SE Texas Times

White students made up the largest ethnic group in Hardin County schools in the 2022-23 school year, according to the Texas Education Agency.

Of the 10,764 students attending Hardin County schools, 76.7% were white. Hispanic students were the second largest ethnicity, making up 9.7% of the total enrollment.

In the previous school year, white students also made up the largest ethnic group in Hardin County, comprising 77.9% of the student body.

Silsbee Elementary School had the most even distribution of races among the county schools, which included 66.2% white students, 16.6% Black students, 9.4% Hispanic students, 7.2% multiracial students, 0.3% Asian students, 0.2% American Indian students, and 0.1% Pacific Islander students.

In the 2022-23 school year, total public school enrollment in the county increased by 0.9% when compared to the previous year.

Education in Texas is often a hot button issue, especially as test scores lag behind other states.

“The problems commonly cited are flaws in the school financing system, relatively low teacher salary, poor test performance by students…dropouts from traditional schools in favor of charter schools…gun violence, and mental health issues,” claimed the Texas Almanac.

School name	Most prevalent ethnic group	Percent of Total Student Body	Total enrollment
Edwards-Johnson Memorial Middle School	White	68.1%	633
Hardin-Jefferson High School	White	67.6%	749
Henderson Middle School	White	72.1%	617
Kountze Elementary School	White	64.2%	313
Kountze High School	White	71.9%	327
Kountze Intermediate School	White	74.9%	243
Kountze Middle School	White	77.1%	231
Laura Reeves Primary School	White	67.9%	308
Lumberton Early Childhood School	White	81.1%	392
Lumberton High School	White	85.5%	1,229
Lumberton Intermediate School	White	83.3%	622
Lumberton Middle School	White	83.7%	969
Lumberton Primary School	White	83.6%	982
Silsbee Elementary School	White	66.2%	1,017
Silsbee High School	White	64.1%	814
Sour Lake Elementary School	White	84.6%	767
West Hardin Elementary School	White	91.1%	281
West Hardin High School	White	92.6%	270