Smithville J H, Smithville TX - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Smithville J H

Smithville Junior High serves grades six through eight in a small city in Bastrop County with a strong local arts and historic identity. The school enrolls roughly four hundred students, with a balanced enrollment across the three grades. Just over half the enrollment qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, and the student body is split nearly evenly between white and Hispanic students, with smaller shares of other groups represented.

The school's test results show a profile that divides clearly by subject. In English Language Arts, proficiency runs at about half to mid-range across the grades, with eighth grade performing best. Reading and writing are the stronger academic area. Mathematics presents a steeper challenge. Sixth grade achieves proficiency near the lower end across both tests; seventh grade is notably low; and eighth grade improves but still trails ELA. Science at the eighth-grade level is one of the school's stronger results. Social Studies scores in eighth grade are weak. On Texas's STAAR assessment, the school sits above the midpoint for overall proficiency when compared to other districts in Bastrop County.

Texas's proficiency standard divides into levels called Approaches, Meets, and Masters. Across all subjects, roughly two-thirds of students reach the Approaches level or above, meaning they demonstrate some grasp of grade-level content. About a third meet the higher standard. Masters-level proficiency, the top tier, is low across the board, particularly in math and science, where only roughly one in ten students place there.

A parent considering this school should understand that math proficiency is a soft spot, especially in seventh grade. The district has adopted state-approved high-quality instructional materials across all campuses and made staffing assignments tied to specific content needs, a curricular shift that aims to strengthen instruction. The school also sits within a district that has expanded Career and Technical Education offerings, expanding pathway options as students move toward high school.

Smithville itself is a small, walkable city centered on a restored historic downtown with brick storefronts, galleries, shops, and a farmers market. The area is affordable relative to nearby Austin, which lies roughly forty miles west, and the community is experiencing measured growth as families relocate to the area. Housing values are moderate and have recently declined slightly. Schools sit on separated campuses away from the downtown commercial core, and the city operates an extensive park system along the Colorado River and has begun transit connections to Austin. The town markets itself on its historic character and arts scene.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 623%

School 23% · District 23%

▼ 11 pts below state median

Grade 711%

School 11% · District 11%

▼ 16 pts below state median

Grade 829%

School 29% · District 29%

▼ 13 pts below state median

English language arts

Grade 650%

School 50% · District 50%

▼ 2 pts below state median

Grade 743%

School 43% · District 43%

▼ 6 pts below state median

Grade 852%

School 52% · District 51% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▼ 3 pts below state median

Science

Grade 854%

School 54% · District 53% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 12 pts above state median

Social studies

Grade 822%

School 22% · District 22%

▼ 2 pts below state median

This schoolSMITHVILLE 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-income38%Higher-income59%21 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income28%Higher-income58%30 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income27%Higher-income73%46 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income10%Higher-income32%22 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income6%Higher-income19%13 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income19%Higher-income39%20 pp gap