Jackson Academic STEAM Academy

Jackson Academic STEAM Academy is an alternative public virtual school serving grades K-12 in Jackson, Tennessee. With 286 students, the school is part of the Madison County school district, which is ranked 126 out of 139 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

The school has seen fluctuating graduation rates, ranging from 64.5% to 92.2% in recent years, which is generally lower than the state average of around 90%. Dropout rates have also been variable, ranging from 6.4% to 16.1%, higher than the state average of around 5%. Chronic absenteeism has been a significant issue, ranging from 18.9% to 29.7%, much higher than the state average of 15%. On standardized assessments, Jackson Academic STEAM Academy students consistently perform below the state and district averages across all subject areas and grade levels, with proficiency rates in mathematics and English language arts projected to be 16.3% and 24.6%, respectively, compared to state averages of 42.2% and 38.9%.

While the school has seen a significant increase in per-student spending, from $8,280 in 2021-2022 to $14,512 in 2023-2024, and a decrease in student-teacher ratio from 15.9 to 8.3 during the same period, these efforts have not yet translated into meaningful improvements in student outcomes. The inconsistent performance, high chronic absenteeism, and persistent academic underachievement suggest that Jackson Academic STEAM Academy may need to implement significant changes or interventions to address these challenges and improve student success.