Summary:
Rickman, Tennessee is served by a single public school, Rickman Elementary School, a Pre-K through 8th grade school with 707 students within the Overton County Schools district. This makes Rickman a small, tightly-knit community served by one PK-8 school that covers both elementary and middle school years, with no standalone high school located directly in the city.
Despite being the only school in town, Rickman Elementary stands out for several positive reasons. It outperforms its district in every tested subject — math, English language arts, science, and social studies — with particularly strong results in science (50.6% proficient) and social studies (54.3% proficient), both of which also exceed state averages. The school's chronic absenteeism rate of just 8.7% is remarkable, less than half the district rate (17.8%) and state rate (18.3%), indicating strong daily attendance. In state rankings, Rickman Elementary currently sits at the 62nd percentile statewide with a 3-star rating, remaining above the median despite recent declines.
However, there are warning signs parents should watch. All subjects declined year over year, led by math, which dropped 8.2 percentage points to 40.4% — now below the state average of 43.0%. Math is especially concerning in 3rd, 6th, and 8th grades, with 8th grade math at just 31.2% proficiency compared to the district's 42.7%. Middle-grades English language arts also weakens, with 7th and 8th grade ELA below state averages. The school's state ranking has slipped from the 73rd percentile in 2023–2024 to the 62nd percentile, and its star rating fell from 4 to 3 stars. Overall, Rickman Elementary offers a solid foundation with strong attendance and district-leading academics, but recent trends in math and upper-grade instruction deserve attention.
Thank you for your feedback!