Elementary Schools in Wayne County Schools

Wayne County Schools, located in rural southern Tennessee, serves two elementary schools: Waynesboro Elementary School, with 407 students in grades PK–4, and Collinwood Elementary School, with 349 students in grades PK–4. The district itself is currently ranked 111 out of 141 districts in Tennessee with a 1-star rating, indicating that it is performing well below state averages overall. However, a closer look at the two schools reveals drastically different stories.

Collinwood Elementary School is the clear standout, earning a 3-star rating and ranking 491 out of 1,019 elementary schools in Tennessee. It has shown impressive upward momentum, climbing from 664 the previous year, and now outperforms the district average by wide margins: 51.8% of its students are proficient in English Language Arts, compared to 29.9% districtwide, while 36.8% are proficient in math and 45.6% in science. Waynesboro Elementary School, by contrast, holds a 1-star rating and ranks 836 out of 1,019 statewide. Its math proficiency sits at just 22.5%, and its science scores actually declined by one point year-over-year. While Waynesboro does exceed the district average in English Language Arts (32.4% vs. 29.9%), it remains well behind Collinwood in every subject and grade level tested.

Both schools fare better than the state average when it comes to chronic absenteeism, with rates of 13.7% at Waynesboro and 14.3% at Collinwood, compared to 18.3% statewide. Collinwood also spends more per student ($15,740 vs. $14,382), and that additional investment coincides with stronger results. Perhaps the most telling grade-level comparison is in 3rd grade math, where only 12.7% of Waynesboro students are proficient versus 33.3% at Collinwood. Overall, Collinwood Elementary School is a bright spot in an underperforming district, demonstrating that high achievement is possible in this area. Waynesboro Elementary School, on the other hand, has seen almost no movement in its ranking over the past three years and remains a significant concern.