Summary:
Meigs County Schools in Decatur, Tennessee, is a small, rural district serving 1,797 students across four schools: one high school, one middle school, and two elementary schools. Despite the district ranking in the bottom 28% of Tennessee districts with a 1-star rating, individual school performance varies widely. Meigs County High School is the clear standout, earning a 3-star rating and ranking in the 63rd percentile. It boasts a 97.7% graduation rate versus the 90.5% state average, the lowest chronic absenteeism in the district at 8.2%, and improved in 6 of 7 subjects year-over-year. Its US History proficiency of 50.0% exceeds the state average of 42.4%, though Algebra I proficiency is just 19.7%.
Among the elementary schools, Meigs North Elementary is the stronger performer at the 42nd percentile (2 stars), while Meigs South Elementary trails at the 29th percentile (1 star). Meigs South has very low math proficiency at 25.7% overall and only 19.0% of 3rd graders proficient in math, compared to 42.6% statewide. Meigs North, however, matches the state exactly in science at 46.9% and posts strong 4th-grade results. Meigs Middle School shows mixed signals: 8th graders outperform the state in math (46.6% vs. 38.3%) and science, but 7th-grade science is very weak at 30.6% vs. 47.8% statewide. Chronic absenteeism is highest at Meigs Middle at 13.7%, and the school dropped from 3 stars to 2 stars in the latest ranking.
Math is a district-wide weakness, with nearly every school below state averages, though the high school demonstrates that improvement is possible. Interestingly, spending per student does not correlate with outcomes: Meigs South spends the most at $12,760 per student yet scores lowest, while Meigs Middle spends the least at $11,624 yet outperforms Meigs South in most categories. For parents, Meigs County Schools offers a high school that clearly excels, but elementary and middle schools present a more uneven picture, with math proficiency and middle school attendance as key areas to watch.
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