1994 Ford Escort jerks into 2nd gear. - 1994 Ford Escort

Make sure you're replacing your transmission oil about every 30,000 miles, or as directed in your owners manual service section.
If your gears are slipping, it could be as simple as low fluid or old fluid no longer providing the correct lubrication between your gears.
The issue could also be that your gears have worn down and the metal parts aren't fitting together correctly anymore. This will cause a jump in gear shifting and can only be remedied by rebuilding the shaved down gears in the transmission. Typically, this issue can be identified by pulling out your transmission dipstick and inspecting for evidence of small metal shavings in the fluid.

Good luck!