Is McDowell Middle a good school?

McDowell Middle ranks 1498 th of 2361 Texas middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend McDowell Middle?

In the 2023-24 school year, 394 students attended McDowell Middle.

What is the racial makeup of McDowell Middle?

Students at McDowell Middle are 71% Hispanic, 28% White, 1% Two or more races.

What high school do graduates of McDowell Middle attend?

Students who attend McDowell Middle usually go on to attend Hondo High School

McDowell Middle

Summary:

McDowell Middle is a public middle school in Hondo, Texas, serving 420 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Hondo Independent School District, which is ranked 674 out of 968 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, McDowell Middle has consistently underperformed compared to state and district averages on STAAR tests, with proficiency rates ranging from 38.46% to 52.99% in Reading and 26.27% to 34.27% in Mathematics. The school's performance varies significantly across student subgroups, with White students performing better than Hispanic and economically disadvantaged students. However, the school stands out for its exceptional Algebra I performance, with proficiency rates consistently above 80%.

When compared to nearby middle schools, such as Medina Valley Middle and Devine Middle, McDowell Middle generally underperforms across most STAAR subject areas and grade levels. The school's Gifted and Talented student subgroup is a bright spot, with the school ranking in the top 50% of Texas middle schools in this category for the past three school years. Additionally, the school has maintained a low dropout rate, ranging from 0.0% to 0.7% over the past several years.

Detail:

Public 6-8

1602 27th St S
Hondo, TX 78861

(830) 426-2261

District: Hondo Independent School District (Isd)

SchoolDigger Rank:
1498^th of 2,361 Texas Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,146

Students who attend McDowell Middle usually attend:

High:

Hondo High School

Feeder schools for McDowell Middle:

Elementary:	Meyer Elementary
	Newell E Woolls Intermediate

Student/teacher ratio: 12.3

Number of students: 394

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

70.6%

White:

27.7%

Two or more races:

1.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 67.5%

See top rated Texas middle schools

Compare McDowell Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details McDowell Middle ranks worse than 63.4% of middle schools in Texas. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 36.85. (See more...)

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (70.6%), White (27.7%), two or more races (1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 67.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at McDowell Middle is 12.3. (See more...)

Compare McDowell Middle employs 31.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at McDowell Middle is $10,146.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

McDowell Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks McDowell Middle 1498^th of 2361 Texas public middle schools. (See McDowell Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Hondo Independent School District (Isd):

SchoolDigger ranks Hondo Independent School District (Isd) 674^th of 968 Texas school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for McDowell Middle?

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Rank History for McDowell Middle

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Rank History for all students at McDowell Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile
2004	39.04	1137^th	1573	27.7%
2005	42.96	1024^th	1582	35.3%
2006	44.70	1006^th	1585	36.5%
2007	51.04	939^th	1684	44.2%
2008	50.02	1004^th	1718	41.6%
2009	48.50	1067^th	1763	39.5%
2010	43.91	1248^th	1803	30.8%
2011	31.32	1593^rd	1895	15.9%
2012	27.15	1572^nd	1951	19.4%
2013	44.28	1212^th	1973	38.6%
2014	38.18	1331^st	1987	33.0%
2015	48.15	1147^th	2043	43.9%
2016	38.89	1327^th	1987	33.2%
2017	47.14	965^th	2027	52.4%
2018	50.70	917^th	2080	55.9%
2019	50.11	982^nd	2193	55.2%
2021	46.89	1103^rd	2252	51.0%
2022	33.51	1524^th	2254	32.4%
2023	30.83	1696^th	2330	27.2%
2024	36.85	1498^th	2361	36.6%

See the entire list of Texas Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at McDowell Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	46.87	664^th	1597	58.4%
2019	42.19	824^th	1626	49.3%
2021	46.19	705^th	1712	58.8%
2022	28.58	1421^st	1757	19.1%
2023	31.98	1330^th	1815	26.7%
2024	24.74	1600^th	1881	14.9%

See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at McDowell Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	43.72	1118^th	2039	45.2%
2019	49.16	969^th	2073	53.3%
2021	44.39	1161^st	2172	46.5%
2022	30.83	1681^st	2220	24.3%
2023	25.16	1861^st	2251	17.3%
2024	25.49	1844^th	2224	17.1%

See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at McDowell Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	55.01	787^th	2008	60.8%
2019	50.82	936^th	2047	54.3%
2021	37.88	1319^th	2151	38.7%
2022	32.43	1548^th	2221	30.3%
2023	29.96	1682^nd	2241	24.9%

See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at McDowell Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	78.85	136^th	1430	90.5%
2019	68.56	454^th	1446	68.6%
2021	78.92	209^th	1501	86.1%
2022	75.02	274^th	1488	81.6%
2023	57.64	797^th	1481	46.2%

See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for At Risk students at McDowell Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	44.05	1040^th	2008	48.2%
2019	41.74	1145^th	2058	44.4%
2021	40.08	1205^th	2118	43.1%
2022	30.32	1673^rd	2182	23.3%

See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for At Risk Students!

Rank History for Male students at McDowell Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	45.79	1024^th	2030	49.6%
2019	48.87	926^th	2069	55.2%
2021	56.22	815^th	2168	62.4%
2022	35.09	1471^st	2228	34.0%
2023	32.08	1580^th	2245	29.6%

See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at McDowell Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	46.98	912^th	1895	51.9%
2019	49.19	893^rd	1935	53.9%
2021	41.28	1161^st	2043	43.2%
2022	29.40	1599^th	2077	23.0%
2023	23.72	1767^th	2116	16.5%
2024	29.34	1608^th	2108	23.7%

See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at McDowell Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile
2018	65.06	482^nd	1673	71.2%
2019	61.88	565^th	1684	66.4%
2021	69.84	389^th	1700	77.1%
2022	53.25	761^st	1723	55.8%
2023	48.22	922^nd	1749	47.3%
2024	49.68	837^th	1724	51.5%

See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Texas Education Agency, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Texas Education Agency

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Enrollment information for McDowell Middle

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1989	193	2	0	328	0	n/a	n/a	523
1990	191	2	0	331	0	n/a	n/a	524
1991	216	4	0	322	0	n/a	n/a	542
1992	215	4	0	343	0	n/a	n/a	562
1993	211	2	0	351	0	n/a	n/a	564
1994	234	1	0	366	0	n/a	n/a	601
1995	238	4	0	360	0	n/a	n/a	602
1996	238	4	0	360	0	n/a	n/a	602
1997	248	6	4	373	1	n/a	n/a	632
1998	237	5	3	374	2	n/a	n/a	621
1999	232	9	1	416	2	n/a	n/a	660
2000	247	11	2	409	2	n/a	n/a	671
2001	184	5	1	318	2	n/a	n/a	510
2002	189	11	4	307	1	n/a	n/a	512
2003	189	11	4	307	1	n/a	n/a	512
2004	175	3	4	304	1	n/a	n/a	487
2005	165	5	4	291	0	n/a	n/a	465
2006	183	7	2	288	1	n/a	n/a	481
2007	164	6	1	291	2	n/a	n/a	464
2008	185	7	2	296	0	n/a	n/a	490
2009	193	5	2	283	3	n/a	n/a	486
2010	197	1	2	285	3	n/a	n/a	488
2011	153	0	1	310	4	0	5	473
2012	143	3	1	343	3	0	6	499
2013	154	3	0	356	2	0	3	518
2014	158	5	0	345	2	0	3	513
2015	151	4	1	336	2	0	1	495
2016	142	3	1	335	0	0	1	482
2017	117	3	2	316	0	0	5	443
2018	95	4	2	325	0	0	3	429
2019	93	6	1	315	0	0	1	416
2020	84	5	0	334	0	2	1	426
2021	97	4	0	304	0	2	3	410
2022	99	2	0	302	1	3	6	413
2023	116	2	0	295	1	2	4	420
2024	109	2	0	278	0	1	4	394

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at McDowell Middle

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	523	n/a	n/a	n/a
1990	524	33.0	15.8	n/a
1991	542	32.5	16.6	n/a
1992	562	34.3	16.3	42.3
1993	564	34.0	16.6	53.7
1994	601	35.1	17.1	42.8
1995	602	40.2	15.0	37.2
1996	602	40.2	15.0	37.2
1997	632	39.7	15.9	42.4
1998	621	43.0	14.4	17.2
1999	660	46.0	14.3	34.8
2000	671	47.7	14.1	41.7
2001	510	40.4	12.6	40.4
2002	512	42.8	12.0	42.8
2003	512	42.8	12.0	42.8
2004	487	39.0	12.5	34.9
2005	465	40.7	11.4	33.3
2006	481	40.3	11.9	36.6
2007	464	39.5	11.7	31
2008	490	39.3	12.5	31.4
2009	486	42.3	11.5	27.4
2010	488	42.0	11.6	24.2
2011	473	38.2	12.3	24.9
2012	499	36.0	13.8	21.4
2013	518	36.1	14.3	61
2014	513	38.3	13.3	60.2
2015	495	38.0	13.0	64.6
2016	482	39.0	12.3	64.7
2017	443	37.3	11.8	59.4
2018	429	34.9	12.2	59.2
2019	416	34.0	12.2	46.6
2020	426	36.0	11.8	57.7
2021	410	36.5	11.2	64.6
2022	413	36.4	11.3	62.2
2023	420	32.8	12.7	63.3
2024	394	31.8	12.3	67.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio McDowell Middle

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	523	n/a	n/a	n/a
1990	524	33.0	15.8	n/a
1991	542	32.5	16.6	n/a
1992	562	34.3	16.3	42.3
1993	564	34.0	16.6	53.7
1994	601	35.1	17.1	42.8
1995	602	40.2	15.0	37.2
1996	602	40.2	15.0	37.2
1997	632	39.7	15.9	42.4
1998	621	43.0	14.4	17.2
1999	660	46.0	14.3	34.8
2000	671	47.7	14.1	41.7
2001	510	40.4	12.6	40.4
2002	512	42.8	12.0	42.8
2003	512	42.8	12.0	42.8
2004	487	39.0	12.5	34.9
2005	465	40.7	11.4	33.3
2006	481	40.3	11.9	36.6
2007	464	39.5	11.7	31
2008	490	39.3	12.5	31.4
2009	486	42.3	11.5	27.4
2010	488	42.0	11.6	24.2
2011	473	38.2	12.3	24.9
2012	499	36.0	13.8	21.4
2013	518	36.1	14.3	61
2014	513	38.3	13.3	60.2
2015	495	38.0	13.0	64.6
2016	482	39.0	12.3	64.7
2017	443	37.3	11.8	59.4
2018	429	34.9	12.2	59.2
2019	416	34.0	12.2	46.6
2020	426	36.0	11.8	57.7
2021	410	36.5	11.2	64.6
2022	413	36.4	11.3	62.2
2023	420	32.8	12.7	63.3
2024	394	31.8	12.3	67.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for McDowell Middle

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$950 (10.3%)	$8,258 (89.7%)	$9,209
2020	$1,011 (10.8%)	$8,350 (89.2%)	$9,361
2021	$951 (9.4%)	$9,195 (90.6%)	$10,146

Data source: Texas Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on McDowell Middle

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 982^nd of 2193 Middle schools	Ranks 1696^th of 2330 Middle schools	28%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade Reading (McDowell Middle)	30	32	2%
6th Grade Reading (Hondo Independent School District (Isd))	30	32	2%
6th Grade Reading (Texas)	35	50	15%
6th Grade Mathematics (McDowell Middle)	39	29	10%
6th Grade Mathematics (Hondo Independent School District (Isd))	39	29	10%
6th Grade Mathematics (Texas)	45	37	8%
7th Grade Reading (McDowell Middle)	35	37	2%
7th Grade Reading (Hondo Independent School District (Isd))	35	37	2%
7th Grade Reading (Texas)	47	52	5%
7th Grade Mathematics (McDowell Middle)	40	35	5%
7th Grade Mathematics (Hondo Independent School District (Isd))	40	35	5%
7th Grade Mathematics (Texas)	41	35	6%
8th Grade Reading (McDowell Middle)	60	43	17%
8th Grade Reading (Hondo Independent School District (Isd))	60	43	17%
8th Grade Reading (Texas)	53	56	3%
8th Grade Mathematics (McDowell Middle)	61	32	29%
8th Grade Mathematics (Hondo Independent School District (Isd))	61	32	29%
8th Grade Mathematics (Texas)	55	44	11%
8th Grade Science (McDowell Middle)	62	35	27%
8th Grade Science (Hondo Independent School District (Isd))	62	35	27%
8th Grade Science (Texas)	49	45	4%
8th Grade Social Studies (McDowell Middle)	37	15	22%
8th Grade Social Studies (Hondo Independent School District (Isd))	37	15	22%
8th Grade Social Studies (Texas)	35	31	4%
End of Course Algebra I (McDowell Middle)	97	94	3%
End of Course Algebra I (Hondo Independent School District (Isd))	62	33	29%
End of Course Algebra I (Texas)	62	45	17%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	416	420	1%
African American	6	2	66.7%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	1	0	100%
Hispanic	315	295	6.3%
Pacific Islander	0	2
White	93	116	24.7%
Two or More Races	1	4	300%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	46.6%	63.3%	16.7%

Schools Near McDowell Middle

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				STAAR EOC Algebra I (2024)	STAAR Reading (2024)			STAAR Mathematics (2024)			STAAR Science (2024)	STAAR Social Studies (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2021)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	STAAR EOC Algebra I End of Course	STAAR Reading 6th Grade	STAAR Reading 7th Grade	STAAR Reading 8th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 6th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 7th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 8th Grade	STAAR Science 8th Grade	STAAR Social Studies 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
McDowell Middle	Public	6-8	1602 27th St S	Hondo	78861	Medina County	Hondo Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(830) 426-2261	394	32	12.3	67.5%	109 (27.7%)	2 (0.5%)	278 (70.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	4 (1.0%)	36.8	1498^th of 2361 public middle schools	36.6%		30.8	1696^th of 2330 public middle schools	27.2%	198	77.3	53.0	38.5	40.2	26.3	34.3	29.8	30.2	22.6	$10,146	$951	$9,195
Medina Valley Middle	Public	6-8	8395 Fm 471 S	Castroville	78009	Medina County	Medina Valley Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(830) 931-2243	1,069	65	16.4	57.6%	310 (29.0%)	48 (4.5%)	662 (61.9%)	10 (0.9%)	5 (0.5%)	3 (0.3%)	31 (2.9%)	66.2	632^nd of 2361 public middle schools	73.2%		59.4	802^nd of 2330 public middle schools	65.6%	170	100.0	67.5	65.6	62.5	46.3	45.5	40.2	43.9	27.8	$9,602	$848	$8,754
Devine Middle	Public	6-8	400 Cardinal	Devine	78016	Medina County	Devine Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(830) 851-0695	429	28	15.4	56.9%	141 (32.9%)	4 (0.9%)	274 (63.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	8 (1.9%)	48.5	1112^th of 2361 public middle schools	52.9%		42.8	1291^st of 2330 public middle schools	44.6%	179	96.2	46.4	51.5	46.3	33.6	28.8	48.6	36.7	33.3	$8,606	$732	$7,874

McDowell Middle

McDowell Middle:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Hondo Independent School District (Isd):

What do you think?

Rank History for McDowell Middle

Rank History for all students at McDowell Middle

Rank History for Special Education students at McDowell Middle

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at McDowell Middle

Rank History for Female students at McDowell Middle

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at McDowell Middle

Rank History for At Risk students at McDowell Middle

Rank History for Male students at McDowell Middle

Rank History for Hispanic students at McDowell Middle

Rank History for White students at McDowell Middle

Enrollment information for McDowell Middle

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at McDowell Middle

Student/Teacher Ratio McDowell Middle

Per Pupil Expenditures for McDowell Middle

Impact of COVID-19 on McDowell Middle

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near McDowell Middle

McDowell Middle

Medina Valley Middle

Devine Middle

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