Spec Rafael Hernando Middle, El Paso TX

Original Research by School Decision on Spec Rafael Hernando Middle

Spec Rafael Hernando Middle is a regular public middle school serving grades six through eight in Socorro ISD, located on the east side of El Paso in the 79938 zip code. The school enrolment is distributed evenly across the three grades. A large majority of students—nearly three in four—qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with smaller populations of white, Black, and Asian students. Data on special education enrollment and English learner status were not available.

On the most recent state assessments, the school shows uneven performance across subjects. In English language arts, proficiency is solid. Sixth graders achieved at about the midpoint; seventh graders matched that, and eighth graders performed a step higher. Science proficiency in eighth grade was also respectable. Math proficiency, however, sits below the level in ELA across both tested grades. Eighth-grade social studies is a distinct soft spot, with substantially fewer students reaching proficiency than in other subjects. A parent may want to look into this with the school directly, particularly if social studies instruction or assessment support is a consideration.

Across the proficiency tiers, the school shows strength in students reaching the "approaches" or foundational level in most subjects, but smaller shares of the cohort are achieving mastery, particularly in mathematics, science, and social studies. This pattern suggests a school where many students are on track academically but fewer are reaching the highest performance bands.

Relative to the other districts in El Paso County, Spec Rafael Hernando's overall proficiency index ranks in the top quartile, placing it well above the median among its county peers. Graduation rate data were not provided because this is a middle school and thus does not award a diploma or report a graduation rate. Chronic absenteeism data were also not available.

The school sits in El Paso, a binational city shaped by its position on the border with Ciudad Juárez, where the economy centers on cross-border trade and federal employment. The immediate neighborhood around the school is on the east side, an area of suburban expansion with newer homes and family-oriented character. Housing values in the zip code are moderate relative to the state and nation. Rent is also modest, and the rent-to-income ratio is lower than mortgage-to-income, making rental housing more accessible than home purchase for many families. El Paso's largest employers include Fort Bliss, public school districts, and health services; the city also has a strong parks system and growing downtown revitalization, though the overall metro is largely car-dependent.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 649%

School 49% · District 43% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 15 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

Grade 848%

School 48% · District 47% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 664%

School 64% · District 60% · ▲ 4 pts above district

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

Grade 762%

School 62% · District 59% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▲ 13 pts above state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

Grade 866%

School 66% · District 64% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▲ 11 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

Science

Grade 861%

School 61% · District 50% · ▲ 11 pts above district

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 833%

School 33% · District 30% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▲ 9 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

This schoolSOCORRO 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-income59%Higher-income82%23 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income58%Higher-income71%13 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income58%Higher-income84%26 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income42%Higher-income70%28 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income32%Higher-income49%17 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income45%Higher-income56%11 pp gap