The top reported proficiency rate is 42% in English language arts. The lowest is 18% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Hartman Middle
Hartman Middle serves students in grades six through eight in a pocket of southeast Houston, in the zip code 77087 near the Eastex Freeway and Manchester. The school enrolls a highly economically disadvantaged population: a substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the student body is predominantly Hispanic with a significant Black student population. This is a Title I school in a working-class residential area of the city.
Academic performance across the school is below grade level in most subjects. In math, measured STAAR proficiency across the three grades ranges from the mid-thirties to the high forties, with proficiency rising as students advance from sixth to eighth grade. English language arts performance is similar, roughly steady across grades in the low-to-mid forties. Eighth grade science shows proficiency in the mid-thirties, and social studies proficiency is notably low, in the high teens. When the state uses a broader definition of proficiency that includes "approaches grade level" in addition to "meets" and "masters," about seven in ten students approach the standard in ELA and math, but only about four in ten reach that threshold in science, and eight in ten approach standard in social studies while fewer than one in five actually meet it. These patterns suggest a student body where many are developing foundational skills but fewer have attained solid grade-level mastery, particularly in science and social studies.
Relative to other districts in Harris County, Hartman's overall proficiency index places it above the midpoint among county peers. This positioning reflects that while the school's absolute numbers are low, Houston ISD and the county contain schools with much lower performance, so the school is not among the lowest performers in its immediate region. The comparison does not resolve the reality that most students are not meeting grade-level standards in the subjects tested.
Houston ISD is currently under state takeover management by the Texas Education Agency, a condition that has reshaped instruction district-wide. The district's New Education System (NES) model, mandated as part of reforms, features standardized curricula, scripted lessons, daily timed quizzes, and longer school days. This model is now present in multiple schools and elements have spread into nearly all district campuses. Whether Hartman is a full NES school or operates under partial NES protocols is not specified in available data, so a parent may want to look into this further with the school directly. NES campuses receive higher per-student funding than non-NES schools in the district.
The state takeover also brought facility changes: libraries at dozens of reformed schools, including potentially Hartman, have been repurposed partly as spaces for students with behavioral concerns, with traditional librarian positions eliminated in those spaces. This means the school may no longer operate a traditional library with a librarian, a change that affects how students access and are supported with informational resources.
Enrollment data is not available, so the size of the school and recent enrollment trends are unclear. The district overall has experienced accelerated enrollment decline during the state takeover, losing more than thirty thousand students between 2022-23 and 2024-25, and in February 2026 the state-appointed board voted to close or consolidate twelve campuses after the 2025-26 school year. Hartman's status in relation to these closures was not disclosed in available data. A parent considering this school would benefit from confirming its enrollment trajectory and any plans affecting its future.
The school operates as a regular neighborhood middle school within Houston ISD. Program offerings, staffing numbers, attendance data, and discipline data were not available. State testing participation rates were also not reported. Houston's housing market in the school's zip code reflects modest values compared to statewide benchmarks, with median home values recently declining on a year-over-year basis and median rents roughly stable. The neighborhood is accessible by car but has limited walk-ability outside designated districts, as Houston overall remains car-dependent despite pockets of pedestrian infrastructure.
See more original research from School Decision →