Summary
Bellshire Elementary School serves 346 students in grades PK-5 and is part of Metro Nashville Public Schools in Nashville, TN. The school has a long history of low academic performance: it has earned a 0-star state rating in every reported year since 2011, and in 2025-2026 it ranked 959th out of 1,019 Tennessee elementary schools — placing it in the 6th percentile statewide. This is not a recent downturn but a consistent pattern of bottom-tier performance.
On state tests, Bellshire's proficiency rates trail district and state averages by roughly 25 to 30 percentage points. In 2025-2026, math proficiency was 17.4% (compared to 32.4% across the district and 43.0% statewide), English language arts was 15.2% (district 31.8%, state 40.6%), and science was 16.5% (district 35.4%, state 46.9%). Nearby schools show these outcomes are not inevitable. Old Center Elementary, just two miles away, ranks in the 54th percentile with proficiency rates two to three times higher in math, ELA, and science. KIPP Nashville College Prep Elementary reaches the 65th percentile with 53% math and 55.4% science proficiency. Even Gateway Elementary, in the 23rd percentile, outperforms Bellshire by significant margins. Only Chadwell Elementary, at the 4th percentile, is similarly low.
Chronic absenteeism remains a challenge. Bellshire's rate was 25.1% in 2024-2025 — above the district rate of 23.3% and the state rate of 18.3%, though a real improvement from the 40.5% peak in 2020-2021. Spending stands out too: Bellshire spends about $20,532 per student, more than higher-performing neighbors such as KIPP ($18,589), Gateway ($19,464), and Goodlettsville Elementary ($18,107). Test scores have risen in recent years — math proficiency climbed from 6.3% in 2022-2023 to 17.4% — yet the statewide ranking has barely moved. Within the school, female students score at the 12th percentile while male students are at the 3rd percentile, showing uneven outcomes across student groups. For parents weighing options, schools like Old Center and KIPP demonstrate that stronger results are achievable in the same district and neighborhood context.
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