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Clay County Schools

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At a glance

121^stof 141 Tennessee districts▲ 11

Better than 14% of Tennessee districts

Elementary 2 High 2Grades PK, KG-12

520 South Brown Street
Celina, TN 38551·(931) 243-3141·All Tennessee district rankings →

Statewide performance 2018–2026

2026: better than 14.2% of districts

Schools

1,070

Students

Top rankedClay County High School147^th of 400 Tennessee high schools

▲

Biggest riser

Clay County High School up 76 spots statewide this year

Compare Tennessee districts →See the top-ranked Tennessee schools →

Summary:

Clay County Schools is a small rural Tennessee district serving about 1,054 students across three schools covering pre-kindergarten through 12th grade in the Celina area, ranking 121st out of 141 Tennessee districts (14th percentile) with a 1-star rating that places overall performance well below state averages. The district includes Celina K-8 School (PK–8, 528 students), Clay County High School (9–12, 311 students), and Hermitage Springs Elementary School (PK–8, 215 students), with no standalone middle school.

Clay County High School is the clear standout, ranked 147th of 400 Tennessee high schools (63rd percentile, 3 stars), a strong improvement from the 43rd percentile in 2024–2025 and the only school in the district above the 50th percentile. It posts a 95.3% graduation rate and exceeds state averages in Biology I (56.4% vs. 49.8%) and Geometry (48.7% vs. 42.3%), though Algebra I and English I remain weak. Celina K-8 School is the steady district leader, ranked 661st of 1019 elementary/middle schools (35th percentile, 2 stars), outperforming the district in every subject area. Hermitage Springs Elementary School, ranked 797th of 1019 (22nd percentile, 1 star), has the lowest overall scores but shows exceptional 3rd-grade proficiency (73.3% in ELA vs. 44.9% statewide) that collapses by 4th grade.

Two patterns stand out. First, spending does not predict performance: Hermitage Springs Elementary School spends the most per student ($15,007) yet has the lowest test scores, while Clay County High School spends the least ($12,945) and is the highest ranked. Second, absenteeism does not align with outcomes: Hermitage Springs has the lowest chronic absenteeism (11.9%) but lowest performance, while the high school has the highest (18.9%) yet outperforms the district. All subject proficiency rates at the K-8 schools remain below state averages, reflecting systemic challenges, though the high school's upward trend offers a promising exception. Data gaps on free/reduced lunch and student-to-teacher ratios limit deeper analysis.

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				TNReady Mathematics (2026)							TNReady English Language Arts (2026)							TNReady Algebra I (2026)		TNReady Algebra II (2026)		TNReady Biology I (2026)		TNReady English I (2026)		TNReady English II (2026)		TNReady Geometry (2026)		TNReady Science (2026)							TNReady Social Studies (2026)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	TNReady Mathematics 3rd Grade	TNReady Mathematics 4th Grade	TNReady Mathematics 5th Grade	TNReady Mathematics 6th Grade	TNReady Mathematics 7th Grade	TNReady Mathematics 8th Grade	TNReady Mathematics All Grades	TNReady English Language Arts 3rd Grade	TNReady English Language Arts 4th Grade	TNReady English Language Arts 5th Grade	TNReady English Language Arts 6th Grade	TNReady English Language Arts 7th Grade	TNReady English Language Arts 8th Grade	TNReady English Language Arts All Grades	TNReady Algebra I 9th Grade	TNReady Algebra I All Grades	TNReady Algebra II 11th Grade	TNReady Algebra II All Grades	TNReady Biology I 10th Grade	TNReady Biology I All Grades	TNReady English I 9th Grade	TNReady English I All Grades	TNReady English II 10th Grade	TNReady English II All Grades	TNReady Geometry 10th Grade	TNReady Geometry All Grades	TNReady Science 3rd Grade	TNReady Science 4th Grade	TNReady Science 5th Grade	TNReady Science 6th Grade	TNReady Science 7th Grade	TNReady Science 8th Grade	TNReady Science All Grades	TNReady Social Studies 6th Grade	TNReady Social Studies 7th Grade	TNReady Social Studies 8th Grade	TNReady Social Studies All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Celina K-8 School	Public	PK, KG-8	1324 Mitchell Street	Celina	38551	Clay County	Clay County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(931) 243-2391	558	35	15.8		506 (90.7%)	8 (1.4%)	22 (3.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	21 (3.8%)	37.9	661^st of 1019 public elementary schools	35.1%		36.5	656^th of 1009 public elementary schools	35.0%	5	30.4	34.7	19.6	38.5	33.8	32.8	31.6	37.5	49.0	28.3	46.2	27.7	17.2	33.2													37.5	36.7	34.8	43.6	43.1	27.6	37.1	43.6	52.3	34.5	43.8	$13,127	$1,345	$10,947
Hermitage Springs Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	17580 Clay County Highway	Red Boiling Springs	37150	Macon County	Clay County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(615) 699-2414	201	18	11.3		176 (87.6%)	1 (0.5%)	22 (10.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.0%)	25.4	797^th of 1019 public elementary schools	21.8%		23.3	813^th of 1009 public elementary schools	19.4%	16	53.3	30.4	30.0	9.5	23.5	5.3	24.3	73.3	8.7	25.0	14.3	23.5	10.5	23.5													73.3	8.7	25.0	19.0	29.4	10.5	25.2	23.8	17.6	5.3	15.8	$15,007	$1,395	$12,693
Clay County Adult High School	Public	9-12	520 Brown Street	Celina	38551	Clay County	Clay County Schools	No	No	No	No	(931) 243-3310	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Clay County High School	Public	9-12	860 Clay County Highway	Celina	38551	Clay County	Clay County Schools	No	No	No	No	(931) 243-2340	311	24	13.1		277 (89.1%)	4 (1.3%)	14 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.2%)	56.6	147^th of 400 public high schools	63.3%		39.7	223^rd of 389 public high schools	42.7%	76															27.4	26.7	31.1	30.6	57.1	56.4	20.8	20.8	49.4	48.8	48.7	48.7												$12,945	$657	$11,615

Districts nearby

District	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Overton County Schools	9.88 mi	7	85^th
Jackson County Schools	13.47 mi	4	73^rd
Macon County Schools	18.53 mi	8	77^th
Pickett County Schools	20.85 mi	2	114^th
Putnam County Schools	23.83 mi	22	56^th

See the top TN Tennessee districts

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Tennessee Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.