The top reported proficiency rate is 20% in Social studies. The lowest is 9% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Jackson Career Technology Magnet Elementary
Jackson Career Technology Magnet Elementary is a regular public school in Jackson, Tennessee, serving grades four through eight. It is part of the Madison County school district. The school’s enrollment is in the mid-range for an upper-elementary and middle-grade campus in this area, and the student body is overwhelmingly composed of Black students, with small numbers of white, two-or-more-races, and Hispanic students. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, receive special education services, or are English learners was not available, so a family looking at this school will want to ask the school directly about the level and nature of its student support services.
Jackson itself is a mid-sized city that functions as the regional hub for West Tennessee. Healthcare is the largest industry, followed by a diversified manufacturing base that includes automotive parts, food processing, and power tools. The city is home to six colleges and universities and sits roughly halfway between Nashville and Memphis along Interstate 40. Its population has grown modestly since the last census, and the housing market here is less expensive than the state and national averages. A typical home value in the school’s immediate zip code is below the Tennessee benchmark, and estimated rents are also below that mark. The city’s downtown retains a traditional square layout with civic anchors like the Carl Perkins Civic Center, but the overall built environment is auto-oriented, with commerce concentrated along major corridors and near interstate exits.
On state testing, Jackson Career Technology Magnet Elementary’s results are low relative to state averages. In math, a modest share of students scored at the proficient or above level. The same was true for English language arts, where a similarly modest share of students demonstrated proficiency. In science, proficiency was also low. The highest result came in social studies, where roughly one in five students was proficient, but that still places the school well below state norms. The pattern holds across all tested subjects and grades at this school. Because this is a single school with only one year of testing data in the available record, and no multi-year trend information is present, it is not possible to say whether these results represent a stable condition or a recent change. A parent should discuss academic supports and curriculum with the school directly, as the testing picture raises clear questions about the depth of the academic experience for most students.
The school is a regular public school, not a charter, and while it carries the magnet designation in its name, the available data does not indicate a formal magnet status for the school in the records. No specific program offerings, course access information, or career pathway details were provided. The school serves a grade band that does not produce a graduation rate, so that metric is not applicable here. Chronic absenteeism data was also not available to include in this account. The district brief turned up no recent parent-relevant changes to the Jackson-Madison County School System, so this narrative cannot speak to any recent shifts in boundaries, programs, or policies.
For a family considering this school, the central factor to weigh is the low level of academic proficiency across every tested subject. The school is located in a regional city with a stable housing market and a diversified economy, and it serves a student population that is nearly all Black. The school’s grade span of fourth through eighth means it acts as both an upper-elementary and middle school, which can offer continuity for students across several years. Without data on special education services, English learner supports, or the school’s formal program offerings, a parent will need to visit and ask detailed questions about how the school addresses the academic needs reflected in the testing results and what its magnet or career technology theme actually provides in practice.
See more original research from School Decision →