The top reported proficiency rate is 36% in Social studies. The lowest is 29% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on West-bemis Middle School
West-Bemis Middle School is a regular public school in Jackson, Tennessee, serving grades six through eight as part of the Madison County school system. The school occupies a building on D Street in Jackson, a mid-sized city that functions as the regional trade, employment, and healthcare hub for West Tennessee. The city’s economy is anchored by healthcare, manufacturing, and its six colleges and universities, and it sits roughly halfway between Nashville and Memphis along Interstate 40.
The school enrolls a student body that reflects the broader Jackson area. White students make up a majority, with Black students forming the next largest group, followed by smaller shares of Hispanic students and students of two or more races, along with very small numbers of Asian and American Indian students. The school is neither a charter nor a magnet school. No information was available on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, nor on students served under Individualized Education Programs or English learner supports, so a parent would want to ask the school directly about those dimensions of student need and resource allocation.
On state assessments, West-Bemis Middle School’s proficiency rates across tested subjects fell below levels many families would hope for. In math, about three in ten students scored at or above the state’s proficiency bar. In English language arts, roughly three in ten did as well. Science and social studies proficiency rates were slightly higher, but still in a narrow range. The school achieved full participation on testing, but the overall pattern suggests that a majority of students are working below the state’s target for their grade level. A parent may want to ask what academic interventions and supports are in place and how the school tracks individual student growth over time. Because this is a middle school, there is no graduation rate to report, and the district did not have a sufficient number of other middle schools in the county to enable a direct comparison with peers.
The community context for West-Bemis is shaped by Jackson’s moderate growth and relatively affordable housing stock compared to national averages. The city has seen a modest population increase since the last census, and home values and rents in the school’s ZIP code are below state and national medians. Jackson’s downtown retains a traditional square layout with civic anchors like the Carl Perkins Civic Center, and major commercial corridors run along Highland Avenue and near the interstate exits. The city is auto-oriented overall, as is typical for places of its size and density. Healthcare and manufacturing are the largest employment sectors, and several colleges and universities are located within the city limits.
The district brief for Madison County did not surface any recent parent-relevant changes such as boundary shifts, program launches, or facility projects. That means the school’s current programming and operations are the main reference point for a family considering it. No data on discipline, staffing ratios, chronic absenteeism, or course access was available for this school, so those are open questions a parent would need to explore through a school visit or district report.
West-Bemis Middle School is a mid-sized, majority-white school in a regional city with a diversified economy and modest growth. Its state assessment results indicate that a substantial portion of students are not meeting grade-level benchmarks, which makes it important for a family to understand what remedial and enrichment offerings exist. The absence of data on special populations and student support programs means a parent should seek those details directly from the school to get a complete picture of the learning environment.
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