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McNairy Central High School

Q: Is McNairy Central High School a good school?

McNairy Central High School ranks 262 nd of 400 Tennessee high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Q: How many students attend McNairy Central High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 673 students attended McNairy Central High School.

Q: What is the racial makeup of McNairy Central High School?

Students at McNairy Central High School are 84% White, 10% African American, 3% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

Q: What schools feed into McNairy Central High School?

McNairy Central High School is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Bethel Springs Elementary School Elementary : Ramer Elementary School Elementary : Selmer Elementary School Middle : Selmer Middle School

Public Grades 9-12

262^nd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 400 Tennessee High Schools

Better than 34% of Tennessee high schools

Summary

McNairy Central High School serves 673 students in grades 9–12 in Selmer, a rural community in west Tennessee, and is part of McNairy County Schools. The school has declined steadily over the past four years, falling from the 64th percentile statewide in 2021-2022 (3 stars) to the 34th percentile in 2025-2026 (2 stars), placing it in the bottom third of Tennessee's 400 high schools. This decline is broad-based — visible in test scores, subgroup rankings, and star ratings alike — and has continued for four consecutive years.

Academically, the school trails the state average in every tested subject. In 2025-2026, proficiency rates were 22.6% in Algebra I, 27.6% in Algebra II, 33.3% in Biology I, 33.0% in US History, and 43.4% in English II — all below state averages. Compared with nearby Chester County High School and Hardin County High School, the school trails in every subject. For instance, Biology I proficiency is 33.3% versus 57.6% at Chester County and 45.0% at Hardin County, and English II proficiency is 43.4% versus 71.1% and 55.7%, respectively. Against Adamsville High School, the district's other high school, the school is mixed — stronger in Geometry (29.7% vs. 19.7%) and Algebra I (22.6% vs. 18.0%), but weaker in US History and English. Notably, Hardin County High School ranks in the 68th percentile even though its home district ranks in the 16th percentile, meaning district resources alone don't explain the school's outcomes.

Other concerns are equally pressing. Chronic absenteeism stood at 22.9% in 2024-2025, well above the district's 16.8% and the state's 18.3%, and has exceeded 18% in four of the past five years. Special education outcomes rank near the bottom of the state (15th percentile), and female student achievement has dropped from the 49th to the 21st percentile in three years, creating a 34-point gender gap while male students have remained stable near the 55th percentile. There are bright spots: the graduation rate of 91.6% is just above the state average, and the dropout rate of 1.8% is far below the state's 6.7%. The school spends $12,073 per student, less than Adamsville High School ($12,646) and Hardin County High School ($12,233) but more than Chester County High School ($10,883).

673

Students ?

11.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$12,073

Per pupil spending ?

99.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

493 High School Road
Selmer, TN 38375

(731) 645-3226

District: McNairy County Schools

Feeder schools for McNairy Central High School:

Elementary:	Bethel Springs Elementary School
	Ramer Elementary School
	Selmer Elementary School
Middle:	Selmer Middle School

Racial breakdown:

White:

84.0%

African American:

10.0%

Hispanic:

3.4%

See top rated Tennessee high schools

Compare McNairy Central High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 38th percentile in 2016 → 34th in 2026

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 12 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Tennessee average (31% vs 43% meeting standards)

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

!Biology I scores 16 pts below the Tennessee average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school31%

District avg30%

Tennessee avg43%

262^nd of 400

Tennessee public high schools ?

Bottom 34%▼ down 3 pts since 2016

From bottom 38% (2016) to bottom 34% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Tennessee High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 2High Schools in the McNairy County Schools

92^nd of 141McNairy 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	35.5	262 of 400	34.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	37.7	230 of 389	40.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	45.7	195 of 392	50.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	49.2	158 of 384	58.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	52.9	130 of 358	63.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	41.1	190 of 347	45.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	46.0	160 of 342	53.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	32.0	245 of 341	28.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	14.6	261 of 273	4.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	41.1	219 of 351	37.6%	★★☆☆☆
2015	45.0	211 of 300	29.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	43.0	198 of 296	33.1%	★★☆☆☆
2013	69.5	63 of 285	77.9%	★★★★☆
2012	73.1	74 of 269	72.5%	★★★★☆
2011	70.4	72 of 273	73.6%	★★★★☆
2010	61.7	113 of 267	57.7%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2026	26.2	168 of 230	27.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	23.5	183 of 233	21.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	32.4	148 of 240	38.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	21.3	197 of 239	17.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	23.8	178 of 222	19.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	21.4	175 of 208	15.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	41.8	90 of 187	51.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	26.6	152 of 199	23.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2025	24.8	290 of 365	20.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	38.9	223 of 365	38.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	44.3	188 of 366	48.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	54.4	123 of 350	64.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	40.9	190 of 340	44.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	45.3	168 of 337	50.1%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2026	33.7	224 of 308	27.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	30.8	235 of 324	27.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	37.1	216 of 337	35.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	51.5	124 of 330	62.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	59.1	79 of 322	75.5%	★★★★☆
2021	41.4	177 of 317	44.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	49.3	130 of 302	57.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	23.1	266 of 308	13.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2025	48.7	165 of 368	55.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	51.2	152 of 366	58.5%	★★★☆☆
2023	52.1	142 of 359	60.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	53.7	121 of 349	65.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	39.9	193 of 332	41.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	49.1	137 of 329	58.4%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2026	26.2	178 of 210	15.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	21.3	186 of 198	6.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	17.7	178 of 183	2.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	60.1	32 of 127	74.8%	★★★★☆
2018	23.3	148 of 159	6.9%	☆☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2026	28.0	255 of 330	22.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	31.9	220 of 323	31.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	38.6	189 of 326	42.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	44.3	162 of 325	50.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	48.8	128 of 312	59.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	37.4	195 of 306	36.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	41.3	161 of 301	46.5%	★★☆☆☆
2018	27.6	258 of 307	16.0%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

Male (2025)55th percentile+14 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)27th percentile-7 vs school

African American (2026)27th percentile-8 vs school

White (2026)23rd percentile-12 vs school

Female (2025)21st percentile-20 vs school

Special Education (2026)15th percentile-19 vs school

By subject vs Tennessee (2025-2026) ?

English II43%-15 vs state

Biology I33%-16 vs state

US History33%-9 vs state

Geometry30%-13 vs state

Algebra II28%-10 vs state

English I27%-10 vs state

Algebra I23%-10 vs state

★

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Schools Near McNairy Central High 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 Algebra I (2026)					TNReady Algebra II (2026)				TNReady Biology I (2026)					TNReady US History (2026)				TNReady English I (2026)				TNReady English II (2026)					TNReady Geometry (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 (2016)	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 Algebra I 9th Grade	TNReady Algebra I 10th Grade	TNReady Algebra I 11th Grade	TNReady Algebra I 12th Grade	TNReady Algebra I All Grades	TNReady Algebra II 10th Grade	TNReady Algebra II 11th Grade	TNReady Algebra II 12th Grade	TNReady Algebra II All Grades	TNReady Biology I 9th Grade	TNReady Biology I 10th Grade	TNReady Biology I 11th Grade	TNReady Biology I 12th Grade	TNReady Biology I All Grades	TNReady US History 10th Grade	TNReady US History 11th Grade	TNReady US History 12th Grade	TNReady US History All Grades	TNReady English I 9th Grade	TNReady English I 10th Grade	TNReady English I 11th Grade	TNReady English I All Grades	TNReady English II 9th Grade	TNReady English II 10th Grade	TNReady English II 11th Grade	TNReady English II 12th Grade	TNReady English II All Grades	TNReady Geometry 10th Grade	TNReady Geometry 11th Grade	TNReady Geometry 12th Grade	TNReady Geometry All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
McNairy Central High School	Public	9-12	493 High School Road	Selmer	38375	McNairy County	McNairy County Schools	No	No	No	No	(731) 645-3226	713	60	11.8	99.6%	612 (85.8%)	60 (8.4%)	25 (3.5%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (1.8%)	35.5	262^nd of 400 public high schools	34.5%		37.7	230^th of 389 public high schools	40.9%	32	24.2	< 5%			22.6		28.0		27.6	33.1				33.3		33.3		33.0	28.5			27.1		43.8			43.4	31.5			29.7	$12,073	$736	$10,758
Adamsville High School	Public	9-12	815 West Main	Adamsville	38310	McNairy County	McNairy County Schools	No	No	No	No	(731) 439-4122	449	36	12.4	100.1%	418 (93.1%)	12 (2.7%)	13 (2.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.1%)	35.2	264^th of 400 public high schools	34.0%		41.2	213^th of 389 public high schools	45.2%	51	18.5				18.0	62.5	19.0		28.7	62.5	25.0			34.0	18.2	48.9		45.0	29.3			29.3		48.0			48.0	20.2			19.7	$12,646	$510	$11,607
Hardin County High School	Public	9-12	909 South Pickwick Road	Savannah	38372	Hardin County	Hardin County Schools	No	No	No	No	(731) 925-3976	986	70	14.1	61.5%	874 (88.6%)	37 (3.8%)	33 (3.3%)	8 (0.8%)	7 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (2.7%)	59.6	129^th of 400 public high schools	67.8%		62.2	112^th of 389 public high schools	71.2%	17	29.5				29.0		45.3		44.4	79.5	27.6	< 5%		45.0		43.4		44.1	33.3			32.6		56.0			55.7	44.5	25.0	< 5%	40.9	$12,233	$602	$10,950
Chester County High School	Public	9-12	552 East Main Street	Henderson	38340	Chester County	Chester County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(731) 989-8125	809	52	15.7	43.9%	629 (77.8%)	114 (14.1%)	37 (4.6%)	6 (0.7%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (2.6%)	72.2	80^th of 400 public high schools	80.0%		71.2	73^rd of 389 public high schools	81.2%	7	30.4				29.3	≥ 95%	44.0	< 5%	46.8	75.0	55.4			57.6		61.9		62.1	38.9			38.8		71.4			71.1	38.4	< 5%		35.3	$10,883	$546	$9,837

Frequently Asked Questions about McNairy Central High School

Is McNairy Central High School a good school?

McNairy Central High School ranks 262^nd of 400 Tennessee high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What schools feed into McNairy Central High School?

McNairy Central High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Bethel Springs Elementary School
Elementary : Ramer Elementary School
Elementary : Selmer Elementary School
Middle : Selmer Middle School

What district is McNairy Central High School in?

McNairy County Schools

How many students attend McNairy Central High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 673 students attended McNairy Central High School.

What is the racial makeup of McNairy Central High School?

Students at McNairy Central High School are 84% White, 10% African American, 3% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

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Latest Tennessee data All new data »

2025–26 TNReady test scoresAug 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.