Stratton Elementary School

Stratton Elementary School serves 478 students in pre-kindergarten through 5th grade in Madison, TN, as part of Metro Nashville Public Schools. The school currently ranks 965th out of 1,019 Tennessee elementary schools — the 5th percentile — and carries a 0-star rating. That reflects persistently low proficiency across all subjects. Notably, Stratton performed better a decade ago: in 2014-15 it ranked at the 20th percentile, but it fell to the 1st percentile in 2020-21 and has remained near the bottom since then.

On state assessments, Stratton's proficiency rates are far below district and state averages. Just 16.1% of students are proficient in math, 15.1% in English language arts, and 11.7% in science — gaps of roughly 35 points or more in some subjects. The science gap is especially large, with Stratton posting the lowest science proficiency among all nearby schools. However, the neighborhood around Stratton shows wide variation. Just over 3 miles away, Dan Mills Elementary ranks at the 87th percentile with 66.7% math proficiency, while Old Center Elementary and Smithson Craighead Academy also outperform Stratton by large margins. This shows that strong outcomes are possible in the same area.

There are some positives. Chronic absenteeism has fallen dramatically from 40.8% in 2020-21 to 19.5% in 2024-25, now below the district average of 23.3%. Yet improved attendance has not translated into higher test scores, which dipped slightly in 2025-26. Early grades are a particular concern: only 9.5% of 3rd graders are proficient in ELA, suggesting that supports must begin in the primary grades. Spending does not explain the results — Stratton spends $19,218 per student, about $1,800 more than Dan Mills, which achieves roughly four times the proficiency. Stratton is not alone in struggling; nearby schools like Bellshire Elementary and Chadwell Elementary face similar challenges. But the success of Dan Mills provides a realistic model for what Stratton could achieve.