In addition to Sour Lake, the district serves the cities of China, Nome, and Bevil Oaks, as well as the unincorporated community of Pinewood Estates and parts of Beaumont's extraterritorial jurisdiction (west of Major Drive and Highway 90).

Hardin-Jefferson won the 2007 Boys Basketball State Championship, beating Abilene Wylie 56 to 44.

The decision to rename was met with disapproval from some members of the surrounding communities, accusing the district of wiping the name of J.H.

The board reassured that they were seeking alternative ways to honor Henderson and past employees' legacies[5] and adopted a new policy for the renaming of facilities that "could provide for community input to be presented to the board", which was met with additional criticism, with allegations of a more sinister reason being behind the changes, and questioning why no elementary schools were renamed.

[7] The policy set requirements deceased persons had to meet in order to have a school named in their honor and an extensive community review process.