Named after longtime Katy educators Rodger and Ellen Beck, Katy ISD’s sixth junior high opened in 1996. Beck students have a strong academic focus as evidenced by some of the state’s highest TAKS scores.

More than 16 percent of the students participate in the gifted and talented program. The school has an excellent fine arts department, which includes beginning instruction and advanced performing groups in orchestra, choir, band, theatre and art. Competitive athletic teams include volleyball, football, basketball, track, tennis and golf for seventh and eighth graders. Extracurricular activities include Destination ImagiNation, Academic Pentathlon, Student Council and National Junior Honor Society.

BJH has an integrated technology program that spans all grade levels, requiring every core teacher to spend time in the computer lab presenting a course objective and a technology objective in tandem. Each year eighth graders are introduced to the world of work at a Career Fair and sixth graders participate in a campus International Festival. The seventh grade students participate in a College Education Preparatory unit, sponsored by the College Board.

An active PTA and volunteer program support Beck in a variety of ways: operating the welcome desk, publishing a monthly newsletter, sponsoring social activities for students, providing office support, landscaping the campus, funding other building and classroom needs, assisting in homemaking and special education classes, providing support for drama productions and leading the Junior Achievement program in sixth grade classes. Parents also participate in the Beck Buddy program in which parents and students welcome newcomers to our school community.

Awards and Honors

• National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, 2002
• Named to Texas Monthly’s “Best Public Schools” list, 2001, 2006, 2007
• Texas Business and Education Coalition Honor Roll, 2006, 2007
• Duke Talent Identification Program: 44 students, State recognition; 5 students, Grand Recognition, 2006
• State Geography Bee grand champion, 2006, 2007
• Beck Junior High Orchestra named the TMEA State Honor Orchestra for all junior highs in Texas, 2004
• 5-star rating from Just for the Kids Foundation, 2002
• National Scholastic Writing Contest: 1 Silver Medal, 2004; Regional Scholastic Writing:5 Gold Keys and 1 Silver Key, 2007
• Regional Scholastic Art: 3 Gold Keys, 1 Silver Key, 2007
• KISD District Spelling Bee winner, 2004, 2007; runner-up, 2005
• Texas Mathematics League: student named #1 in Texas, 2004
• Ft. Bend County Fair Art Contest: 5 Blue Ribbon Winners, 2004
• UIL Concert and Sight-reading contests: all Beck music groups received superior or excellent ratings, 2004
• TMEA State Honor Orchestra for all junior highs in Texas, 2004
• Destination Imagination Gulf Coast Regional Tournament: 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finishes, 2006, 2 1st place teams, 2004
• Individual awards and recognitions in Academic Pentathlon, PTA Reflections Program, Speech Tournaments
• District championships: football, volleyball, basketball, track, and golf
• Katy ISD Secondary Teacher of the Year, 1999 and 2003

School Report Card Data 

2008-09 TAKS Scores*

• Reading/English Language Arts:100%
• Math: 99%
• Writing: 99%
• Social Studies: 100%
• Science: 94%

* Test scores include the Texas Projection Measure (TPM), which is used to determine campus ratings.

2009 Accountability rating: Exemplary

2008 TEA Report Card Data

• Avg. teacher experience:    10.6 years
• Avg. students per teacher: 17.7
• English/Language Arts: 22.9
• Foreign Languages: 24.8
• Mathematics: 20.2
• Science: 25.1
• Social Studies: 26.0
• Student profile:
•    White: 66.8%      
•    Hispanic: 12.4%
•    Asian: 14.8%
•    African American: 5.7%
•    Native American: 0.3%
•    Low-income: 5.0%
•    Limited English: 2.8%
• Special program enrollment:
•    Special education: 6.5%
•    Career/Technical: 26.5%
•    Bilingual/ESL: 2.3%
•    Gifted/Talented: 15.3%

Facility Improvements

Previous bond packages authorized by voters in 1994, 1996, 1999 and 2002 funded the construction of Beck Junior High (1994 authorization) and the following additional major projects:

• carpet replacement
• music room addition
• lighting retrofit
• technology retrofits
• a new phone system including telephones for all teachers
• weight room expansion (currently in progress)