The top reported proficiency rate is 48% in Science. The lowest is 30% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Surgoinsville Middle School
Surgoinsville Middle School serves grades five through eight in the small, rural town of Surgoinsville, Tennessee, in Hawkins County. The town sits along the Holston River and is part of the Tri-Cities metropolitan area. Its character is residential and auto-oriented, with a modest commercial corridor along Main Street. The Phipps Bend Industrial Park, a major employment center, lies just outside town. Population has grown modestly in recent years, and a significant infrastructure milestone was the completion of a public sewer system, which had been absent for much of the town's history and was seen as necessary for further development.
The school itself is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet. Its enrollment is on the smaller side for a middle school, drawing from the local area. The student body is predominantly white, with a small Hispanic minority and very small numbers of students from other racial backgrounds. Data on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, on students with disabilities, and on English learners was not available in the source material, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about these support populations.
On state assessments, the school posted a mixed picture. In math, about three in ten students scored at the proficient level or above. In English language arts, the figure was slightly higher, at close to four in ten. Science performance was stronger, with just under half of students reaching proficiency. Social studies results were similar. When compared to the other districts in Hawkins County, the school's overall proficiency across tested subjects was in the top quartile, a marker of academic standing relative to its local peers. However, this comparison includes just two districts in the county, so the spread is narrow. The absolute proficiency rates, particularly in math and reading, are below what many families would consider high, and a parent may want to investigate further what academic support and enrichment the school provides for students who are below grade level.
The school participates in Tennessee's standardized testing program, and participation rates were very high across all subjects, meaning the results reflect nearly all enrolled students. There was no data available on chronic absenteeism or discipline rates, which are useful indicators of school climate. The school's grade span ends at eighth grade, so there is no graduation rate to report, as that metric applies to high schools.
The community context is rural. The town lacks a highly walkable downtown and has limited public transit and cultural venues, though the Bellamy Store serves as a bluegrass concert venue and the town holds an annual riverfront festival. Students from Surgoinsville Middle School typically go on to attend Volunteer High School in nearby Church Hill, which is part of the same Hawkins County district. A campus of Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology is located in the Phipps Bend Industrial Park, offering postsecondary technical training nearby.
Housing in the area is notably more affordable than state and national benchmarks, a characteristic that may appeal to families seeking lower-cost homeownership. The estimated monthly mortgage payment on a typical home is modest, and rents represent a relatively small share of median income. Housing values have seen moderate year-over-year appreciation, but the market remains within reach for many households compared to larger metropolitan areas in Tennessee.
For a family considering Surgoinsville Middle School, the key considerations are a small, rural setting with a largely homogenous student body, middle-of-the-road to below-average state test scores with a relative strength in science, and a school that sits within a small county district with limited comparison points. The academic data suggests room for growth, particularly in math and reading, and the school's position in the top quartile of its very small county peer group should be read in that context. The town offers affordable housing, a modest pace of growth, and proximity to industrial employment, but limited amenities and infrastructure common to rural communities.
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