Juan De Dios Salinas Middle, Mission TX

Original Research by School Decision on Juan De Dios Salinas Middle

Juan de Dios Salinas Middle serves grades six through eight in Mission, a mid-sized Rio Grande Valley city with a young, heavily Mexican-origin population. The school enrolls roughly mid-sized enrollment for its grade band, with virtually all students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch and nearly all students identifying as Hispanic.

On state testing, the school shows a concerning pattern. In English language arts, proficiency rates range from the low-to-mid range in grade six, drop notably in grade seven, and remain low in grade eight. Math proficiency is weakest in grades six and seven, at very low levels, before improving substantially in grade eight to a moderate rate. Science and social studies proficiency in grade eight—the only grades tested in those subjects—sit in the low-to-moderate range. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile among the county's districts.

The grade-by-grade trajectory suggests students struggle most in the middle grades and show some recovery by eighth grade, at least in mathematics. However, the consistently low passage rates across most subjects indicate substantial academic challenges. Reading the data further, a parent may want to look into what supports the school is providing, particularly in grades six and seven, and how the school is helping students who arrive below grade level.

A significant governance change is underway. Since February 2024, La Joya ISD has been under state control following findings of fraud and conflicts of interest by the prior elected board. The Texas Education Agency has extended that state-appointed board through February 2028. Additionally, in January 2026, the district voted to temporarily close Juan de Dios Salinas Middle School and reopen it for the 2027-2028 school year as a Choice Career Academy serving the middle grades. This closure and repurposing directly affects where current students will be assigned, changes transportation patterns, and modifies school zoning boundaries. The closure stems from substantial enrollment decline across the district over the past decade.

These structural changes mean families considering Juan de Dios Salinas should understand that the school as it currently exists will not continue in its traditional form. Current students will be reassigned; the campus will be reimagined as a career-pathway school. The district remains under state governance focused on restoring financial and academic stability. Mission itself sits within a growing metro economy anchored by food and beverage production, health services, and retail, with modest population growth and regional employment gains projected through the decade. Housing costs in the area are moderate relative to national benchmarks, and median household income is solid.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 624%

School 24% · District 27% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▼ 10 pts below state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

Grade 715%

School 15% · District 18% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Grade 843%

School 43% · District 51% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▲ 1 pts above state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 644%

School 44% · District 45% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▼ 5 pts below county median

Grade 733%

School 33% · District 42% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 16 pts below state median · ▼ 16 pts below county median

Grade 829%

School 29% · District 45% · ▼ 16 pts below district

▼ 26 pts below state median · ▼ 23 pts below county median

Science

Grade 830%

School 30% · District 40% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 824%

School 24% · District 24%

even with state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

This schoolLA JOYA 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-income44%Higher-income60%16 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income34%Higher-income38%4 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income28%Higher-income56%28 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income23%Higher-income50%27 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income16%Higher-income0%16 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income42%Higher-income83%41 pp gap