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Carthage Elementary

Q: Is Carthage Elementary a good school?

Carthage Elementary ranks 534 th of 1009 Tennessee elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-4

534^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,009 Tennessee Elementary Schools

Better than 47% of Tennessee elementary schools

Summary

Carthage Elementary is a public elementary school serving 424 students in grades PK-4 in Carthage, Tennessee, which is part of the Smith County School District. While the district is ranked 37 out of 139 in the state and has a 4-star rating, Carthage Elementary faces several challenges, including lower-than-average student performance and high chronic absenteeism rates.

On state assessments, Carthage Elementary's proficiency rates in English Language Arts (33.7%) and Math (42%) lag behind the Smith County and Tennessee state averages. The school's performance is particularly low for female and white students, who rank in the bottom 30-40% of Tennessee elementary schools in those subgroups. However, the school's special education students perform relatively better, ranking in the top 40-50% of Tennessee schools for that subgroup. Additionally, Carthage Elementary has had high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 10.8% to 20.2% over the past few years, which is significantly above the state average.

While Carthage Elementary's per-student spending has increased in recent years, reaching $12,499 in 2023-2024, this higher investment has not translated into improved academic outcomes. The school's performance is generally lower than nearby Smith County schools, such as Union Heights Elementary, Defeated Elementary, Gordonsville Elementary, and Forks River Elementary, which tend to have higher proficiency rates and lower chronic absenteeism. However, Carthage Elementary does outperform some schools outside the district, such as Gainesboro Elementary in Jackson County and DeKalb West Elementary in DeKalb County.

465

Students ?

15.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$13,775

Per pupil spending ?

61.3%

Free/discounted lunch ?

149 Skyline DR
Carthage, TN 37030

(615) 735-0433

District: Smith County

Students who attend Carthage Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Smith County Middle School
High:	Gordonsville High School
	Smith County High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

81.1%

Two or more races:

8.6%

Hispanic:

6.9%

See top rated Tennessee elementary schools

Compare Carthage Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 54th percentile in 2014 → 47th in 2025

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 7 percentile points since 2014

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

!Near the bottom of Smith County's ranking

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school42%

District avg47%

Tennessee avg42%

534^th of 1,009

Tennessee public elementary schools ?

Bottom 47%▲ up 6 pts since 2015

From bottom 41% (2015) to bottom 47% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Tennessee Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

5^th of 5Elementary Schools in the Smith County

37^th of 139Smith County 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
2025	45.5	534 of 1009	47.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	41.1	601 of 1018	41.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	53.4	432 of 1020	57.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	50.9	451 of 1000	54.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	46.4	482 of 983	51.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	58.9	327 of 985	66.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	57.0	360 of 997	63.9%	★★★☆☆
2017	47.6	324 of 646	49.8%	★★★☆☆
2015	47.9	505 of 855	40.9%	★★☆☆☆
2014	53.3	390 of 853	54.3%	★★★☆☆
2013	46.0	587 of 846	30.6%	★★☆☆☆
2012	24.6	696 of 820	15.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	45.0	494 of 818	39.6%	★★☆☆☆
2010	49.3	436 of 809	46.1%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2025	32.5	693 of 986	29.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	33.5	677 of 990	31.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	41.0	568 of 989	42.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	48.9	461 of 975	52.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	44.6	491 of 945	48.0%	★★☆☆☆
2019	49.9	423 of 926	54.3%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2025	48.1	428 of 843	49.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	45.6	445 of 853	47.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	54.4	336 of 865	61.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	68.0	186 of 858	78.3%	★★★★☆
2021	71.5	121 of 823	85.3%	★★★★☆
2019	63.4	196 of 821	76.1%	★★★★☆
2018	65.4	200 of 877	77.2%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2025	58.3	356 of 984	63.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	49.2	480 of 991	51.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	64.6	271 of 987	72.5%	★★★★☆
2022	50.7	430 of 980	56.1%	★★★☆☆
2021	45.9	456 of 941	51.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	62.7	261 of 916	71.5%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2025	47.8	242 of 618	60.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	28.9	432 of 582	25.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	53.6	164 of 528	68.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	25.9	360 of 447	19.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	43.8	178 of 369	51.8%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2025	34.5	557 of 840	33.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	31.3	609 of 847	28.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	39.0	518 of 852	39.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	43.5	451 of 844	46.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	35.0	561 of 844	33.5%	★★☆☆☆
2019	47.5	386 of 812	52.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	41.8	478 of 841	43.2%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Male (2025)64th percentile+17 vs school

Special Education (2025)61st percentile+14 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)49th percentile~ school

White (2025)34th percentile-13 vs school

Female (2025)30th percentile-17 vs school

By subject vs Tennessee (2024-2025) ?

Science49%+3 vs state

Mathematics42%~ state avg

English Language Arts34%-5 vs state

★

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Schools Near Carthage Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				TNReady Mathematics (2025)							TNReady English Language Arts (2025)							TNReady Science (2025)							TNReady Social Studies (2025)				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	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	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
Carthage Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	149 Skyline DR	Carthage	37030	Smith County	Smith County	No	No	No	Yes	(615) 735-0433	424	27	15.4		350 (82.5%)	11 (2.6%)	25 (5.9%)	5 (1.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (7.5%)	45.5	534^th of 1009 public elementary schools	47.1%		41.1	601^st of 1018 public elementary schools	41.0%	67	46.8	37.8					42.0	26.6	40.0					33.7	44.3	53.3					49.1					$13,775	$1,236	$11,486
Forks River Elementary	Public	PK, KG-8	611 Cookeville HWY	Elmwood	38560	Smith County	Smith County	No	No	No	Yes	(615) 897-2676	220	16	13.9		205 (93.2%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.6%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.7%)	54.6	423^rd of 1009 public elementary schools	58.1%		71.9	221^st of 1018 public elementary schools	78.3%	202	34.8	36.4	26.7	67.7	50.0	72.7	48.3	21.7	36.4	33.3	74.2	22.2	54.5	42.5	39.1	54.5	13.3	64.5	38.9	54.5	46.7	48.4	50.0	63.6	51.7	$12,818	$880	$10,841
Gordonsville Elementary School	Public	3-6	104 Main Street East	Gordonsville	38563	Smith County	Smith County	No	No	No	Yes	(615) 683-8252	312	18	17.3		281 (90.1%)	3 (1.0%)	15 (4.8%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	10 (3.2%)	74.7	196^th of 1009 public elementary schools	80.6%		73.4	207^th of 1018 public elementary schools	79.7%	11	67.6	60.9	58.6	41.7			57.1	66.2	59.4	42.9	50.0			53.3	66.2	54.7	53.5	51.4			56.1	52.8			52.8	$11,865	$691	$10,249
Defeated Elementary	Public	PK, KG-8	451 Defeated Creek HWY	Carthage	37030	Smith County	Smith County	No	No	No	Yes	(615) 774-3150	260	20	13.2		242 (93.1%)	2 (0.8%)	8 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.1%)	88.1	98^th of 1009 public elementary schools	90.3%		74.8	194^th of 1018 public elementary schools	80.9%	96	60.7	54.2	70.4	57.7	58.1	63.0	60.7	60.7	58.3	70.4	65.4	48.4	37.0	56.4	82.1	66.7	59.3	76.9	38.7	55.6	62.6	76.9	58.1	74.1	69.0	$12,018	$675	$10,452
New Middleton Elementary	Public	PK, KG-2	402 New Middleton HWY	Gordonsville	38563	Smith County	Smith County	No	No	No	Yes	(615) 683-8411	237	16	14.8		203 (85.7%)	3 (1.3%)	7 (3.0%)	4 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (8.4%)								(n/a)																										$13,655	$796	$11,733
Union Heights Elementary	Public	PK, KG-8	663 Lebanon HWY	Carthage	37030	Smith County	Smith County	No	No	No	Yes	(615) 735-1975	242	18	13.6		208 (86.0%)	3 (1.2%)	21 (8.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.1%)	54.3	427^th of 1009 public elementary schools	57.7%		45.5	537^th of 1018 public elementary schools	47.2%	110	28.0	40.0	52.2	75.0	33.3	34.5	42.5	40.0	40.0	30.4	50.0	16.7	20.7	32.2	48.0	56.0	34.8	55.0	20.8	24.1	39.0	45.0	20.8	27.6	30.1	$11,589	$604	$9,957
Tuckers Crossroads Elementary	Public	K-8	5905 Trousdale Ferry PIKE	Lebanon	37087	Wilson County	Wilson County	No	No	No	Yes	(615) 444-3956	368	32	11.5		291 (79.1%)	9 (2.4%)	52 (14.1%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (3.8%)	69.9	237^th of 1009 public elementary schools	76.5%		66.9	263^rd of 1018 public elementary schools	74.2%	26	52.5	59.3	50.0	63.9	60.6	57.1	56.7	40.0	66.7	37.0	47.2	39.4	23.7	40.9	50.0	55.6	56.5	50.0	81.3	60.5	58.4	66.7	87.5	68.4	73.6	$14,776	$1,125	$12,849
Trousdale County Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	115 Lock Six RD	Hartsville	37074	Trousdale County	Trousdale County	No	No	No	Yes	(615) 374-3752	693	46	14.9		564 (81.4%)	46 (6.6%)	52 (7.5%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (3.9%)	63.5	322^nd of 1009 public elementary schools	68.1%		63.2	308^th of 1018 public elementary schools	69.7%	14	57.3	51.4	41.8				50.0	57.3	60.0	41.8				52.6	52.1	51.4	36.9				46.5					$11,448	$985	$9,525
Watertown Elementary	Public	PK, KG-8	741 West Main ST	Watertown	37184	Wilson County	Wilson County	No	No	No	Yes	(615) 237-3821	565	38	14.8		480 (85.0%)	15 (2.7%)	37 (6.5%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	28 (5.0%)	57.1	394^th of 1009 public elementary schools	61.0%		61.5	333^rd of 1018 public elementary schools	67.3%	61	60.8	48.0	38.1				48.2	45.0	43.9	33.7				40.6	51.9	55.1	48.0				51.6					$12,021	$869	$10,507
Gainesboro Elementary	Public	PK, KG-3	611 Main ST	Gainesboro	38562	Jackson County	Jackson County	No	No	No	Yes	(931) 268-9775	331	24	13.7		312 (94.3%)	4 (1.2%)	9 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	3 (0.9%)	64.3	312^th of 1009 public elementary schools	69.1%		59.1	359^th of 1018 public elementary schools	64.7%	47	54.7						54.7	46.5						46.5	44.2						44.2					$12,948	$1,390	$10,536

Frequently Asked Questions about Carthage Elementary

Is Carthage Elementary a good school?

Carthage Elementary ranks 534^th of 1009 Tennessee elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Carthage Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 465 students attended Carthage Elementary.

What schools do graduates of Carthage Elementary attend?

Students who attend Carthage Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Smith County Middle School
High : Gordonsville High School
High : Smith County High School

What district is Carthage Elementary in?

Smith County

What is the racial makeup of Carthage Elementary?

Students at Carthage Elementary are 81% White, 9% Two or more races, 7% Hispanic, 2% African American.

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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.