Hester Juvenile Detent

Hester Juvenile Detent serves 34 students in grades 5-11 as an alternative middle school in San Benito, Texas. With just 4 full-time equivalent teachers, the school maintains an exceptionally low student-teacher ratio of 8.5:1, allowing for highly individualized attention and specialized support that alternative education students often need. The school has earned a solid MySchoolScout rating of 7.3 out of 10 and ranks #1314 out of 8,598 schools statewide, placing it in the 85th percentile among Texas schools.

This strong performance demonstrates the school's effectiveness in serving its specialized student population through focused educational approaches. Located on West Highway 77 in Cameron County, the school serves a community where the median household income is $42,515 and median home values are $75,800. The surrounding area reflects a working-class neighborhood, with 25.6% of residents living below the poverty line and 12% holding bachelor's degrees or higher.

As an alternative educational setting, Hester Juvenile Detent provides crucial services for students who benefit from smaller class sizes and specialized programming. The school operates within San Benito's small city environment, offering students a structured educational pathway in a community-centered South Texas setting.

With an enrollment of 34 students, Hester Juvenile Detent is a smaller school where families often find a close-knit community atmosphere. Smaller settings can mean more individual attention from teachers and staff, though they may offer fewer extracurricular options than larger schools.

While current test scores at Hester Juvenile Detent are below average, the school shows strong growth metrics — meaning students are making above-average progress year over year. This upward trajectory can be a positive indicator for families who value a school's ability to help students improve, even if absolute scores haven't caught up yet.

With a student-teacher ratio of 8.5:1, Hester Juvenile Detent offers a notably low ratio compared to the national average. This typically means smaller class sizes and more opportunities for one-on-one interaction between students and teachers.