Jasper County
Began 8th grade in 2011
471 students
Graduated from high school
367 (77.9%)
Statewide: 81.1%
Enrolled in college
198 (42.0%)
Statewide: 51.8%
Graduated from college
80 (17.0%)
Statewide: 22.0%
Each year, approximately 350,000 students begin eighth grade in a Texas public school. National employment and earnings statistics suggest that these students will have materially better prospects as adults if they finish high school and enroll in and complete a post-secondary certificate or degree program. Using data from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Texas Education Agency, the Tribune is providing a look into the outcomes of students who started eighth grade in a Texas public school from 1997 to 2011.
Of the 471 students in Jasper County who began 8th grade in 2011, 17.0 percent received a certificate or degree from a Texas college or university within six years of their anticipated high school graduation date. For context, a 13-year-old student who started 8th grade in 1997 is about 41 years old; one who started 8th grade in 2011 is now about 27.
We have broken down these numbers by ethnicity, gender and economic status.
Ethnicity
A breakdown, by ethnicity, of outcomes for cohorts of students who attended eighth grade in a Texas public school. You can see who graduated from high school, who enrolled in higher education and who completed a certificate or degree.
| Ethnicity | Class size | Graduated high school | Enrolled in college | Graduated from college | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 103 | 88 | 43 | 10 | 
| Hispanic | 29 | 27 | 13 | 5 | 
| White | 325 | 242 | 135 | 63 | 
| Other | 14 | 10 | 7 | N/A | 
| Total | 471 | 367 | 198 | 80 | 
Gender
A breakdown, by gender, of outcomes for cohorts of students who attended eighth grade in a Texas public school. You can see who graduated from high school, who enrolled in higher education and who completed a certificate or degree.
| Gender | Class size | Graduated high school | Enrolled in college | Graduated from college | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 234 | 182 | 111 | 48 | 
| Male | 237 | 185 | 87 | 32 | 
| Total | 471 | 367 | 198 | 80 | 
Economic status
A breakdown, by economic status, of outcomes for cohorts of students who attended eighth grade in a Texas public school. You can see who graduated from high school, who enrolled in higher education and who completed a certificate or degree.
| Economic status | Class size | Graduated high school | Enrolled in college | Graduated from college | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disadvantaged | 246 | 186 | 79 | 25 | 
| Not disadvantaged | 225 | 181 | 119 | 55 | 
| Total | 471 | 367 | 198 | 80 |