Jim Barnes Middle, Seguin TX - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Jim Barnes Middle

Jim Barnes Middle, serving grades six through eight in Seguin, faces acute academic challenges that a parent should understand clearly before enrolling.

Reading results from the most recent state testing period, proficiency in mathematics is exceptionally low. Only a small share of sixth graders meet or exceed the proficiency standard in math; seventh grade results are even more concerning, with very few students meeting proficiency; by eighth grade, the rate improves slightly but remains well below typical expectations. Across all three grades, the school's math proficiency ranks in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in Guadalupe County.

English language arts performance is better but still struggles. Across the grades, roughly a third to two-fifths of students achieve proficiency. Eighth grade shows the strongest ELA result, approaching the midpoint of performance. Science proficiency for eighth grade sits around one-third of students. Social studies is the weakest area after math, with only a small share of eighth graders meeting proficiency.

The school's overall proficiency index, averaging across all tested subjects and grades, places it significantly below the midpoint among Guadalupe County districts. A parent investigating this school will want to ask directly what literacy and numeracy interventions are in place, how the school identifies and supports students falling behind, and what the trajectory has been in recent years.

The student body is large for the middle-school grade band. About three-quarters of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The enrollment is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial white population and small shares of other groups. Specific data on the proportion of English learners or students with individualized education plans was not available.

The physical campus is undergoing improvement. The district's 2022 bond, approved by voters, includes substantial additions and renovations to Jim Barnes, part of a larger wave of infrastructure investment as the city experiences rapid population growth. Families considering the school should understand that campus construction activity may extend over the coming years.

The school sits in Seguin, a fast-growing manufacturing hub between San Antonio and Austin, where housing values remain moderate by Texas standards and the local economy centers on industrial employment. The city's downtown core, though historically grounded, is being revitalized through civic investment including a new library and trail network.

For a family seeking a middle school, the critical question here is whether the school's academic performance aligns with their child's needs and your own comfort with a school significantly below county averages. The improvements underway may signal institutional momentum, but the current test results demand a direct conversation with administrators about what's working and what isn't in classrooms.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 617%

School 17% · District 23% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 14 pts below county median

Grade 73%

School 3% · District 6% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▼ 24 pts below state median

Grade 811%

School 11% · District 24% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▼ 31 pts below state median

English language arts

Grade 633%

School 33% · District 39% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 22 pts below county median

Grade 736%

School 36% · District 40% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 13 pts below state median

Grade 839%

School 39% · District 44% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 16 pts below state median

Science

Grade 831%

School 31% · District 33% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 11 pts below state median

Social studies

Grade 816%

School 16% · District 17% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 8 pts below state median

This schoolSEGUIN 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-income25%Higher-income49%24 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income31%Higher-income46%15 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income34%Higher-income50%16 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income10%Higher-income31%21 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income4%Higher-income0%4 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income5%Higher-income21%16 pp gap