Jackson-Madison County Schools

Jackson-Madison County Schools serves the Jackson, Tennessee area with 24 schools spanning elementary, middle, high, and alternative grade levels, enrolling approximately 12,696 students. The district as a whole earns a 0-star rating and ranks 134th out of 141 Tennessee districts, though a few schools perform exceptionally well. Madison Academic Magnet High School is the clear academic leader, ranking in the 93rd percentile statewide with strong proficiency in English II and Biology I, while Jackson Central-Merry Early College High School follows closely in the 86th percentile. At the elementary level, Community Montessori School stands out with the district's lowest chronic absenteeism rate at 6.8% and proficiency above state averages, while Denmark Elementary School and South Elementary School are solid mid-tier performers. Among middle schools, Northeast Middle School is the strongest, with 8th-grade Algebra I proficiency at 92.0%, above the state average.

Many schools, however, struggle significantly. Liberty Technology Magnet High School is the lowest-performing traditional high school, with a 52.4% chronic absenteeism rate and a 10.7% dropout rate, while North Side High School also shows low proficiency and high absenteeism. At the elementary level, Isaac Lane Technology Magnet Elementary School ranks in the 1st percentile with math proficiency of just 14.1%, Alexander Elementary School has ELA proficiency of 11.1%, and Andrew Jackson Elementary School posts a 5.4% proficiency rate in 4th-grade math. Jackson Central Merry Middle School is the district's most troubled middle school, with nearly half of its students chronically absent and very low proficiency in math and ELA.

Chronic absenteeism is the strongest common thread in low performance, with the district average at 28.2% versus the state's 18.3%. Notably, spending does not predict success—South Side High School and Rose Hill School spend the most per student while remaining low-performing, whereas Madison Academic and Community Montessori spend near the district average. Some schools are improving, such as Denmark Elementary and Early College, while Pope School and West-Bemis Middle School have declined. Interestingly, Jackson Academic STEAM Academy, the alternative school, posts a graduation rate above the district average and low absenteeism, offering a model for student engagement.