropolitan area experiencing significant residential development and in-migration.
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