Best Public Schools in Clinton, TN

Clinton, Tennessee is served by 9 schools across two districts—Clinton City Schools and Anderson County Schools—spanning elementary through high school, including an alternative 6–12 academy, with roughly 4,097 students combined. The biggest takeaway is that the two districts serving the same city perform very differently: Clinton City Schools ranks 77th percentile statewide (4 stars), while Anderson County Schools ranks 47th percentile (2 stars). The city’s elementary schools are its strongest asset, led by South Clinton Elementary (78th percentile) and Grand Oaks Elementary (77th percentile), both 4-star schools that exceed state averages in math, ELA, science, and social studies. Clinton Elementary is also solid, with the lowest chronic absenteeism in the city at 10.2%. On the other end, Dutch Valley Elementary ranks at just the 21st percentile despite spending the most per student among regular schools, while North Clinton Elementary saw a sharp drop after chronic absenteeism reached 25.2%.

At the secondary level, the picture is more mixed. Clinton High School is the highest-ranked high school in the city (64th percentile) and posts strong scores in Biology, US History, and Geometry, but its graduation rate is 87.4% with a 7.8% dropout rate. Anderson County High School has a slightly lower state rank (54th percentile) but dramatically better completion outcomes: a 96.3% graduation rate and just a 2.0% dropout rate. Clinton Middle School struggles with on-grade-level proficiency, especially 8th grade math at only 14.9% versus the state’s 38.3%, though its accelerated Algebra I students are thriving at 75.9% proficient.

Spending alone does not predict success: Dutch Valley Elementary spends $16,346 per student yet has the lowest test scores in the city, while Clinton Elementary spends $12,097 and performs well. Anderson County Innovation Academy is a small alternative school with just 32 students and spending over $32,000 per pupil, but its proficiency remains low, so its results should be interpreted cautiously. Chronic absenteeism is a consistent red flag: the strongest elementary schools have rates around 10–13%, while the weakest performers have rates above 16%. Overall, Clinton’s elementary schools outshine its middle and high schools, suggesting the middle-school transition is where academic challenges become most visible for families to watch.