Summary:
The Hollow Rock - Bruceton Special School District is a small Tennessee district serving about 626 students in two schools: Central Elementary School and Central High School, which together span grades PK through 12. The district ranks 86th out of 141 Tennessee districts (39th percentile) with a 2-star rating, and spends $11,560 per student. Chronic absenteeism is a notable strength, with the district at 9.2% compared to the state's 18.3%. Central High School serves grades 6-12, meaning it functions as both a middle and high school.
The two schools present very different profiles. Central Elementary School is the clear academic leader, exceeding state proficiency rates in every tested subject - 48.8% in math versus 43.0% statewide, 47.5% in ELA versus 40.6%, and 53.7% in science versus 46.9%. Central High School lags in most core subjects, with math proficiency at 31.5%, but it posts impressive non-test outcomes, including a 97.5% graduation rate and 9.9% chronic absenteeism, both far better than state averages. The elementary school earned a 3-star rating, while the high school's rankings have remained in the 41st to 53rd percentile range over recent years.
A clear pattern of decline emerges in the middle grades. At Central High School, 6th grade math proficiency starts 11 points above the state average, but by 7th and 8th grade it falls to 16 and 14 points below. Even the strong elementary school has a weak spot in 5th grade, where both math and ELA dip below state averages. End-of-course results are uneven, with Biology I and English II near state averages, but English I at just 18.2% proficient. The high graduation rate suggests students persist, yet low proficiency in Algebra I and English I raises questions about college and career readiness. The district's biggest opportunity lies in smoothing the transition from elementary to middle grades.
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