The top reported proficiency rate is 47% in Math. The lowest is 13% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Yoakum J H
Yoakum J H is a middle school serving sixth through eighth grade in a small working-class town on the Lavaca-DeWitt county line in South Texas. The school enrolls a modest population of students, nearly three-quarters of whom qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The enrollment is roughly evenly split across the three grades, with a racial and ethnic composition reflective of the region: the majority of students identify as Hispanic, with a substantial white minority and small numbers of Black and Asian students.
The school's 2024-25 state assessment results show mixed performance by subject and grade level. In math, the school's proficiency rate rises as students advance: sixth grade trails below state benchmarks, seventh grade shows modest improvement, and eighth grade reaches a more solid rate. English language arts performance is relatively flat across grades six and seven but drops notably in eighth grade. Science and social studies proficiency are both significantly below expectations at the eighth-grade level, with social studies showing particularly weak results. When viewed across all tested areas, the school sits in the bottom quartile among districts in DeWitt County on overall proficiency. A parent may want to look into the reasons for the sharp decline in eighth-grade ELA and the particularly low outcomes in social studies, as these point to potential gaps in upper-middle-grades instruction or support.
The school is part of Yoakum ISD, a small rural district spanning Lavaca and DeWitt counties. The district has faced sustained funding pressures. The state's basic allotment to the district has remained unchanged for years while costs have risen. Local property values in the area have declined, reducing tax revenue. In November 2024, voters rejected a proposed tax rate increase that would have funded staff compensation. The district brought the measure back to voters in November 2025. This backdrop of repeated tax elections and tight budgets is relevant context for families, as it directly affects the district's ability to recruit and retain experienced teachers and to fund classroom resources.
Yoakum itself is a sparse, working-class town built on leather tanning and agricultural trade, with a traditional downtown commercial core anchored by a restored single-screen theater and historic storefronts. The community has a modest population that has been largely flat to slightly declining in recent years. Housing is dominated by older detached single-family homes that residents typically own; a median home value in the zip code falls modestly below the state benchmark. The town maintains an unusually extensive park system and public library. There is no fixed-route public transit; the area is car-dependent. The local economy centers on meat packing, saddle and ranchwear manufacturing, insurance, and healthcare, with the school district itself a significant employer.
The school's location places it in a residential neighborhood a short distance from downtown rather than on the main commercial street. Academic performance data is available for this middle school, but no discipline records, attendance figures, staffing ratios, or special-population enrollment counts are included in the available information. The school receives no state or federal Title I designation status in the data provided.
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