The top reported proficiency rate is 55% in English language arts. The lowest is 25% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Jackson Intermediate School
Jackson Intermediate School serves third through fifth grade in the city of Jackson, a small city in rural Clarke County in southwest Alabama situated on a rise above the Tombigbee River. It is a regular public school that is part of the Clarke County School District, which also includes Jackson High School, Jackson Middle School, and Joe M. Gillmore Elementary within the city. The city’s economy has long been driven by the timber industry, with a paper mill operated by Packaging Corporation of America as the largest local employer, and manufacturing occupies a significant share of the workforce. The school is located on Highway 43, the main north-south route through town.
The school is an intermediate building, positioned between elementary and middle school, and its enrollment is such that it forms a modestly sized student body for this grade band. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The student population reflects the broader community, with a large majority of students identifying as Black, a notable share identifying as White, and smaller shares identifying as Hispanic or two or more races. Data on special education classification and English learner status were not available in the information we reviewed.
Academic results from the Alabama state assessment, the ACAP, provide a snapshot of where students stand in core subjects. In reading and English language arts, proficiency among all tested students was mixed by grade, with a moderate share of third graders and fourth graders scoring proficient, while the share was higher for fifth graders. In mathematics, proficiency rates varied more notably across grades, with the share of students meeting proficiency rising from third grade to fifth grade. Science results were available for fourth graders, and that group showed a smaller share reaching proficiency.
A combined proficiency index that averages results across all tested subjects and grades places the school above the midpoint relative to the other district in Clarke County for which this information was available. Because the data covers a single assessment year, there is no basis for describing a trend. State testing was conducted that year, and the results are reported here as the most recent findings.
The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. No data on chronic absenteeism was available. Information on course offerings, such as any advanced or enrichment programs, was also absent from the information we had.
The city of Jackson itself has a historic downtown district listed on the National Register, and it was described in publicly reported sources as one of three wet settlements in an otherwise-dry county. Its population has shown modest contraction in recent census counts, and the growth trajectory appears limited, with civic attention directed at maintaining services and supporting the existing industrial base rather than pursuing large-scale residential expansion. The school buildings in Jackson are integrated into the fabric of the city rather than set apart. The Kimbell House, an event center operated by the city, and H. W. Pearce Jr. Memorial Park, which includes a golf course and recreation facilities, are among the local civic anchors.
For a parent or resident evaluating the school, the picture is one of a mid-sized elementary-level public school in a rural industrial town. Academic performance varies by subject and grade, with a notably higher share of fifth graders meeting proficiency in reading and math relative to the lower grades. The substantial share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch indicates a community with widespread economic need, which is a context families may want to understand further by speaking with the school about the specific supports in place. The school is the only intermediate option in the district for this community, so it serves as the default pathway for children in these grades within Jackson. Families looking for more detail on enrichment offerings, special education services, or the specific academic supports available would need to reach out to the school directly, as that information was not contained in the data we examined.
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