Summary:
The city of Dickson, Tennessee, is served by 7 schools in the Dickson County Schools district (ranked 54th of 141 Tennessee districts), together enrolling about 3,573 students across grades PK-12. The district's standout schools are Dickson County High School, which ranks in the 74th percentile (4 stars) and posts a 94.3% graduation rate, and Centennial Elementary School, also a 4-star school ranking in the 74th percentile that beats the district and state in math, ELA, and science. The Discovery School is another strong elementary option with the district's best ELA proficiency (61.9%) and the lowest chronic absenteeism (8.9%), though its ranking slipped recently from the 82nd to 72nd percentile.
Dickson Middle School offers an exceptional accelerated math program, with 95% of 8th graders proficient in Algebra I, but its overall grade-level math (36.9%) and ELA (35.0%) proficiency lag district and state averages — a reminder that strong advanced-track results can hide broader struggles. Per-student spending varies dramatically across the district, from about $5,662 at the Dickson County Distance Learning Academy to $16,716 at Dickson Elementary School, yet higher spending does not predict better outcomes; Dickson Elementary ranks lowest among ranked schools while spending the most, and Centennial spends less and performs better.
The lower-performing elementary schools are Oakmont Elementary School and Dickson Elementary, both scoring below district averages in ELA and science. Dickson County High School also shows concerning Algebra I proficiency (18.7%), even as its 10th-grade Algebra II students post 87% proficiency. All traditional schools keep chronic absenteeism below the state average of 18.3%. Overall, the city offers solid above-average schools with a few clear bright spots, but families should look carefully at grade-level math and elementary science outcomes when choosing a school.
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