Best Public Schools in Zip Code 38040

ZIP code 38040 in Halls, TN, is served by three public schools within the Lauderdale County Schools district: Halls Elementary School (PK–6), Halls Junior High School (7–8), and Halls High School (9–12). Although the district ranks in the bottom 17% of Tennessee districts, these three schools are consistent bright spots, with all of them outperforming the district average in most tested subjects and showing a clear upward trend in state percentile rankings over the past three years.

The strongest outcomes are at Halls High School, which posts a 93.0% graduation rate and a 1.2% dropout rate—both far better than state averages. It also nearly matches the state in English II and Algebra II proficiency. Halls Elementary School is the largest school and excels in math, with 48.7% proficiency (above the state’s 43.0%), and is the only school in the ZIP code to exceed the state in social studies. Halls Junior High School, though small, shines in 8th grade math at 56.4% proficiency—more than double the district rate—and its overall math score (48.8%) also beats the state. When comparing schools, the elementary and junior high outperform the high school in math, while the high school stands out for student retention and graduation outcomes.

There are important concerns to note. Geometry proficiency at Halls High School is only 10.4% versus a 42.3% state average—the single lowest metric in the area. Chronic absenteeism at the high school is 31.6%, nearly double the district average, although it still achieves a high graduation rate. Math proficiency at Halls Elementary School declines steadily from 56.5% in 3rd grade to 34.2% in 6th grade. Social studies drops sharply from above state at the elementary level to well below at the junior high. Finally, the junior high enrolls only 143 students, making it about one-fifth the size of the elementary school. Overall, these schools are improving, with all three rising in state percentile rankings for 2025–26, suggesting positive momentum for families in Halls.