Summary:
There is exactly one middle school in zip code 38562, which covers the Gainesboro, Tennessee area: Jackson County Middle School, serving grades 4 through 8 and enrolling 411 students as part of Jackson County Schools. Because it is the only middle school in this zip code, there are no other local schools to compare it against, so its performance represents the sole public middle-level option for families in this community.
The school’s overall state ranking dropped significantly, from 253rd out of 583 Tennessee middle schools (57th percentile, 3 stars) in 2024–2025 to 361st out of 594 (39th percentile, 2 stars) in 2025–2026. In all-grades TNReady results, the school trails both the district and state in every core subject, with the largest gap in math (30.3% proficient vs. 43.0% statewide). However, there are clear bright spots: 8th graders exceed state averages in science (53.1% vs. 44.3%) and social studies (53.1% vs. 47.6%), and math proficiency improved year-over-year from 27.4% to 30.3%. On the other hand, 7th graders struggle across all subjects, especially social studies (29.5% proficient vs. 56.0% statewide, a 26.5-point deficit), and math proficiency remains very low in 5th grade (23.1%) and 7th grade (19.3%).
Chronic absenteeism at 17.9% is close to the state average of 18.3%, while per-student spending is $12,741. The school’s wide grade span (4–8) makes comparisons to traditional 6–8 middle schools difficult, and the ranking decline is largely driven by drops in ELA, science, and social studies despite math improvement. The biggest opportunities for growth are clearly in 7th grade across all subjects and in math proficiency throughout most grades. Given that this is the only middle school in the area, these challenges directly affect all local families, and the school’s relative strengths in 8th grade suggest that focused support in earlier grades could help reverse the downward trend.
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