Summary:
Atwood, Tennessee, is served by a single school: West Carroll Junior/Senior High School, a public school in the West Carroll Special School District that enrolls 302 students in grades 7 through 12, with no separate elementary or middle school in the city. Because Atwood has just this one campus, the entire community's academic performance is represented by this combined junior/senior high school.
The school's most encouraging numbers are in student persistence: the graduation rate is 97.9% compared to the state's 90.5%, the dropout rate is just 2.1% versus 6.7% statewide, and chronic absenteeism is 12.8% versus 18.3% across Tennessee. Academic proficiency, however, is more mixed. Seventh grade stands out as a clear bright spot, with 66% of students proficient in Social Studies and 38.3% in ELA, both above state averages. English II proficiency was 56.3%, nearly matching the state's 58.1%. The biggest concerns are in foundational high school courses: Algebra I proficiency is a striking 11.5% versus 32.3% statewide, English I stands at 15.4% versus 37.3%, and Geometry is 20.4% versus 42.3%. Eighth grade also struggles, particularly in ELA at 18.2% versus the state's 32.3%.
The school's state ranking has slipped over three years, from 257th out of 392 schools (34th percentile, 2 stars) to 273rd out of 389 (30th percentile), and most recently to 300th out of 400 (25th percentile, 1 star). Biology I proficiency dropped sharply from 51.1% in 2024-2025 to 28.9% in 2025-2026, a decline of over 22 points. Per-pupil spending is a relatively high $15,563, and the district ranks 120th out of 141 Tennessee districts. The overall picture is a school where students are clearly staying in school and graduating, but many are not yet reaching proficiency in the math and English courses that matter most for college and career readiness.
Thank you for your feedback!