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John Early Middle School

Q: Is John Early Middle School a good school?

John Early Middle School ranks in the bottom 6.7% of Tennessee middle schools.

Q: How many students attend John Early Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 136 students attended John Early Middle School.

Q: What is the racial makeup of John Early Middle School?

Students at John Early Middle School are 76% African American, 13% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 4% White.

Q: What high school do graduates of John Early Middle School attend?

Students who attend John Early Middle School usually go on to attend Pearl-Cohn High School

Public, Magnet Grades 6-8

554^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 594 Tennessee Middle Schools

Better than 7% of Tennessee middle schools

Summary

John Early Middle School is a small school in Nashville, TN, serving just 136 students in grades 6–8 as part of Metro Nashville Public Schools, and it currently ranks 554th out of 594 Tennessee middle schools — the lowest ranking among all nearby comparable schools. Despite spending more per student than any peer school in the area at about $29,500 a year, the school remains in the 7th percentile statewide, a striking disconnect between resources and results.

Academic proficiency at John Early is far below district and state averages across every core subject. In math, only 9.1% of students are proficient versus 43.0% statewide; in ELA, 13.3% versus 40.6%; and in science and social studies, 16.5% versus roughly 47% and 51%, respectively. The contrast with nearby schools in the same district is dramatic: Meigs Middle School ranks #1 in Tennessee with 94.2% math proficiency, while Head Middle School posts 54.7% math proficiency and KIPP Academy Nashville School reaches 42.1% — all while spending far less per student.

Chronic absenteeism is likely a core barrier: 42.0% of John Early students were chronically absent in 2024–2025, more than double the state rate of 18.3% and far higher than high-performing peers such as Head Middle (5.3%) and KIPP Academy (7.5%). There are some encouraging signs, however. Math proficiency improved from 7.2% to 9.1%, science rose from 10.5% to 16.5%, and the school's overall state ranking climbed from the 2nd percentile in 2023–2024 to the 7th percentile in 2025–2026. These gains are real but remain small relative to the enormous gaps that persist, suggesting that targeted work on attendance and instruction could help John Early better use its substantial financial resources.

136

Students ?

10.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$29,546

Per pupil spending ?

76.5%

Directly certified for free meals (2024-25) ?

1000 Cass Street
Nashville, TN 37208

(615) 291-6369

District: Metro Nashville Public Schools

Students who attend John Early Middle School usually attend:

High:

Pearl-Cohn High School

Feeder schools for John Early Middle School:

Elementary:	Jones Elementary School
	Robert Churchwell Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

75.7%

Hispanic:

13.2%

Two or more races:

5.1%

See top rated Tennessee middle schools

Compare John Early Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 3rd percentile in 2015 → 7th in 2026

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 10 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Tennessee average (14% vs 45% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (7th percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (42% vs 18% Tennessee)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school14%

District avg34%

Tennessee avg45%

554^th of 594

Tennessee public middle schools ?

Bottom 7%▲ up 1 pts since 2017

See the entire ranking list of Tennessee Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

33^rd of 38Middle Schools in the Metro Nashville Public Schools

126^th of 141Metro Nashville Public 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	9.0	554 of 594	6.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	7.8	558 of 583	4.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	6.0	575 of 587	2.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	6.7	577 of 594	2.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	6.8	559 of 569	1.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	7.6	550 of 576	4.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	22.6	466 of 574	18.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	18.1	482 of 563	14.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	15.4	340 of 362	6.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	10.0	475 of 492	3.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	5.2	473 of 485	2.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	11.8	457 of 475	3.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	18.7	414 of 466	11.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	7.7	449 of 462	2.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	6.4	430 of 435	1.1%	☆☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2026	16.3	300 of 328	8.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	15.0	286 of 312	8.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	13.3	306 of 318	3.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	13.4	309 of 316	2.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	14.8	285 of 299	4.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	17.7	262 of 293	10.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	12.8	273 of 284	3.9%	☆☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2025	3.6	544 of 546	0.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	7.2	544 of 560	2.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	8.0	530 of 552	4.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	40.9	323 of 529	38.9%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2026	20.2	419 of 478	12.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	10.0	481 of 490	1.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	9.2	509 of 514	1.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	12.8	468 of 495	5.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	11.8	471 of 490	3.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	16.9	436 of 481	9.4%	☆☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2025	19.1	459 of 550	16.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	10.1	528 of 560	5.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	8.9	531 of 557	4.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	7.9	527 of 540	2.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	12.8	469 of 529	11.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	13.0	477 of 523	8.8%	☆☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2019	93.8	19 of 484	96.1%	★★★★★
2018	80.4	62 of 481	87.1%	★★★★☆

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)

White (2019)96th percentile+77 vs school

Male (2025)17th percentile+12 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)12th percentile+6 vs school

African American (2026)9th percentile~ school

Female (2025)<1st percentile-4 vs school

By subject vs Tennessee (2025-2026) ?

Science16%-30 vs state

Social Studies16%-35 vs state

English Language Arts13%-27 vs state

Mathematics9%-34 vs state

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What people are saying

by a parent
Wednesday, March 3, 2021

The teachers are crapy and when u report things to them they do nothing . You end up having to call the school board. The teachers sit on their phones instead of teaching our kids. It's a horrible school. Close Quote

Schools Near John Early 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 Integrated Math I (2026)			TNReady Integrated Math II (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	Directly certified (2024-25)	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 Integrated Math I 7th Grade	TNReady Integrated Math I 8th Grade	TNReady Integrated Math I All Grades	TNReady Integrated Math II 7th Grade	TNReady Integrated Math II 8th Grade	TNReady Integrated Math II 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
John Early Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	1000 Cass Street	Nashville	37208	Davidson County	Metro Nashville Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(615) 291-6369	169	16	10.3	76.5%	6 (3.6%)	133 (78.7%)	23 (13.6%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	5 (3.0%)	9	554^th of 594 public middle schools	6.7%		7.8	558^th of 583 public middle schools	4.3%	4		14.3	< 5%	6.7	9.1		11.4	9.1	18.2	13.3								11.4	13.0	24.2	16.5	11.4	21.7	18.2	16.5	$29,546	$2,245	$25,638
Haynes Middle School	Public	6-8	510 West Trinity Lane	Nashville	37207	Davidson County	Metro Nashville Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(615) 262-6688	252	11	23.8	63.2%	21 (8.3%)	188 (74.6%)	32 (12.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.0%)	9.5	549^th of 594 public middle schools	7.6%		8.1	555^th of 583 public middle schools	4.8%	6		< 5%	10.0	5.2	6.2		15.9	14.3	10.0	13.1								22.2	21.1	11.1	18.0	23.8	32.8	13.9	23.0	$20,855	$2,051	$17,509
Isaiah T. Creswell Middle School of the Arts	Public, Magnet	6-8	3500 John Mallette Drive	Nashville	37218	Davidson County	Metro Nashville Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(615) 291-6515	302	23	13.3	42.0%	46 (15.2%)	227 (75.2%)	16 (5.3%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.6%)	35	404^th of 594 public middle schools	32.0%		31.9	405^th of 583 public middle schools	30.5%	1		19.1	10.2	13.8	13.7		39.7	24.1	33.8	31.3		81.8	81.8					36.8	26.9	15.5	26.9	60.3	40.7	55.0	50.4	$19,608	$1,812	$16,592
Head Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	1830 Jo Johnston Avenue	Nashville	37203	Davidson County	Metro Nashville Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(615) 329-8160	551	31	17.9	22.5%	183 (33.2%)	283 (51.4%)	41 (7.4%)	24 (4.4%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	18 (3.3%)	74	117^th of 594 public middle schools	80.3%		74.5	113^th of 583 public middle schools	80.6%	4		67.3	31.1	50.7	54.7		69.1	31.1	29.6	50.2								72.8	48.6	25.5	57.7	85.8	51.4	45.7	67.5	$18,927	$1,229	$16,728
KIPP Academy Nashville School	Public, Charter	5-8	123 Douglas Avenue	Nashville	37207	Davidson County	Metro Nashville Public Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(615) 514-6266	391	6	65.1	52.8%	7 (1.8%)	225 (57.5%)	153 (39.1%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.3%)	59.6	220^th of 594 public middle schools	63.0%		46.1	307^th of 583 public middle schools	47.3%	87	43.0	35.0	42.9	48.0	42.1	44.3	34.0	29.6	33.7	34.9							39.2	42.0	49.0	34.7	41.3	81.0	62.2	58.2	67.2	$19,368	$2,042	$16,088
Moses McKissack Middle School	Public	6-8	915 38th Ave N	Nashville	37209	Davidson County	Metro Nashville Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(615) 329-8170	122	9	14.2	78.1%	2 (1.6%)	109 (89.3%)	5 (4.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (4.9%)	16.6	501^st of 594 public middle schools	15.7%		8	557^th of 583 public middle schools	4.5%	56		< 5%	8.0	21.4	12.6		14.3	< 5%	20.5	14.4								17.9	12.0	25.0	19.6	10.7	40.0	31.8	27.8	$27,891	$1,610	$25,349
Meigs Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	713 Ramsey Street	Nashville	37206	Davidson County	Metro Nashville Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(615) 271-3222	693	34	20.5	5.8%	441 (63.6%)	107 (15.4%)	50 (7.2%)	58 (8.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	36 (5.2%)	99.9	1^st of 594 public middle schools	99.8%		98.7	5^th of 583 public middle schools	99.1%	4		93.9	≥ 95%	90.0	94.2		93.9	≥ 95%	≥ 95%	≥ 95%	≥ 95%	≥ 95%	≥ 95%		≥ 95%	≥ 95%		≥ 95%	≥ 95%		≥ 95%	≥ 95%	≥ 95%	≥ 95%	≥ 95%	$15,849	$846	$14,172
Richard H. Dinkins Middle School	Public	6-8	2835 Brick Church PIKE	Nashville	37207	Davidson County	Metro Nashville Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(629) 910-5700	0			69.9%								6.3	572^nd of 594 public middle schools	3.7%					(n/a)		< 5%	< 5%	11.8	5.9		8.9	< 5%	< 5%	5.0								13.6	9.3	20.0	13.7	23.8	9.5	6.3	13.8	$38,044	$1,997	$33,961
East Nashville Middle School	Public	6-8	110 Gallatin Road	Nashville	37206	Davidson County	Metro Nashville Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(615) 262-6670	285	19	14.7	58.1%	11 (3.9%)	255 (89.5%)	5 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (4.9%)	15	512^th of 594 public middle schools	13.8%		8.9	550^th of 583 public middle schools	5.7%	38		21.4	6.4	11.8	11.9		17.9	22.9	7.4	15.4								10.7	29.2	18.5	20.8	25.0	50.0	11.1	28.5	$24,843	$2,040	$21,119
Nashville Prep School	Public, Charter	5-8	1300 56th Ave N	Nashville	37209	Davidson County	Metro Nashville Public Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(615) 921-8440	211	3	70.3	46.5%	10 (4.7%)	92 (43.6%)	103 (48.8%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.9%)	15.3	510^th of 594 public middle schools	14.1%		9.9	535^th of 583 public middle schools	8.2%	25	7.7	16.7	10.6	14.6	13.5	8.3	14.6	19.1	8.3	13.5							27.3	25.0	27.7	22.9	25.3	27.1	39.1	29.2	31.7	$15,824	$2,114	$12,252

Frequently Asked Questions about John Early Middle School

Is John Early Middle School a good school?

John Early Middle School ranks in the bottom 6.7% of Tennessee middle schools.

What is the racial makeup of John Early Middle School?

Students at John Early Middle School are 76% African American, 13% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 4% White.

What high school do graduates of John Early Middle School attend?

Students who attend John Early Middle School usually go on to attend Pearl-Cohn High School

How many students attend John Early Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 136 students attended John Early Middle School.

What district is John Early Middle School in?

Metro Nashville Public Schools

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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.