Elizabethton City Schools

The Elizabethton City Schools district serves 2,678 students at 5 schools in Elizabethton, Tennessee, spanning pre-kindergarten through 12th grade and including three elementary schools (East Side Elementary School, Harold McCormick Elementary School, and West Side Elementary School), one middle school (T A Dugger Junior High School), and one high school (Elizabethton High School). The district ranks 20th out of 141 Tennessee districts — the 86th percentile — and earns 4 stars, though individual schools range from the 92nd percentile down to the 58th percentile within their peer groups.

West Side Elementary School is the clear academic leader, ranking 82nd out of 1,019 elementary schools (92nd percentile, 5 stars) with proficiency rates of 67.7% in math, 71.0% in ELA, and 74.2% in science — roughly 25 points above the state in every subject. It also has the district's lowest chronic absenteeism at 12.6%. Elizabethton High School is also impressive, ranking 53rd out of 400 high schools and improving over three years; it posts a 95.5% graduation rate and exceeds state proficiency in every tested subject, led by English I (+20 points) and Algebra I (+18.8 points). T A Dugger Junior High School ranks 136th of 594 middle schools (77th percentile) and is an Algebra I powerhouse, with 93.1% of its 8th graders proficient. Meanwhile, East Side Elementary School ranks in the 63rd percentile and Harold McCormick Elementary School in the 58th percentile, both earning 3 stars.

The district's main concerns are chronic absenteeism, which runs well above the state average of 18.3% at four of five schools, with Elizabethton High School highest at 28.5% despite its strong outcomes. Third grade is also a district-wide weak spot, particularly at East Side Elementary School, where only 24% of 3rd graders are proficient in ELA — about 21 points below the state. Spending does not predict performance: Harold McCormick Elementary School spends the most per student ($14,522) but has the district's lowest elementary math proficiency, while West Side Elementary School spends less and outperforms everyone. Overall, this is a strong 4-star district, and lifting East Side and Harold McCormick closer to West Side's level — along with addressing absenteeism and early literacy — would make it even better.