R.C. Barton Middle School is a well-rated public middle school (grades 6-8) in Buda (78610), part of Hays CISD, serving the Jack C. Hays High attendance area. It grades A- overall with reading and math above the district and a 13% gifted share. Here's the straight picture: the ratings, the numbers, the schools on either side of it, and what being zoned to Barton means for your home search.
Yes, it's one of the stronger middle schools in Hays CISD. Barton grades A- overall on Niche, above the district B+, with an A- academic grade and both proficiency scores above the Hays CISD averages: around 60% in math versus 42%, and around 75% in reading versus 52%. It carries a standout 13% gifted share, a B teacher grade, and is a campus of about 841 students with a 15:1 ratio in a lower-need community (about 33% in the free-lunch program). For a family on the Jack C. Hays side of Buda and west Kyle, Barton is a real strength of the path.
| Metric | Barton Middle | Hays CISD |
|---|---|---|
| Overall grade (Niche) | A- | B+ |
| Reading proficiency | 75% | 52% |
| Math proficiency | 60% | 42% |
| Gifted students | 13% | N/A |
| Academic grade (Niche) | A- | B+ |
| Students per teacher | 15:1 | 16:1 |
| Students in free lunch program | 33% | 49% |
| Total enrollment | 841 | 23,313 |
Source: Niche via RPR (Realtors Property Resource), 2026. Niche compiles the letter grades from U.S. Dept. of Education data, community reviews, and other sources, and updates quarterly. Figures change, so I confirm the current numbers when they matter to your decision.
The standout is an A- overall with both proficiency scores well above the district and a 13% gifted share. For Hays CISD, Barton is one of the better-performing middle schools you'll find.
Barton sits in the middle of the Jack C. Hays feeder path. Students arrive from Hays CISD elementaries, Laura B. Negley among them, and Barton then feeds into Jack C. Hays High:
Barton draws from elementaries including Laura B. Negley, and feeds up to Jack C. Hays High. This side of Buda and west Kyle feeds Jack C. Hays rather than Johnson, and which elementary a home feeds through depends on the exact address, so I confirm the current path for any property first.
Barton serves a stretch running from Buda along Jack C. Hays Trail toward Mountain City and west Kyle, a mix of established neighborhoods and newer subdivisions near I-35 with easy access in both directions. It's a popular, strong-schools corner of Hays County. The thing to know: this side feeds Jack C. Hays rather than Johnson, and homes can sit in a MUD or PID, so I confirm both the zone and the tax picture for the address.
Barton is one of the stronger middle schools in Hays CISD, and it anchors the Jack C. Hays side of Buda and west Kyle. The catch is that this side feeds Jack C. Hays, not Johnson, and it's easy to assume the wrong high school from the area. I confirm the exact path and the tax district for every address, before you're under contract.
Use Hays CISD's official boundary lookup. The district publishes a find-my-school tool where you enter an address and it returns the assigned elementary, middle, and high school. That's the source of truth, not the real estate listing, which can carry outdated school data, especially in a district growing as fast as Hays.
Or ask me. Send me an address or a Mountain City or west Kyle pocket you're considering and I'll confirm the zone, pull the current middle and high school on the path, and flag anything that affects your decision.
Tell me what matters most and I'll build your search around it. The path runs up to Jack C. Hays High, so start there for the high-school picture, use the Central Texas school districts guide for how the zones fit together, and the Buda relocation guide if you're moving in. When you're ready to look at homes, reach out and I'll map the zone to the right neighborhoods.
Buda and Kyle are core markets for me, and the Johnson-versus-Jack C. Hays split is something buyers ask me about constantly. With 175+ closed deals since 2016 across South Austin, Buda, Kyle, and Bastrop, and named a FastExpert 2026 Top Agent, I help families land on the right side of it.
Barton is one of the stronger middles in Hays CISD and feeds Jack C. Hays, not Johnson. I confirm the real zone and tax picture for every address, no guessing. If the middle-school years are on your mind, let's talk.
Last updated: September 2026. School ratings and boundaries change, so confirm the current figures and assignment for any specific address.