American Classical Academy Rutherford

American Classical Academy Rutherford is a small K-6 elementary school in La Vergne, TN, serving just 195 students as part of Rutherford County Schools, a well-regarded district ranked in the 69th percentile statewide. However, the school itself ranks 886th of 1019 Tennessee elementary schools — the 13th percentile with a 1-star rating — making it the lowest-performing Rutherford County school in the immediate area despite sitting within a strong district.

Academic proficiency is far below district and state expectations. On the 2025–2026 TNReady exams, American Classical Academy posted 17.2% proficiency in math (vs. 53.6% district-wide), 19.9% in ELA (vs. 47%), 26.5% in science (vs. 53.3%), and 28.6% in social studies (vs. 60.9%). Even Roy L Waldron Elementary School, the next-lowest same-district school, outperforms American Classical in every subject. Rock Springs Elementary School, just 2.6 miles away, posts math proficiency of 52.1% and ELA of 40.4%. A major red flag is chronic absenteeism: 23.6% of students are chronically absent, more than double the district rate of 11.3% and well above the state rate of 18.3%.

There is one bright spot: 4th grade scores spike notably above other grades, with math at 35.7%, ELA at 35.7%, and science at 46.4% — approaching the district average. Per-student spending of $12,757 is mid-range for the area, so funding alone does not explain the gap. The school also serves 6th grade, unlike most nearby elementary schools that end at 5th, and 6th grade scores are low across the board. Both Hispanic and White student subgroups rank well below state averages, indicating the challenge is school-wide. KIPP Antioch College Prep Elementary School, a nearby charter, achieves far higher proficiency despite a lower-ranked district context, showing meaningful room for improvement. Families considering this school should weigh its attendance challenges and low test scores alongside the potential shown in 4th grade.