Hardin County

Began 8th grade in 2008

772 students

Graduated from high school

609 (78.9%)

Statewide: 78.8%

Enrolled in college

418 (54.1%)

Statewide: 53.1%

Graduated from college

188 (24.4%)

Statewide: 23.2%

Each year, approximately 300,000 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 2008.

Of the 772 students in Hardin County who began 8th grade in 2008, 24.4 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 39 years old; one who started 8th grade in 2008 is now about 28.

We have broken down these numbers by ethnicity, gender and economic status.

Click or tap the map to enable panning and zooming.

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.

Outcome of 8th grade class by ethnicity, 2008

Ethnicity Class size Graduated high school Enrolled in college Graduated from college
Black 85 73 46 9
Hispanic N/A N/A N/A N/A
White 666 519 362 176
Other 21 17 10 3
Total 772 609 418 188

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.

Outcome of 8th grade class by gender, 2008

Gender Class size Graduated high school Enrolled in college Graduated from college
Female 388 318 237 128
Male 384 291 181 60
Total 772 609 418 188

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.

Outcome of 8th grade class by economic status, 2008

Economic status Class size Graduated high school Enrolled in college Graduated from college
Disadvantaged 288 207 113 32
Not disadvantaged 484 402 305 156
Total 772 609 418 188