schoolsbycounty

Jackson County Schools & Education

School Score

13/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Lower Signal

Graduation Rate

82.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

82.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 93.3%

Per-Pupil Spending

$5,899

National avg $13,239

State avg $6,215

School Score

13/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 47/100

State Score Position

#95

of 95 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Jackson County

Measured School Summary

Jackson County faces educational challenges with a school score of 13/100 and a graduation rate of 82.0%, falling below typical benchmarks.

Funding Context

At $5,899 per pupil, Jackson County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 72% below the Tennessee average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 11.3 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 5% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Jackson County before comparing districts

County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.

Local context that changes the interpretation

4 public schools and 1 district are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.

Overall screen

13/100

Lower measured signal. Ranks #95 of 95 Tennessee counties with school score data.

Completion

82.0%

11.3 pts below the state average

Funding context

$5,899

$316 below the state average

School coverage

4

1 district represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Jackson County has 4 public schools across 1 district, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.

Verify local rules

Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.

Parent decision brief

What Jackson County school data means before you move

County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.

Small-system county

Jackson County has a compact public-school footprint. A single school change, boundary rule, or district update can move the lived experience more than the county score suggests.

State position

#95

of 95 Tennessee counties with school score data. The county score is 34 points below the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.

K-12 continuity check

These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.

Jackson County

Elementary to high school visible

1,463 students

Elementary 2Middle 1High 1Other 0

4 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Jackson County is the largest listed district slice, with 4 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.

What the data cannot tell you

NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.

Questions to ask before choosing an address

Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Jackson County?

Which attendance zones, transfer rules, and transportation policies apply inside the local district?

What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?

If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?

Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?

Education Overview

About Schools in Jackson County, Tennessee

This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.

An Essential Public School Foundation

Jackson County provides education to 1,463 students across 4 public schools. The infrastructure includes two elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school, all under a single district. This streamlined system serves the entire county with a focused, community-based approach.

Traditional Education in Jackson County

The Jackson County school district manages 100% of the public enrollment, with no charter schools operating in the area. This single-district model simplifies the educational landscape for the 1,463 students calling the county home. Local administrators focus on these four core campuses to deliver essential services to the community.

Small Rural Schools and Tight Communities

All schools in Jackson County are classified as rural, with an average school size of 366 students. Jackson County Middle School is the largest with 438 students, while Dodson Branch Elementary is the smallest with 281 students. The rural locale ensures that every school serves as a central hub for its surrounding neighborhood.

School Overview

Total Schools

4

in Jackson County

Reported Enrollment

1,463

4 schools reporting

School Districts

1

district

Charter Schools

0

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary2
Middle1
High1
Other0

1 School District in Jackson County

Jackson County

4 schools
1,463 students enrolled

4 Public Schools in Jackson County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Every NCES public school remains listed here; no school-level profile pages are included in the current generated coverage for this county.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Level

Showing 4 of 4 matching schools

Jackson County Middle School

Jackson County

Gainesboro, 38562 / Rural: Remote

Record4–8Middle438 students

Jackson County High School

Jackson County

Gainesboro, 38562 / Rural: Remote

Record9–12High403 students

Gainesboro Elementary

Jackson County

Gainesboro, 38562 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–3Primary341 students

Dodson Branch Elementary

Jackson County

Cookeville, 38501 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–8Primary281 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$5,899

State avg $6,215

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Jackson County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which Tennessee counties have the highest graduation rates?
Morgan County (99.0%), Henry County (98.0%), and Benton County (97.0%) currently lead Tennessee among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.
What is per-pupil spending like in Tennessee?
Across Tennessee counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $6,215. The highest current county values are Davidson County ($7,324), Williamson County ($7,061), and Benton County ($7,058). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.
How should I read the school score in Jackson County?
Jackson County has a school score of 13/100, which is a lower measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.
What is the graduation rate in Jackson County?
The high school graduation rate in Jackson County is 82.0%, which is below the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.
How much does Jackson County spend per student?
Jackson County spends $5,899 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Jackson County, Tennessee — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Jackson County, Tennessee?

Jackson County provides education to 1,463 students across 4 public schools. The infrastructure includes two elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school, all under a single district. This streamlined system serves the entire county with a focused, community-based approach.

What are the major school districts in Jackson County, Tennessee?

The Jackson County school district manages 100% of the public enrollment, with no charter schools operating in the area. This single-district model simplifies the educational landscape for the 1,463 students calling the county home. Local administrators focus on these four core campuses to deliver essential services to the community.

What is the school experience like in Jackson County?

All schools in Jackson County are classified as rural, with an average school size of 366 students. Jackson County Middle School is the largest with 438 students, while Dodson Branch Elementary is the smallest with 281 students. The rural locale ensures that every school serves as a central hub for its surrounding neighborhood.

Counties with Similar School Profile

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.