Summary:
Cleveland City Schools is a Tennessee district serving 5,890 students across 9 schools in the Cleveland, Tennessee area — one high school, one middle school, and seven elementary/primary schools — and it ranks 123 out of 141 Tennessee districts (13th percentile, 1 star). The district overall is in the bottom tier of the state, but there is dramatic variation between schools that parents should consider carefully when choosing a school.
The clear academic leader is Candy's Creek Cherokee Elementary School, which ranks in the 70th percentile (4 stars) and posts math proficiency of 58.9%, ELA proficiency of 55.8%, and the district's lowest chronic absenteeism rate at 11.6%. E.L. Ross Elementary School is another strong option, with 52.2% math proficiency and a 54th percentile ranking. At the high school level, Cleveland High School graduates 92.7% of its students, above the state average of 90.5%, though its overall academic rank is just 2 stars (36th percentile), and its Algebra I proficiency sits at only 9% compared with 32.3% statewide.
At the other end of the spectrum, Arnold Memorial Elementary School (13th percentile), G.R. Stuart Elementary School (16th percentile), and Blythe-Bower Elementary School (19th percentile) are all 1-star schools with proficiency rates far below state averages. Notably, G.R. Stuart spends the most per student ($19,551) yet is among the lowest performers, while the top-performing Candy's Creek spends a mid-range $14,333. Chronic absenteeism is a districtwide concern at 24.2% versus the state's 18.3%, with Cleveland High School the most affected at 30.5%. For parents, the takeaway is clear: school choice within this district matters enormously, and looking beyond district averages to individual school performance is essential.
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