The top reported proficiency rate is 52% in Math. The lowest is 46% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Jackson Middle
Jackson Middle is a regular public school serving only fifth and sixth graders in the Jackson R-II district, a structure that gives both students and staff a focused two-year window before the move to junior high. Because the school stops at sixth grade, there is no graduation rate to report and no high-stakes exit measure to consider; the academic picture comes entirely from the state MAP assessments in math, English language arts, and science.
On those tests, the school’s overall proficiency index lands in the top quartile among districts in Cape Girardeau County, which is a clear strength. A closer look shows a mixed subject-level pattern. In fifth grade, math proficiency hovers around the halfway mark, while ELA runs a few points higher and science trails slightly. Sixth graders reverse that alignment: math results are stronger than fifth grade, but sixth-grade ELA drops to about where fifth-grade math sits. The sixth-grade cohort tested somewhat larger than the fifth, and both grades took the same state exam, but the school does not publish multi-year trend data, so it is hard to tell whether the grade-to-grade swing is a cohort characteristic or a persistent pattern. A parent may want to ask the school how it supports literacy growth between those two years.
The student body is predominantly white. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which gives the school a measurable economic diversity. Enrollment counts for special education and English learners were not reported in the available data, so families should check directly with the school about those services. The school is located in Jackson, a community that describes itself as the fastest growing in Southeast Missouri. Historic Uptown Jackson, anchored by the courthouse square, remains the civic and commercial center, with residential neighborhoods ranging from early-twentieth-century homes to newer golf-course subdivisions. The city maintains an extensive park system and is close to Cape Girardeau, which provides two large hospitals, Southeast Missouri State University, and regional retail.
The district context matters for families considering Jackson Middle. In 2022 voters approved a bond issue that funded a new elementary school, which opened for the 2024-2025 school year, plus safety upgrades and renovations across the district. That same bond also supported a new Innovation Center at Jackson Senior High with robotics, engineering, and computer science labs. The district adopted a five-year strategic plan in 2025 focusing on academic achievement, social-emotional learning, facilities, and workforce development. The property tax rate was set slightly lower for 2024 and has been stable, which provides some predictability for homeowners.
Because the school does not serve high school grades, there is no chronic absenteeism data or discipline records in the public data, and staffing and course access information was not available. The missing fields are typical for a middle-level school that does not report the same breadth of indicators as a high school, but families who want specifics on class sizes, teacher experience, or enrichment offerings should ask the school directly. The housing market in Jackson reflects the area’s steady growth; home values have risen moderately, and the overall affordability relative to national benchmarks is a point to research in the context of the stable tax rate.
What this school offers is a contained, two-grade setting with proficiency results that sit near the top of the county. The peer environment is majority white and includes a meaningful number of students from lower-income households. The district is investing in facilities and has a strategic plan that extends through 2030. For a family looking at fifth and sixth grade in a growing small city with a strong sense of local identity, Jackson Middle provides a solid academic floor and a clear feeder path into the district’s secondary schools.
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