Giles County Schools

Giles County Schools in Tennessee serves 3,595 students across 8 schools, including five elementary schools (some covering PK-8), one middle school, and two high schools, in a district ranked 90th out of 141 Tennessee districts with a 2-star rating. The district trails the state in every core subject, but there are clear standouts. Richland School is the academic leader, ranked in the 66th percentile among high schools and posting strong Algebra II, Biology, Science, and Social Studies scores, though its graduation rate of 88.6% is below the district’s 93.5%. Richland Elementary is also strong, beating the state in both math and ELA, while Minor Hill School excels in middle-grade math despite a sharp ranking drop. Meanwhile, Giles County High School has the district’s best graduation rate (96.0%) but very low test scores, especially in Algebra I and US History.

At the lower end, Elkton Elementary shows serious struggles in 7th and 8th grade math (8.7% and 13.6% proficient) and high chronic absenteeism at 15.9%. Bridgeforth Middle School also shows weak middle-grade math, with just 22.7% of 7th graders proficient. Southside Elementary has the best attendance in the district at 9.5% chronic absenteeism and a strong 5th grade science showing, but overall math and ELA sit near district averages. Pulaski Elementary has no ranking or test data because it only serves grades PK-2.

Several patterns stand out. Higher spending does not guarantee better results: Minor Hill School spends the most per student ($18,328) yet lost 26 percentile points since 2023-24, while Richland Elementary performs well on about $11,874 per student. Chronic absenteeism tracks closely with low achievement, as seen at Giles County High School (23.4% absenteeism, lowest rankings). Science is a relative bright spot, with strong Biology I results at both high schools and isolated elementary science wins, suggesting that targeted support in math and ELA—especially in the middle grades—could lift the entire district.