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Mary Hughes School

Q: Is Mary Hughes School a good school?

Mary Hughes School ranks 337 th of 1019 Tennessee elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

337^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,019 Tennessee Elementary Schools

Better than 67% of Tennessee elementary schools

Summary

Mary Hughes School is a small PK–5 elementary school in Piney Flats, Tennessee, serving 333 students as part of Sullivan County Schools, a mid-tier district ranking in the 55th percentile statewide. For 2025–2026, the school ranks in the 67th percentile of Tennessee elementary schools, earning 3 stars — comfortably above its district's overall standing. Proficiency rates exceed district and state averages in math (52.1% vs. 39.8% district and 43.0% state) and science (55.6% vs. 44.5% and 46.9%), while ELA is slightly above average at 44.8%. This isn't a one-year blip; the school has beaten its district in math and science for four straight years. Perhaps most impressive is the long-term trajectory: Mary Hughes climbed from the 5th percentile in 2016–2017 to the upper third of the state over roughly eight years.

Attendance appears to be a hidden strength. Mary Hughes posted a 9.6% chronic absenteeism rate in 2024–2025 — less than half the district's 20.8% and far better than its closest same-district neighbor, Bluff City Elementary School, which sits at 21.0%. Bluff City also trails significantly in academics: Mary Hughes outperforms it by roughly 11 points in math, 5 in ELA, and 17 in science. Nearby schools with lower absenteeism include Lake Ridge Elementary School (6.0%) and North Side Elementary School (8.0%), but both are in higher-ranked Johnson City Schools.

The main area for improvement is upper-grade ELA: 5th-grade reading and writing proficiency is just 39%, below the state average of 42.7%. The school also shows volatility with economically disadvantaged students — 78th percentile in 2024–2025 but 17th in 2025–2026 — and special education performance jumped from 5th to 73rd percentile, a shift worth monitoring. Spending doesn't explain the outcomes: at $14,565 per student, Mary Hughes sits near the middle of nearby schools, while higher-spending North Side ($17,960) posts only somewhat better scores and lower-spending Bluff City ($13,452) posts much lower ones.

333

Students ?

14.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$14,565

Per pupil spending ?

49.5%

Free/discounted lunch ?

240 Austin Springs Road
Piney Flats, TN 37686

(423) 354-1835

District: Sullivan County Schools

Students who attend Mary Hughes School usually attend:

Middle:	Sullivan East Middle School
High:	Sullivan East High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

93.7%

Hispanic:

3.9%

Two or more races:

1.2%

See top rated Tennessee elementary schools

Compare Mary Hughes School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 29th percentile in 2015 → 67th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Tennessee average (51% vs 43% meeting standards)

✓Ranking is trending up — up 38 percentile points since 2015

✓Above the Tennessee median (67th percentile)

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school51%

District avg41%

Tennessee avg43%

337^th of 1,019

Tennessee public elementary schools ?

Top 33%▲ up 62 pts since 2017

From bottom 5% (2017) to top 33% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Tennessee Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

5^th of 10Elementary Schools in the Sullivan County Schools

63^rd of 141Sullivan 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)

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2026	62.6	337 of 1019	66.9%	★★★☆☆
2025	67.5	263 of 1009	73.9%	★★★★☆
2024	61.2	335 of 1018	67.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	53.6	424 of 1020	58.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	44.2	534 of 1000	46.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	32.8	646 of 983	34.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	23.3	794 of 985	19.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	22.9	803 of 997	19.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	15.1	612 of 646	5.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	39.3	608 of 855	28.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	43.2	528 of 853	38.1%	★★☆☆☆
2013	48.1	564 of 846	33.3%	★★☆☆☆
2012	51.8	435 of 820	47.0%	★★☆☆☆
2011	44.8	497 of 818	39.2%	★★☆☆☆
2010	31.4	616 of 809	23.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2025	66.0	264 of 986	73.2%	★★★★☆
2024	55.1	381 of 990	61.5%	★★★☆☆
2023	50.6	458 of 989	53.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	40.9	555 of 975	43.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	40.2	538 of 945	43.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	26.6	730 of 926	21.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2026	23.5	684 of 823	16.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	66.4	183 of 843	78.3%	★★★★☆
2022	24.4	714 of 858	16.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	9.7	810 of 821	1.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	27.8	708 of 877	19.3%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2025	64.6	284 of 984	71.1%	★★★★☆
2024	64.3	274 of 991	72.4%	★★★★☆
2023	54.3	403 of 987	59.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	52.3	402 of 980	59.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	29.9	652 of 941	30.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	22.1	757 of 916	17.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2026	57.5	173 of 641	73.0%	★★★★☆
2024	18.1	552 of 582	5.2%	☆☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2026	48.5	404 of 849	52.4%	★★★☆☆
2025	55.1	337 of 840	59.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	47.5	410 of 847	51.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	42.5	476 of 852	44.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	34.0	575 of 844	31.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	22.3	712 of 844	15.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	15.2	762 of 812	6.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	15.6	793 of 841	5.7%	☆☆☆☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2019	40.1	348 of 574	39.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	41.6	338 of 563	40.0%	★★☆☆☆
2017	43.7	233 of 362	35.6%	★★☆☆☆
2015	54.3	257 of 492	47.8%	★★☆☆☆
2014	31.8	380 of 485	21.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	49.7	303 of 475	36.2%	★★☆☆☆
2012	62.3	175 of 466	62.4%	★★★☆☆
2011	14.1	424 of 462	8.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	22.5	373 of 435	14.3%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

Elementary school

Female (2025)73rd percentile~ school

Special Education (2026)73rd percentile+6 vs school

Male (2025)71st percentile-3 vs school

White (2026)52nd percentile-15 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)17th percentile-50 vs school

By subject vs Tennessee (2025-2026) ?

Science56%+9 vs state

Mathematics52%+9 vs state

English Language Arts45%+4 vs state

5.0

2 ratings · 1 written review

5★2

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1★0

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What people are saying

by a parent
Thursday, February 18, 2016

An amazing school with a small private school feel. Great community support, heavy in tradition. This school is a special place. Close Quote

Schools Near Mary Hughes 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)				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 (2020)	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 All Grades	TNReady English Language Arts 3rd Grade	TNReady English Language Arts 4th Grade	TNReady English Language Arts 5th Grade	TNReady English Language Arts All Grades	TNReady Science 3rd Grade	TNReady Science 4th Grade	TNReady Science 5th Grade	TNReady Science All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Mary Hughes School	Public	PK, KG-5	240 Austin Springs Road	Piney Flats	37686	Sullivan County	Sullivan County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(423) 354-1835	352	24	14.9	49.5%	325 (92.3%)	1 (0.3%)	17 (4.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.3%)	62.6	337^th of 1019 public elementary schools	66.9%		67.5	263^rd of 1009 public elementary schools	73.9%	74	45.8	50.9	61.0	52.1	47.9	46.3	39.0	44.8	58.3	49.1	61.0	55.6	$14,565	$927	$12,876
Bluff City Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	282 Maple Drive	Bluff City	37618	Sullivan County	Sullivan County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(423) 354-1825	544	33	16.4		508 (93.4%)	3 (0.6%)	16 (2.9%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.6%)	41.6	623^rd of 1019 public elementary schools	38.9%		38.2	627^th of 1009 public elementary schools	37.9%	4	39.7	46.4	37.5	41.2	37.2	38.1	44.3	40.0	43.6	40.5	31.8	38.4	$13,452	$857	$11,659
Lake Ridge Elementary School	Public	K-5	1001 Lake Ridge Square	Johnson City	37601	Washington County	Johnson City Schools	No	No	No	No	(423) 610-6030	652	44	14.7	24.1%	502 (77.0%)	17 (2.6%)	73 (11.2%)	27 (4.1%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (4.8%)	96.6	35^th of 1019 public elementary schools	96.6%		96.3	39^th of 1009 public elementary schools	96.1%	4	69.3	82.9	89.4	80.3	71.1	81.0	85.6	79.0	72.8	84.6	89.4	82.1	$12,501	$352	$11,452
Central Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	252 Taylor Road	Johnson City	37601	Washington County	Carter County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(423) 547-4045	261	25	10.2		238 (91.2%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (5.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	9 (3.4%)	52	476^th of 1019 public elementary schools	53.3%		45	541^st of 1009 public elementary schools	46.4%	65	40.7	52.6	40.7	43.8	48.1	36.8	37.0	41.1	37.0	57.9	55.6	49.3	$14,801	$1,610	$12,500
West Side Elementary School	Public	K-5	1310 Burgie Street	Elizabethton	37643	Carter County	Elizabethton City Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(423) 547-8030	362	21	16.9	23.5%	324 (89.5%)	9 (2.5%)	12 (3.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (4.4%)	90.6	82^nd of 1019 public elementary schools	92.0%		93.6	59^th of 1009 public elementary schools	94.2%	23	56.0	76.5	67.6	67.7	70.0	82.4	60.3	71.0	60.0	88.2	70.6	74.2	$13,724	$759	$12,338
Fairmont Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1405 Lester Harris Road	Johnson City	37601	Washington County	Johnson City Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(423) 434-5275	555	40	13.9	55.6%	376 (67.7%)	42 (7.6%)	74 (13.3%)	15 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	48 (8.6%)	92.7	69^th of 1019 public elementary schools	93.2%		90.1	86^th of 1009 public elementary schools	91.5%	17	65.8	78.8	74.7	73.2	69.7	70.0	74.7	71.5	71.1	68.8	74.7	71.5	$14,167	$1,273	$12,121
Towne Acres Elementary School	Public	K-5	2310 Larkspur Drive	Johnson City	37604	Washington County	Johnson City Schools	No	No	No	No	(423) 854-4800	394	26	15.0	21.0%	294 (74.6%)	20 (5.1%)	30 (7.6%)	33 (8.4%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (4.1%)	98.4	12^th of 1019 public elementary schools	98.8%		98.7	6^th of 1009 public elementary schools	99.4%	6	80.0	92.0	91.8	87.7	79.2	92.0	85.2	85.6	74.7	89.3	86.9	83.4	$13,568	$372	$12,569
North Side Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1000 N Roan Street	Johnson City	37601	Washington County	Johnson City Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(423) 434-5249	357	29	12.3	73.3%	178 (49.9%)	58 (16.2%)	77 (21.6%)	6 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (10.6%)	78.8	166^th of 1019 public elementary schools	83.7%		88.2	97^th of 1009 public elementary schools	90.4%	69	37.5	75.5	78.9	61.9	60.0	69.8	55.3	62.3	48.2	69.8	63.2	59.9	$17,960	$1,831	$15,090
Harold McCormick Elementary School	Public	K-5	226 Cedar Avenue	Elizabethton	37643	Carter County	Elizabethton City Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(423) 547-8020	363	26	13.8		321 (88.4%)	7 (1.9%)	12 (3.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (6.1%)	55.5	433^rd of 1019 public elementary schools	57.5%		61.5	343^rd of 1009 public elementary schools	66.0%	90	26.5	58.2	41.7	41.0	36.8	65.5	45.8	48.4	39.7	67.3	50.0	51.4	$14,522	$710	$12,954
Mountain View Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	907 King Springs Road	Johnson City	37601	Washington County	Johnson City Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(423) 434-5260	488	37	13.3	90.3%	257 (52.7%)	77 (15.8%)	62 (12.7%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	87 (17.8%)	53.4	458^th of 1019 public elementary schools	55.1%		42.6	575^th of 1009 public elementary schools	43.0%	117	44.9	46.3	53.6	48.1	42.9	38.8	46.4	42.7	46.2	41.8	49.3	45.8	$15,530	$1,233	$13,236

Frequently Asked Questions about Mary Hughes School

How many students attend Mary Hughes School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 333 students attended Mary Hughes School.

What is the racial makeup of Mary Hughes School?

Students at Mary Hughes School are 94% White, 4% Hispanic, 1% Two or more races.

Is Mary Hughes School a good school?

Mary Hughes School ranks 337^th of 1019 Tennessee elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Mary Hughes School attend?

Students who attend Mary Hughes School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Sullivan East Middle School
High : Sullivan East High School

What district is Mary Hughes School in?

Sullivan County 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.