Top Rankings
Polk County School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Tennessee for:
Category
Attribute
Student Attention
Lowest student:teacher ratio (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 3 public preschools serving 1,052 students in Polk County School District. This district's average pre testing ranking is 6/10, which is in the top 50% of public pre schools in Tennessee.
Public Preschools in Polk County School District have an average math proficiency score of 39% (versus the Tennessee public pre school average of 37%), and reading proficiency score of 37% (versus the 37% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 4% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the Tennessee public preschool average of 42% (majority Black).
Overview
This School District
This State (TN)
# Schools
7 Schools
890 Schools
# Students
2,131 Students
417,431 Students
# Teachers
159 Teachers
28,312 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
13:1
13:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Polk County School District, which is ranked within the top 50% of all 147 school districts in Tennessee (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 87% has decreased from 95% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#58 out of 147 school districts
(Top 50%)
(Top 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
(22-23)33%
34%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
36%
37%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
41%
40%
Graduation Rate
(22-23)87%
90%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.09
0.61
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
% Asian
1%
2%
% Hispanic
2%
14%
% Black
1%
21%
% White
95%
58%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
1%
5%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $11,594 in this school district is less than the state median of $11,979. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $11,043 is less than the state median of $11,478. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$25 MM
$12,104 MM
Spending
$24 MM
$11,597 MM
Revenue / Student
$11,594
$11,979
Spending / Student
$11,043
$11,478
Best Polk County School District Public Preschools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Benton Elementary School
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 40-44%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
215 Schoolhouse Hill Rd
Benton, TN 37307
(423) 299-0090
Benton, TN 37307
(423) 299-0090
Grades: PK-5
| 395 students
Rank: #22.
South Polk Elementary School
(Math: 35-39% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
964 Old Federal Rd
Old Fort, TN 37362
(423) 338-4512
Old Fort, TN 37362
(423) 338-4512
Grades: PK-5
| 341 students
Rank: #33.
Copper Basin Elementary School
(Math: 30-34% | Reading: 30-34%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
206 Cougar Dr
Copperhill, TN 37317
(423) 496-3271
Copperhill, TN 37317
(423) 496-3271
Grades: PK-6
| 316 students
Recent Articles
The Link Between Education and Incarceration: The NAACP Report
Education and the rate of incarceration have been linked in a recent NAACP report. Learn about the report and the troubling findings.
The Debate Over Mandatory AP Exams: Balancing Academic Rigor and Student Well-being
Some public schools are forcing students in AP courses to take the AP exam. Here's a look at both sides of the debate and the potential benefits in store for both students and high schools.
The 15 Biggest Failures of the American Public Education System
The world is in a constant state of change and those who fail to adjust fall behind. Unfortunately, the American public education system has not kept up with the times and is currently facing a number of serious problems. Keep reading to learn about the biggest failures affecting the modern U.S. public education system as well as some of the trends that could spark change.
