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Decatur County Middle School

Q: Is Decatur County Middle School a good school?

Decatur County Middle School ranks 155 th of 594 Tennessee middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 5-8

155^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 594 Tennessee Middle Schools

Better than 74% of Tennessee middle schools

Summary

Decatur County Middle School in Parsons, TN, serves 424 students in grades 5–8 and ranks in the 74th percentile of Tennessee middle schools (4 stars), placing it well above the state median and above its own district's overall standing. The school has earned 4-star ratings in most years over the past decade, with statewide percentile rankings ranging from the mid-60s to low-80s—so this is consistent, above-average performance, not a one-year fluke.

Academically, Decatur County Middle School is strongest in science (56.7% proficient vs. 46.9% statewide) and social studies (55.2% vs. 51.4%), with an especially impressive 8th grade: math proficiency hits 63.2% vs. 38.3% statewide, and 8th-grade science, social studies, and ELA all run well above state averages. The school also stands out for its effectiveness with economically disadvantaged students, who score at the 82nd percentile statewide—better than the school's overall percentile. Compared with nearby Linden Middle School, Decatur outperforms it in every subject while spending less per student, though it trails Lexington Middle School, a top-tier regional leader.

There are a couple of things to watch. Chronic absenteeism was 19.6% in 2024–2025, above the state average and well above Linden's 13.7% and Lexington's 11.3%. And while overall math exceeds the state average (44.3% vs. 43.0%), it has declined from 54.1% a few years ago, and 5th-grade math (32.7%) is well below the state average even as 8th-grade math soars. Per-pupil spending at $11,680 is lower than nearby schools, yet the school belongs to Decatur County Schools, which ranks in the 60th percentile districtwide—suggesting the middle school is a standout within its district.

424

Students ?

11.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,680

Per pupil spending ?

54.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

2740 Hwy 641 South
Parsons, TN 38363

(731) 847-6510

District: Decatur County Schools

Students who attend Decatur County Middle School usually attend:

High:

Riverside High School

Feeder schools for Decatur County Middle School:

Elementary:	Decaturville Elementary School
	Parsons Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

White:

87.5%

Hispanic:

4.7%

Two or more races:

3.1%

See top rated Tennessee middle schools

Compare Decatur County Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 76th percentile in 2015 → 74th in 2026

Strengths

✓Above the Tennessee median (74th percentile)

✓Small classes — about 12 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school49%

District avg48%

Tennessee avg45%

155^th of 594

Tennessee public middle schools ?

Top 26%▼ down 6 pts since 2017

From top 20% (2017) to top 26% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Tennessee Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

57^th of 141Decatur County Schools among Tennessee districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2026	69.1	155 of 594	73.9%	★★★★☆
2025	64.8	175 of 583	70.0%	★★★★☆
2024	66.1	165 of 587	71.9%	★★★★☆
2023	74.1	114 of 594	80.8%	★★★★☆
2022	67.7	139 of 569	75.6%	★★★★☆
2021	69.4	110 of 576	80.9%	★★★★☆
2019	60.0	175 of 574	69.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	58.6	192 of 563	65.9%	★★★☆☆
2017	70.5	72 of 362	80.1%	★★★★☆
2015	72.8	116 of 492	76.4%	★★★★☆
2014	59.5	189 of 485	61.0%	★★★☆☆
2013	60.8	207 of 475	56.4%	★★★☆☆
2012	57.3	210 of 466	54.9%	★★★☆☆
2011	60.2	188 of 462	59.3%	★★★☆☆
2010	68.1	125 of 435	71.3%	★★★★☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2026	72.1	69 of 328	79.0%	★★★★☆
2019	47.0	125 of 293	57.3%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2025	62.1	178 of 546	67.4%	★★★☆☆
2024	67.6	141 of 554	74.5%	★★★★☆
2023	70.7	128 of 560	77.1%	★★★★☆
2022	65.6	141 of 552	74.5%	★★★★☆
2021	65.7	132 of 538	75.5%	★★★★☆
2019	57.1	191 of 529	63.9%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2026	70.6	85 of 478	82.2%	★★★★☆
2025	65.6	124 of 490	74.7%	★★★★☆
2024	75.6	61 of 510	88.0%	★★★★☆
2023	83.3	33 of 514	93.6%	★★★★★
2022	77.3	56 of 495	88.7%	★★★★☆
2021	76.0	47 of 483	90.3%	★★★★★
2019	72.8	60 of 490	87.8%	★★★★☆
2018	66.1	100 of 481	79.2%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2025	63.5	169 of 550	69.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	61.8	178 of 560	68.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	73.6	102 of 557	81.7%	★★★★☆
2022	66.2	137 of 540	74.6%	★★★★☆
2021	69.4	102 of 529	80.7%	★★★★☆
2019	61.9	150 of 523	71.3%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2026	40.5	175 of 349	49.9%	★★★☆☆
2025	43.5	142 of 332	57.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	31.7	206 of 299	31.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	38.1	149 of 288	48.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	50.2	78 of 260	70.0%	★★★★☆
2021	38.7	132 of 238	44.5%	★★☆☆☆
2019	49.2	76 of 222	65.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	48.7	108 of 279	61.3%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2026	55.8	190 of 494	61.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	51.6	220 of 492	55.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	56.8	190 of 504	62.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	67.3	137 of 503	72.8%	★★★★☆
2022	60.7	153 of 500	69.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	62.1	146 of 496	70.6%	★★★★☆
2019	55.6	170 of 484	64.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	52.5	198 of 481	58.8%	★★★☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)82nd percentile+8 vs school

African American (2026)79th percentile+5 vs school

Male (2025)69th percentile~ school

Female (2025)67th percentile-3 vs school

White (2026)62nd percentile-12 vs school

Special Education (2026)50th percentile-24 vs school

By subject vs Tennessee (2025-2026) ?

Science57%+10 vs state

Social Studies55%+4 vs state

Mathematics44%~ state avg

English Language Arts41%~ state avg

★

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Schools Near Decatur County Middle School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				TNReady Mathematics (2026)					TNReady English Language Arts (2026)					TNReady Science (2026)					TNReady Social Studies (2026)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	TNReady Mathematics 5th Grade	TNReady Mathematics 6th Grade	TNReady Mathematics 7th Grade	TNReady Mathematics 8th Grade	TNReady Mathematics All Grades	TNReady English Language Arts 5th Grade	TNReady English Language Arts 6th Grade	TNReady English Language Arts 7th Grade	TNReady English Language Arts 8th Grade	TNReady English Language Arts All Grades	TNReady Science 5th Grade	TNReady Science 6th Grade	TNReady Science 7th Grade	TNReady Science 8th Grade	TNReady Science All Grades	TNReady Social Studies 6th Grade	TNReady Social Studies 7th Grade	TNReady Social Studies 8th Grade	TNReady Social Studies All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Decatur County Middle School	Public	5-8	2740 Hwy 641 South	Parsons	38363	Decatur County	Decatur County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(731) 847-6510	416	36	11.7		357 (85.8%)	12 (2.9%)	19 (4.6%)	10 (2.4%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (3.8%)	69.1	155^th of 594 public middle schools	73.9%		64.8	175^th of 583 public middle schools	70.0%	20	32.7	48.1	35.0	63.2	44.3	42.1	41.3	35.0	46.3	41.1	58.9	59.6	47.0	61.1	56.7	49.0	54.0	63.2	55.2	$11,680	$898	$10,074
Lexington Middle School	Public	6-8	112 Airways	Lexington	38351	Henderson County	Lexington City Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(731) 968-8457	248	18	14.1		165 (66.5%)	38 (15.3%)	17 (6.9%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (10.5%)	89	46^th of 594 public middle schools	92.3%		83.4	66^th of 583 public middle schools	88.7%	20		56.5	54.7	59.3	56.9		59.8	50.7	43.0	51.4		73.9	74.7	73.3	73.9	69.6	72.0	67.4	69.6	$14,262	$656	$12,272
Linden Middle School	Public	5-8	130 College Avenue	Linden	37096	Perry County	Perry County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(931) 589-5000	201	17	12.1		183 (91.0%)	2 (1.0%)	6 (3.0%)	1 (0.5%)	3 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.0%)	49.3	296^th of 594 public middle schools	50.2%		49.2	283^rd of 583 public middle schools	51.5%	13	19.6	44.8	33.3	39.5	34.4	39.2	36.2	35.0	27.9	34.9	49.0	62.1	45.0	30.2	47.6	41.4	45.0	32.6	40.4	$13,423	$1,388	$11,239

Frequently Asked Questions about Decatur County Middle School

What is the racial makeup of Decatur County Middle School?

Students at Decatur County Middle School are 88% White, 5% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 2% Asian, 2% African American.

What district is Decatur County Middle School in?

Decatur County Schools

How many students attend Decatur County Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 424 students attended Decatur County Middle School.

What high school do graduates of Decatur County Middle School attend?

Students who attend Decatur County Middle School usually go on to attend Riverside High School

Is Decatur County Middle School a good school?

Decatur County Middle School ranks 155^th of 594 Tennessee middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Rate Decatur County Middle School!

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TNTennessee Middle School Rankings

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Schools in Parsons, TN

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Latest Tennessee data All new data »

2025–26 TNReady test scoresNewAug 25, 2026

2024–25 dropout ratesApr 2, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataFeb 27, 2026

2024–25 attendance dataDec 18, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Tennessee Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.