Beckendorff J H, Katy TX - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Beckendorff J H

Beckendorff J H is a middle school serving grades six through eight in Katy, located in Fort Bend County. The school is part of Katy ISD, a growing district in the Houston suburbs that serves several communities across the county.

The academic picture is one of broad strength. On state assessments in math and English language arts, the school shows solid proficiency in sixth and seventh grade, with particularly strong results in eighth grade math, where about nine of every ten students tested at proficiency. English language arts holds steady across all three grades in the mid-to-upper eighties in terms of proficiency. When the school reports results at the mastery level, which indicates higher attainment, roughly two-thirds of students meet that bar in math and English, with slightly higher rates in science and a lower share in social studies. Across all subjects and grades combined, about nine of every ten students reach the proficiency level of approaching the standard or above, suggesting the school works with a capable and engaged student body. In the county comparison set of Fort Bend County districts, Beckendorff ranks in the top quartile for overall proficiency index.

The school's enrollment is about mid-size for a junior high, with roughly equal distribution across the three grade levels. About one-quarter of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is diverse: roughly one-third Asian, about one-quarter white, one-fifth Hispanic, and smaller shares of Black and multiracial students. Specific counts for English learners and students on individualized education plans were not available in the data.

The Katy ISD context matters for families considering this school. The district approved a major bond in November 2023 that funded four new schools, renovations to aging campuses, technology upgrades, and safety improvements, with no increase to the tax rate. For 2024-25 and continuing into 2025-26, the district held its property tax rate flat, a durable cost advantage for homeowners compared to many peer districts. The district has also implemented a significant technology and classroom-management shift: all students in grades three through twelve now receive a school-issued Chromebook, and as of 2025-26, personal cell phones are prohibited anywhere on school property during the instructional day.

Parents should be aware of other recent district-level policy changes that shape the school environment. In 2023, the board adopted a gender identity policy requiring staff to notify parents if a student identifies as transgender or requests different names or pronouns, and restricting facility use and pronouns to biological sex. This policy has drawn a federal Title IX investigation. Additionally, the district overhauled its library and materials policies, pausing new purchases for content review and requiring parental permission for classroom-library checkouts. While the board narrowed the removal standard in September 2023, an ongoing materials-review framework remains in place.

The Katy area itself is part of the Houston metropolitan sprawl, with housing values and rental costs reflective of suburban growth pressures. The local housing market shows recent modest appreciation losses and rental price declines, though affordability metrics remain relatively accessible compared to national benchmarks.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 678%

School 78% · District 57% · ▲ 21 pts above district

▲ 44 pts above state median · ▲ 25 pts above county median

Grade 774%

School 74% · District 35% · ▲ 39 pts above district

▲ 47 pts above state median · ▲ 29 pts above county median

Grade 890%

School 90% · District 70% · ▲ 20 pts above district

▲ 48 pts above state median · ▲ 38 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 686%

School 86% · District 71% · ▲ 15 pts above district

▲ 34 pts above state median · ▲ 14 pts above county median

Grade 787%

School 87% · District 71% · ▲ 16 pts above district

▲ 38 pts above state median · ▲ 17 pts above county median

Grade 888%

School 88% · District 74% · ▲ 14 pts above district

▲ 33 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

Science

Grade 885%

School 85% · District 69% · ▲ 16 pts above district

▲ 43 pts above state median · ▲ 25 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 881%

School 81% · District 55% · ▲ 26 pts above district

▲ 57 pts above state median · ▲ 39 pts above county median

This schoolKATY ISD, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 6Lower-income72%Higher-income90%18 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income77%Higher-income90%13 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income69%Higher-income92%23 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income57%Higher-income86%29 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income62%Higher-income81%19 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income80%Higher-income93%13 pp gap