Middle Schools in Wayne County Schools

Wayne County Schools, a rural district in Tennessee, operates two middle schools — Waynesboro Middle School and Collinwood Middle School — both serving grades 5 through 8. The district ranks 111th out of 141 districts in Tennessee (21st percentile, 1 star), indicating below-average performance. Enrollment is modest at both schools, with 278 students at Waynesboro and 238 at Collinwood, but the two schools tell very different stories academically.

Collinwood Middle School is the clear standout in the district. It has earned 2 stars in each of the past three school years and ranks 371st out of 594 Tennessee middle schools for 2025–2026 (38th percentile), far ahead of its counterpart. Collinwood outperforms Waynesboro in every subject: 28.6% versus 13.2% in math, 32.3% versus 17.8% in ELA, 36.5% versus 31.0% in science, and 45.1% versus 33.8% in social studies. It also has a much healthier attendance profile, with a chronic absenteeism rate of 11.7% compared to Waynesboro's 19.0%, which exceeds the state average of 18.3%. Waynesboro Middle School, meanwhile, ranks 478th out of 594 (20th percentile), earning just 1 star and placing it in the bottom fifth of middle schools statewide.

There are some encouraging signs at both schools. Waynesboro Middle School improved its math proficiency from 10.9% to 13.2% and ELA from 14.7% to 17.8% year over year, and its 6th grade science proficiency of 48.0% matches the state average. Collinwood Middle School's 7th grade social studies proficiency of 59.6% exceeds the state average, and its all-grade social studies result of 45.1% approaches the state benchmark of 51.4%. Still, 8th grade math is a major weakness at both schools: only 8.7% of Waynesboro students and 19.1% of Collinwood students are proficient, far below the 38.3% state average. Parents should know that Collinwood Middle School is the stronger choice academically, while Waynesboro Middle School may need targeted support around attendance and upper-grade math.