Wilson County Schools

Wilson County Schools is a Tennessee district serving approximately 20,700 students across 25 schools—including 13 elementary, 4 middle, 6 high, and 2 alternative schools—and ranks 22nd out of 141 districts statewide. Overall, this is a strong, 4-star district, but performance varies widely between schools. Gladeville Middle School is the district’s top performer, ranking 19th in Tennessee with exceptional science and social studies proficiency, while Mt. Juliet High School and Green Hill High School are the strongest high schools—both ranking in the top 38 statewide. Among elementary schools, Lakeview Elementary School leads with the highest math and English language arts proficiency, while Wilson Central High School stands out in science and geometry despite lower Algebra I scores.

Graduation rates are excellent across the district, with all traditional high schools above 95%—well ahead of the state’s 90.5% average. Green Hill High School posts the highest graduation rate at 98.8%, while Lebanon High School has the lowest at 95.4% but still far exceeds state averages. Chronic absenteeism, however, is a growing concern at the high-school level: every comprehensive high school exceeds the district’s 15.1% rate, and Green Hill leads at 26.7%. Elementary schools are much healthier, with Springdale Elementary School reporting just 5.0% chronic absenteeism.

One of the most interesting findings is that high proficiency in advanced math can mask lower Algebra I scores—for instance, Watertown Middle School posts a 94.7% Algebra I proficiency rate, and several high schools show exceptional Algebra II results even when their Algebra I scores are modest. Spending per student also does not correlate with performance: West Wilson Middle School spends the least among traditional schools yet ranks 36th statewide, while alternative schools like Barry Tatum Academy spend far more but serve much higher-need populations. For parents, the clear message is that Wilson County Schools offers excellent options—especially in its middle schools and several elementary schools—but high-school absenteeism and uneven elementary performance are areas to watch.