Best Public Schools in Covington, TN

Schools in Covington, Tennessee, include six schools in the Tipton County Schools district serving approximately 2,900 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, with performance ranging from top-quartile elementary achievement to bottom-decile rankings. The clear standout is Austin Peay Elementary School, which ranks in the 77th percentile statewide (4 stars) after jumping from 718th to 239th in just two years. It posts the highest proficiency in every subject—62.5% in math, 52.6% in ELA, and 54.8% in science—and has the highest per-student spending at $14,568. In contrast, Covington Elementary School ranks in the 11th percentile with just 19.0% math proficiency, creating a 43.5-point gap between two similar elementary schools in the same city. Charger Academy falls in between, while Covington Middle School shows gradual improvement but remains near the 30th percentile.

Covington High School graduates 98.1% of students—well above state and district averages—but standardized test scores are 10–25 points below statewide levels, including a 5.6% proficiency rate in Algebra I. Advanced-track students fare much better, such as 10th graders in Algebra II matching the state average at 63.6%. The Tipton County Alternative Learning Center faces the most severe challenges, with 38.4% chronic absenteeism and proficiency rates in the single digits for most subjects. Across the city, chronic absenteeism is elevated—every school except Covington Elementary meets or exceeds the district's 14.0% rate. Spending does not explain the differences; Covington Middle spends the least ($11,905) yet outperforms Covington High and Covington Elementary, while Austin Peay spends the most and gets the best results.

One of the most telling patterns is that proficiency declines from 3rd to 5th grade across all elementary schools, and Covington Middle's overall Algebra I score looks decent only because the district high school scores drag down comparisons—8th graders at Covington Middle actually trail district and state peers by roughly 40–50 points. For parents, the message is that school-level choices matter enormously in Covington. Austin Peay proves rapid, dramatic improvement is possible within Tipton County Schools, while the high school's strong graduation rate may mask gaps in college or career readiness. Families should look closely at individual school performance, grade-level trends, and chronic absenteeism when making decisions.