Best Public Schools in Ridgely, TN

Ridgely, Tennessee is served by a single school, Lara Kendall Elementary School, a middle school serving grades 3 through 8 with 326 students in the Lake County Schools district. Despite its name, this is the only school in Ridgely, and its test scores are identical to the district's in every subject and year, making the district and school effectively one and the same. The district ranks 138 out of 141 in Tennessee (2nd percentile, 0 stars), and the school itself has consistently ranked in the bottom quarter of the state, earning 1 star each year. Per-pupil spending is $12,367, and chronic absenteeism is a bright spot at 10.8%—well below both the district's 15.6% and the state's 18.3%.

Academically, Lara Kendall Elementary falls far below state averages in every subject and grade. In 2025–26, proficiency rates were 17.6% in math (state 43.0%), 19.3% in English language arts (state 40.6%), 15.3% in science (state 46.9%), and 37.3% in social studies (state 51.4%). Social Studies is the school's strongest subject with the smallest gap, while science is the weakest, with a 31.6-point gap. The school did see meaningful improvement in math, jumping from 9.8% to 17.6% year over year, but science declined. Early grades are a relative bright spot: 3rd grade math (30.5%) and ELA (28.8%) are the highest at any grade, while 7th grade ELA is a serious concern at just 6.3% proficiency—the single lowest rate in the data set. No grade level meets the state average in any subject.

For parents, the key takeaway is that while attendance is solid and per-pupil spending is substantial, academic outcomes remain among the lowest in Tennessee. The school's name is misleading—it is classified as a middle school, so it is compared to middle schools statewide, not elementary schools. Learning gaps appear to widen as students progress from 3rd grade into the upper grades, and science is a consistent weakness at every grade level. The most urgent areas for intervention are science education, upper-grade math, and 7th grade ELA. However, the strong 3rd grade performance and the marked improvement in math suggest that progress is possible with targeted support, even if the school still has a long way to go.