Jackson Stem Magnet, Jackson SC - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Jackson Stem Magnet

Jackson STEM Magnet in Aiken County is a regular public middle school serving students in sixth through eighth grade. It operates within the Aiken 01 school district and is located in the small town of Jackson. The school’s name carries a STEM magnet designation, though the available data does not detail what specialized programming or admissions criteria that label entails.

The town of Jackson is a mainly residential small community with a quiet character, described by local officials as a safe haven that feels removed from larger cities while still being within reach of Aiken and Augusta. Major employment for residents comes from outside the town, including the Savannah River Site and Kimberly Clark. The town’s population has declined in recent decades, and housing values are relatively affordable compared to neighboring areas. Civic anchors include a public library, a community bus program, and proximity to parks and state recreation sites. The school itself draws from a broader regional attendance zone that includes Redcliffe Elementary and Silver Bluff High School, so the student body includes children from Jackson and surrounding rural areas.

The student body is diverse in its racial and ethnic composition. A substantial share of students are white, and a similarly sized group are Black or African American. Smaller shares of students identify as Hispanic, as two or more races, or as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander. Every student at the school qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a figure that reflects the economic profile of the community rather than necessarily indicating a targeted program at the school.

On state assessments, the school’s results show a clear split by subject. In English language arts, proficiency rates across all three grade levels sit around the midpoint, ranging from a modest share of students meeting the bar in seventh grade to just over half in sixth and eighth grades. In math, the picture is notably weaker. Proficiency rates are low across grades six, seven, and eight, with the highest single grade still below a quarter of students achieving proficiency. In science, roughly two out of five sixth graders met the proficiency standard. A social studies score from several years ago, before a change in the state assessment, showed a much higher proficiency rate, but that test used different cut scores and a different assessment, so direct comparison is not reliable. A parent looking at the school’s academic profile would see a meaningful gap between performance in literacy and performance in mathematics, and may want to ask the school about math instruction and support.

The school does not have a reported graduation rate because it serves only middle school grades. No data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, staffing, or course access were available. Information on English learner and special education populations was also missing from the data.

The district itself is undergoing significant changes. In late 2024, voters approved a large school bond referendum that will fund a new high school, a replacement middle school, renovations, safety upgrades, and bus replacements, increasing property taxes for homeowners. The school board has also approved an elementary redistricting plan for the North Augusta area that takes effect in the 2025-26 school year, and has discussed potential school closures and consolidations affecting the southern part of the district, including communities near Jackson. A new district-wide literacy curriculum based on the science of reading has been implemented at the elementary level.

Because the neighbor comparison data included only one other school within the county’s district-level comparison set, no meaningful comparative placement could be drawn. The school’s academic results stand on their own, and a family considering Jackson STEM Magnet should visit and ask about how the school addresses the math proficiency gap, what its STEM magnet designation actually offers, and how the district’s facilities plans might affect the school’s attendance zone or future.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 617%

School 17% · District 25% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 717%

School 17% · District 20% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

Grade 825%

School 25% · District 22% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▼ 1 pts below state median · ▲ 5 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 652%

School 52% · District 52%

▼ 1 pts below state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

Grade 740%

School 40% · District 52% · ▼ 11 pts below district

▼ 16 pts below state median · ▼ 16 pts below county median

Grade 853%

School 53% · District 53%

even with state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

Science

Grade 640%

School 40% · District 43% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 769%

School 69% · District 66% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▲ 5 pts above state median · even with county median

This schoolAiken 01, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 6Lower-income45%Higher-income67%22 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income38%Higher-income43%5 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income47%Higher-income68%21 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income13%Higher-income27%14 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income12%Higher-income25%13 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income20%Higher-income38%18 pp gap