Arlington Community Schools

Arlington Community Schools, a Tennessee district serving the Memphis-area town of Arlington, enrolls 4,403 students across 4 schools: two PK-5 elementary schools, one 6-8 middle school, and one 9-12 high school. The district is ranked #2 out of 141 Tennessee districts (5 stars), and all four of its schools—Arlington High School, Arlington Middle School, Arlington Elementary School, and Donelson Elementary School—rank in the top 11% or better statewide. It is a high-performing district with exceptional test scores, attendance, and graduation outcomes.

Donelson Elementary School is the district's standout, ranking #9 among 1,019 Tennessee elementary schools with elite proficiency rates: 87.7% in math, 82.6% in ELA, and 84.5% in science—roughly 38 points above the state average in science. It also spends the most per student ($15,080) and has climbed steadily from #29 to #9 over three years. Arlington Elementary School is close behind at #43 statewide, posting 80.5% ELA and 79.1% math proficiency. Arlington Middle School ranks #44 of 594 and shines in accelerated math, with 94.8% of students proficient in Algebra I versus 32.3% statewide. Arlington High School, while the district's lowest-ranked school at #44 of 400 (4 stars), has a 94.9% graduation rate, a 2.1% dropout rate (about one-third the state rate), and only 8.2% chronic absenteeism.

The most notable watchpoint is a "middle school slide": elementary proficiency in math and ELA ranges from 79-88%, but Arlington Middle School's general math (62.7%) and ELA (54.4%) are noticeably lower, even though both remain well above state averages. The high school's moderate Algebra I score (35.1%) is actually a sign of strength, since many advanced students take Algebra I in middle school; Arlington High School excels in Geometry (55.1%), Biology I (71.0%), and English II (75.6%). Per-student spending varies by about $2,200 across schools, but the entire district is elite, with chronic absenteeism roughly one-third the state average. For parents, Arlington Community Schools offers a top-tier education with particular strengths at the elementary level and excellent preparation for graduation and beyond.