Summary
Friendship Elementary School is a small PK–5 school in Friendship, Tennessee, serving about 117 students as part of Crockett County Schools. The school has fallen to a 1-star rating for 2025–2026, ranking 901st out of 1,019 elementary schools statewide (12th percentile) — far below every nearby school with comparable ranking data.
Academic proficiency rates are dramatically below district and state averages. In 2025–2026, only 20.8% of students were proficient in math (district 45.9%, state 43.0%), 18.8% in English language arts (district 34.2%, state 40.6%), and 27.1% in science (district 47.5%, state 46.9%). Some grade levels are especially concerning: 4th grade math sits at just 10.5% proficient. The contrast with Maury City Elementary — only 5.8 miles away in the same district — is stark. Maury City posts 68.7% math proficiency, 54.2% ELA, and 59.0% science, despite spending less per student ($13,510 vs. $16,527).
Chronic absenteeism is a major red flag, climbing from 11.5% (2022–2023) to 18.9% (2024–2025), nearly double the district rate of 9.8% and above the state average. The school has also shown a sustained downward trajectory, dropping from the 54th percentile in 2020–2021 to the 12th percentile today — with math proficiency falling from 36.2% to 20.8% over two years. Although small enrollment can cause year-to-year swings, the consistent low scores across grades and subjects point to systemic issues. Interestingly, Spring Hill Elementary, with just 91 students and higher per-pupil spending, ranks in the 76th percentile, proving small size alone doesn’t limit success. Friendship’s high spending and low results raise serious questions about school climate, attendance, and instructional effectiveness.
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