Summary
Southwest Elementary School is a small PK–5 school in Williston, TN, serving 294 students as part of Fayette County Schools. In the most recent year, Southwest ranked 916th out of 1,019 Tennessee elementary schools (10th percentile) with a 1-star rating, and its math proficiency of 21.5%, ELA of 23.0%, and science of 21.3% all sit far below state averages of roughly 43%, 41%, and 47%, respectively. The district itself is ranked 139th out of 141 districts in Tennessee, placing it in the bottom 1% statewide.
What stands out most is how quickly Southwest has fallen. As recently as 2022-2023, the school ranked in the 62nd percentile with 3 stars and proficiency near 45% in every subject. By 2024-2025, those numbers had dropped by roughly half or more, to the bottom 7th percentile, before recovering slightly to the current 10th percentile. Over the same period, chronic absenteeism jumped from 12.0% to 22.0% — about three times the rate at nearby high-achieving schools like Tara Oaks Elementary (7.2%) or Crosswind Elementary (7.4%). Interestingly, Southwest spends about $13,701 per student, nearly the same as Donelson Elementary ($15,080) and Crosswind ($13,881), yet those schools achieve 70–80 percentage points higher proficiency. This suggests that funding alone doesn't explain the gap — attendance and school stability likely play a much bigger role.
Southwest is the second-lowest of the four Fayette County elementaries in the comparison group, but its decline is more dramatic than its peers, several of which have been consistently low for years. The contrast with neighboring districts is stark: just 10–14 miles away, Collierville Schools and Arlington Community Schools are ranked 1st and 2nd in the state, with elementary schools like Collierville Elementary and Crosswind posting proficiency rates above 80%. Southwest's recent history shows it is capable of much better results, but reversing the current trend will likely depend on tackling chronic absenteeism, improving school stability, and strengthening the broader capacity of Fayette County Schools to support teaching and learning.
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