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Rhea Central Elementary School

Q: Is Rhea Central Elementary School a good school?

Rhea Central Elementary School ranks 502 nd of 1019 Tennessee elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

502^nd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,019 Tennessee Elementary Schools

Better than 51% of Tennessee elementary schools

Summary

Rhea Central Elementary School is a PK–5 public school in Dayton, Tennessee, serving 589 students as part of Rhea County Schools, a district ranked in the 75th percentile statewide. The school has made a clear step change from a 2-star rating a few years ago to a solidly average 3-star rating today, though it has plateaued in the middle of the pack at the 51st percentile among Tennessee elementary schools.

The school's biggest strengths are attendance and support for certain student groups. Just 9.1% of students were chronically absent in 2024-2025 — far better than the district rate of 15.6% and the state rate of 18.3%. Special education students jumped from the bottom 20% statewide to the 83rd percentile in a single year, and English language learners have historically scored well above average. Fifth grade math (57.8% proficient) also beats both district and state averages. With roughly 11 students per teacher and about $15,863 spent per student, the school is well-resourced.

Academically, however, there's room to grow. Science proficiency sits at 43.7%, about 7 points below the district average, and 4th grade math is a major outlier at 36% — 18 points below the district. The school also trails its strongest district peer, Frazier Elementary School, which outperforms Rhea Central in math, ELA, and science while spending less per student. Dayton City Elementary School, less than a mile away, posts similar math scores but better ELA and science results with lower spending. Rhea Central benefits from being in a strong district but has not yet turned that advantage into top-tier results. For parents, this is a stable, well-attended school — improving science and 4th grade math are the key opportunities ahead.

589

Students ?

11.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$15,863

Per pupil spending ?

80.7%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1005 Delaware Avenue
Dayton, TN 37321

(423) 775-7842

District: Rhea County Schools

Students who attend Rhea Central Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Rhea Middle School
High:	Rhea County High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

74.2%

Hispanic:

23.9%

African American:

1.0%

See top rated Tennessee elementary schools

Compare Rhea Central Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 36th percentile in 2018 → 51st in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 15 percentile points since 2018

✓Above the Tennessee median (51st percentile)

✓Small classes — about 11 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Near the bottom of Rhea County Schools's ranking

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school44%

District avg49%

Tennessee avg43%

502^nd of 1,019

Tennessee public elementary schools ?

Top 49%▲ up 15 pts since 2018

From bottom 36% (2018) to top 49% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Tennessee Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 4Elementary Schools in the Rhea County Schools

35^th of 141Rhea 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	49.2	502 of 1019	50.7%	★★★☆☆
2025	49.1	496 of 1009	50.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	53.6	429 of 1018	57.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	51.3	455 of 1020	55.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	47.2	498 of 1000	50.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	51.6	421 of 983	57.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	41.0	571 of 985	42.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	35.6	637 of 997	36.1%	★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2022	54.7	46 of 165	72.1%	★★★★☆
2021	70.9	10 of 101	90.1%	★★★★★
2018	61.1	18 of 95	81.1%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2025	44.3	545 of 986	44.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	54.1	393 of 990	60.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	53.1	415 of 989	58.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	49.5	454 of 975	53.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	47.8	441 of 945	53.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	38.4	568 of 926	38.7%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2026	37.4	294 of 458	35.8%	★★☆☆☆
2025	49.6	192 of 424	54.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	56.1	160 of 415	61.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	50.0	172 of 387	55.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	46.2	173 of 363	52.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	53.8	120 of 324	63.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	32.0	176 of 250	29.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	40.5	189 of 319	40.8%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2026	57.4	299 of 823	63.7%	★★★☆☆
2025	51.1	385 of 843	54.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	68.1	180 of 853	78.9%	★★★★☆
2023	45.6	459 of 865	46.9%	★★☆☆☆
2022	34.8	588 of 858	31.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	63.2	198 of 823	75.9%	★★★★☆
2019	45.6	439 of 821	46.5%	★★☆☆☆
2018	44.6	474 of 877	46.0%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2025	52.3	440 of 984	55.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	50.7	461 of 991	53.5%	★★★☆☆
2023	46.1	497 of 987	49.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	42.8	524 of 980	46.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	51.7	389 of 941	58.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	41.3	532 of 916	41.9%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2025	68.6	104 of 618	83.2%	★★★★☆
2024	25.6	474 of 582	18.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	27.8	413 of 528	21.8%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2026	44.9	451 of 849	46.9%	★★☆☆☆
2025	38.7	517 of 840	38.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	42.0	483 of 847	43.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	44.3	453 of 852	46.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	39.7	497 of 844	41.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	44.0	442 of 844	47.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	33.4	576 of 812	29.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	26.6	679 of 841	19.3%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

Special Education (2025)83rd percentile+32 vs school

English Language Learner (2022)72nd percentile+22 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)64th percentile+13 vs school

Male (2025)55th percentile+4 vs school

White (2026)47th percentile-4 vs school

Female (2025)45th percentile-6 vs school

Hispanic (2026)36th percentile-15 vs school

By subject vs Tennessee (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics46%+3 vs state

Science44%-3 vs state

English Language Arts42%~ state avg

★

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Schools Near Rhea Central Elementary 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 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	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 Mathematics 3rd Grade	TNReady Mathematics 4th Grade	TNReady Mathematics 5th Grade	TNReady Mathematics 6th Grade	TNReady Mathematics 7th Grade	TNReady Mathematics 8th Grade	TNReady Mathematics All Grades	TNReady English Language Arts 3rd Grade	TNReady English Language Arts 4th Grade	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 Science 3rd Grade	TNReady Science 4th Grade	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
Rhea Central Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1005 Delaware Avenue	Dayton	37321	Rhea County	Rhea County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(423) 775-7842	613	54	11.4	80.7%	464 (75.7%)	6 (1.0%)	136 (22.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.1%)	49.2	502^nd of 1019 public elementary schools	50.7%		49.1	496^th of 1009 public elementary schools	50.8%	6	42.4	36.0	57.8				45.6	36.5	45.3	43.3				41.8	42.4	48.8	40.0				43.7					$15,863	$1,409	$13,397
Dayton City Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	520 Cherry Street	Dayton	37321	Rhea County	Dayton City School	No	No	No	Yes	(423) 775-8414	863	59	14.7	60.5%	653 (75.7%)	37 (4.3%)	129 (14.9%)	16 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (3.2%)	54.1	448^th of 1019 public elementary schools	56.0%		56.1	407^th of 1009 public elementary schools	59.7%	41	32.0	47.1	50.0	44.1	34.9	61.2	45.2	40.2	46.6	53.1	48.5	38.6	46.9	45.7	41.2	36.4	40.6	52.9	51.8	53.1	45.7	63.2	73.5	56.1	63.9	$12,532	$960	$10,527
Graysville Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	606 Long Street	Dayton	37321	Rhea County	Rhea County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(423) 775-7850	215	19	11.3	77.8%	193 (89.8%)	3 (1.4%)	17 (7.9%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	45	563^rd of 1019 public elementary schools	44.7%		32.5	706^th of 1009 public elementary schools	30.0%	143	44.4	39.3	50.0				44.6	25.9	32.1	57.1				38.6	37.0	28.6	57.1				41.0					$16,203	$1,211	$13,739
Frazier Elementary School	Public	K-5	3900 Double S Road	Dayton	37321	Rhea County	Rhea County Schools	No	No	No	No	(423) 775-7854	322	23	14.0	62.1%	282 (87.6%)	3 (0.9%)	23 (7.1%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.7%)	69.5	256^th of 1019 public elementary schools	74.9%		64.2	313^th of 1009 public elementary schools	69.0%	57	78.6	58.9	38.9				57.2	52.4	57.1	42.6				50.7	50.0	62.5	59.3				57.9					$14,360	$834	$12,632
Cecil B Rigsby Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	8231 New Harmony Road	Pikeville	37367	Bledsoe County	Bledsoe County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(423) 447-2891	181	12	15.0	86.0%	143 (79.0%)	3 (1.7%)	34 (18.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	51.5	479^th of 1019 public elementary schools	53.0%		46.5	526^th of 1009 public elementary schools	47.9%	47	40.9	50.0	43.5				45.2	40.9	64.3	30.4				46.6	40.9	60.7	26.1				43.8					$16,382	$2,335	$12,283
Meigs South Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	9638 State Highway 58 S	Decatur	37322	Meigs County	Meigs County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(423) 334-5444	406	29	14.0	77.1%	375 (92.4%)	6 (1.5%)	14 (3.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.5%)	32.9	724^th of 1019 public elementary schools	28.9%		40.4	605^th of 1009 public elementary schools	40.0%	119	19.0	29.4	30.2				25.7	38.1	39.2	34.0				37.1	44.4	41.2	37.7				41.3					$12,760	$1,156	$10,819
Pikeville Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	41068 S R 30	Pikeville	37367	Bledsoe County	Bledsoe County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(423) 447-2457	401	28	14.5	79.1%	371 (92.5%)	5 (1.2%)	19 (4.7%)	2 (0.5%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	37	672^nd of 1019 public elementary schools	34.1%		54.6	424^th of 1009 public elementary schools	58.0%	248	17.6	40.4	40.4				32.9	35.3	42.3	30.8				36.1	31.4	48.1	48.1				42.6					$17,416	$2,986	$12,718
North Hamilton County Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	601 Industrial Boulevard	Sale Creek	37373	Hamilton County	Hamilton County Schools	No	No	No	No	(423) 332-8848	374	26	14.5	58.0%	333 (89.0%)	6 (1.6%)	20 (5.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (3.7%)	79.3	158^th of 1019 public elementary schools	84.5%		77.5	172^nd of 1009 public elementary schools	83.0%	14	46.9	64.5	62.3				57.9	52.3	62.3	65.2				60.0	50.8	66.1	73.9				63.8					$17,270	$873	$15,631
Meigs North Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	22015 State Highway 58 N	Decatur	37322	Meigs County	Meigs County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(423) 334-5454	446	31	14.2	77.7%	419 (93.9%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.6%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (3.8%)	43	594^th of 1019 public elementary schools	41.7%		53	450^th of 1009 public elementary schools	55.4%	144	40.0	43.1	27.7				37.2	24.3	51.4	33.8				36.7	40.0	58.3	41.5				46.9					$12,435	$1,377	$10,193
Mary V Wheeler Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	33073 Sr 30	Pikeville	37367	Bledsoe County	Bledsoe County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(423) 881-3394	214	16	13.3	91.8%	204 (95.3%)	3 (1.4%)	7 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	54.6	442^nd of 1019 public elementary schools	56.6%		50.2	484^th of 1009 public elementary schools	52.0%	42	34.5	69.2	50.0				50.5	37.9	69.2	44.4				49.5	24.1	65.4	36.1				40.7					$15,664	$1,855	$12,269

Frequently Asked Questions about Rhea Central Elementary School

Is Rhea Central Elementary School a good school?

Rhea Central Elementary School ranks 502^nd of 1019 Tennessee elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Rhea Central Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 589 students attended Rhea Central Elementary School.

What district is Rhea Central Elementary School in?

Rhea County Schools

What schools do graduates of Rhea Central Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Rhea Central Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Rhea Middle School
High : Rhea County High School

What is the racial makeup of Rhea Central Elementary School?

Students at Rhea Central Elementary School are 74% White, 24% Hispanic, 1% African American.

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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.