Summary:
Mascot, Tennessee, is home to just one public school: East Knox Elementary School, a PK–5 school with 502 students within Knox County Schools. Because there are no middle or high schools in the city, East Knox defines Mascot's entire educational identity. The school has shown meaningful improvement, rising from the 19th percentile statewide in 2023–2024 to the 37th percentile in 2025–2026, and moving from a 1-star to a 2-star rating.
As the only school in town, East Knox's performance sets the baseline for the community. Science is its relative strength, with 42.9% proficiency in 2025–2026—just 4 points below the state average and the school's smallest gap in any subject. Math proficiency jumped 6.2 percentage points year over year to 35.8%, and math scores improve steadily from 3rd to 5th grade. However, 5th grade English Language Arts is a sharp weakness: only 32.6% of 5th graders are proficient, down sharply from 43.4% in 4th grade and more than 10 points below the state average. The school remains below district and state averages in every subject.
The most urgent challenge is chronic absenteeism. At 28.2%, East Knox's rate is nearly 10 points above the state average of 18.3% and well above the district's 19.4%. More than one in four students miss enough school to be considered chronically absent, which likely contributes to achievement gaps. Per-student spending is $16,544, a substantial figure, yet results remain below average—suggesting that funding alone isn't the answer. For parents, the picture is of an improving school with a strong science program, notable math gains in recent years, but persistent attendance concerns and a troubling 5th grade reading slump that deserve attention.
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