Abell J H, Midland TX - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Abell J H

Abell J H is a middle school in Midland that serves seventh and eighth graders. It is a regular public school in Midland ISD, located on Heritage Boulevard in the city's northwest section.

The school enrolls a balanced cohort of about half students from Hispanic backgrounds, roughly a quarter from white backgrounds, and smaller shares from Black, Asian, and multiracial families. About half the enrollment qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a substantial base of economic need. The student body is evenly split between the two grades served.

Academic performance data from the state assessment (STAAR) shows mixed results by subject and grade. In English language arts, seventh graders achieved proficiency at a moderate rate, while eighth graders performed somewhat better. Math proficiency is considerably lower across both grades, with seventh-grade math showing particularly weak performance. Science proficiency in eighth grade fell in the middle range, and eighth-grade social studies proficiency was the weakest area tested. When results are looked at across all subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in Midland County, suggesting that student performance here lags behind peers in comparable schools in the region.

The performance pattern suggests that reading instruction is relatively more solid than mathematics. This may be relevant given that Midland ISD recently shifted to a phonics-based, science-of-reading approach in elementary and middle grades, which could affect outcomes in coming years as that instructional foundation deepens.

One important context is that state testing data reflects only a single year, and the district is in a period of significant structural change. The 2023 bond has funded major new construction, and in 2028 the district will reconfigure grades across its campuses. Sixth graders will move into middle schools, which will affect Abell's composition and enrollment. Parents may want to ask the school directly about how grade reconfiguration will shape Abell's operations and peer environment when those changes take effect.

The Midland area itself is an oil-and-gas economy anchored by major energy producers and oilfield services firms, with above-average household incomes and sustained population growth. Housing costs in the zip code are moderate relative to national benchmarks, and the community is car-dependent but investing in downtown revitalization. The school sits in a growing, energy-driven community with families whose economic stability often ties directly to industry cycles.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 712%

School 12% · District 13% · ▼ 1 pts below district

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

Grade 830%

School 30% · District 34% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 743%

School 43% · District 42% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

Grade 846%

School 46% · District 45% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Science

Grade 833%

School 33% · District 33%

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

Social studies

Grade 818%

School 18% · District 17% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▲ 5 pts above county median

This schoolMIDLAND 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 7Lower-income33%Higher-income55%22 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income32%Higher-income61%29 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 7Lower-income10%Higher-income15%5 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income24%Higher-income36%12 pp gap