Summary:
Zip code 37343 in Hixson, TN, is served by two public middle schools—Loftis Middle School and Hixson Middle School—both covering grades 6–8 and operating under Hamilton County Schools. Loftis is the clear academic standout, earning a 4-star rating and ranking in the 88th percentile statewide (72 out of 594 Tennessee middle schools) for 2025–2026. It outperforms both the district and state averages in every core subject, with particularly strong results in Algebra I (94.4% proficient), Social Studies (71.2%), and Science (65.1%). Hixson, by contrast, ranks in the 42nd percentile (347 out of 594) with a 2-star rating and falls below district and state averages in math, ELA, science, and social studies.
The gap between the two schools is substantial. Loftis leads Hixson by 26.6 points in math (51.9% vs. 25.3%), 25 points in social studies (71.2% vs. 46.2%), 22.6 points in science (65.1% vs. 42.5%), and 17.5 points in ELA (46.1% vs. 28.6%). Both schools, however, share a notable strength in 8th-grade Algebra I, with Hixson at 87.9% proficiency—essentially matching the state average of 88.3%—and Loftis at 94.4%. Trends over time differ as well: Loftis has slipped slightly from the 93rd to the 88th percentile over three years, while Hixson dropped sharply from the 55th to the 42nd percentile in just one year, driven largely by an 8.1-point decline in math proficiency.
One interesting inversion involves attendance: Loftis has a higher chronic absenteeism rate (20.1%) than Hixson (14.7%), despite being the stronger school academically—suggesting absenteeism is not the main driver of the performance gap. Loftis also spends slightly more per student ($18,084 vs. $17,233). For families in this area, Loftis is clearly the stronger academic option, while Hixson offers a solid Algebra I program and lower chronic absenteeism but shows concerning recent declines in math and social studies that may warrant attention.
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