Collinwood Middle School

Collinwood Middle School is a small public school in Collinwood, Tennessee, serving 238 students in grades 5–8 as part of Wayne County Schools. While the district ranks in the bottom quarter of Tennessee districts, Collinwood Middle sits in the 38th percentile statewide (2 stars) and has remained fairly stable in the lower-middle range over the past several years, with its best recent showing in the 2024–2025 school year.

For parents comparing local options, Collinwood Middle is the clear academic leader in the county, outperforming Waynesboro Middle School in every subject area. In math, 28.6% of Collinwood students are proficient compared to 13.2% at Waynesboro, and in English language arts the gap is nearly as wide (32.3% vs. 17.8%). The school is actually competitive with the state in several specific subjects — 6th and 7th grade social studies, 7th grade ELA, and 7th grade science all meet or exceed Tennessee averages. The biggest weakness is 8th grade, where math proficiency drops to 19.1% and social studies falls to 27.9%, far below state averages. Science is also uneven, with 6th grade (23.6%) dramatically below the state mark of 48.0%.

Beyond test scores, Collinwood has some notable strengths. Chronic absenteeism is just 11.7% — well below the state's 18.3% and Waynesboro's 19.0% — and the school cut its rate in half over two years. Special education students rank in the 54th percentile statewide, and students from low-income families have climbed from the 19th percentile to the 62nd percentile over the past three years. The school spends about $12,648 per student, slightly more than Waynesboro, with a favorable student-to-teacher ratio near 13:1. While overall rankings show room for growth, Collinwood's progress in supporting economically disadvantaged students and its strong attendance make it a bright spot within an underperforming district.