Summary:
Zip code 38040 in rural Halls, Tennessee, is served by a single middle school, Halls Junior High School, which enrolls 143 students in grades 7 and 8 within the Lauderdale County Schools district. This small school is on a clear upward trajectory: its statewide ranking has climbed from the 31st percentile in 2023–2024 to the 48th percentile in 2024–2025, and now to the 52nd percentile in 2025–2026, earning a 3-star rating after two consecutive 2-star years.
Academically, mathematics is the standout subject. Overall math proficiency is 48.8%, well above the district's 35.2% and the state's 43.0%. Eighth grade math is especially impressive, with 56.4% of students proficient—more than double the district rate and nearly 18 points above the state. English Language Arts, however, remains a concern at 31.2% proficiency, below the district's 32.0% and well below the state's 40.6%, with 7th grade ELA particularly low at 25.0%. Social studies also lags the state by 12.7 percentage points (38.7% vs. 51.4%), a gap that appears to affect the district as a whole.
Attendance is a bright spot: chronic absenteeism is just 14.8%, far better than the district's 22.3% and the state's 18.3%. Per-student spending is $14,749. Notably, Halls Junior High School is outperforming its district, which ranks in the 17th percentile statewide (1 star). Year over year, proficiency improved in every subject, with math jumping 8.8 points. For parents, this is a small school with strong math instruction, good attendance, and steady improvement, but with room to grow in reading and social studies.
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