Best Public Schools in Zip Code 37023

In zip code 37023 (Big Rock, TN), there is exactly one school: North Stewart Elementary School, a public elementary school serving grades PK–5 with an enrollment of 464 students. As the only school in the area, its performance essentially represents the entire zip code. It belongs to Stewart County Schools, a district ranked 40th out of 141 districts in Tennessee with a 4-star rating. The school itself currently holds a 3-star rating, ranking 456th out of 1,019 elementary schools statewide. That marks a strong rebound from the previous year, when it ranked 551st with a 2-star rating — an improvement of 95 positions in a single year.

Academically, North Stewart Elementary outperforms the Tennessee state average in all three tested subjects. Proficiency rates are 44.3% in math (vs. 43.0% statewide), 45.8% in English language arts (vs. 40.6%), and 47.8% in science (vs. 46.9%). The school also improved from the prior year in every subject, with science making an impressive jump of 11.8 percentage points — from 36% to 47.8%. However, the school trails its own district average in all three subjects. Grade-level results show a notable bright spot in 4th-grade science at 59.2% proficiency, while 3rd grade appears to be a relative weak point, especially in ELA (37.1%) and science (33.9%). Chronic absenteeism stands at 13.8%, which is lower than both the district (14.3%) and the state (18.3%).

For parents, the picture is one of a solid, improving school that is slightly above state averages but with room to grow relative to its district. The strong science gains, healthy attendance, and upward ranking trend are encouraging signs. The lower 3rd-grade scores suggest early elementary reading and science support could be a focus area. Per-student spending is $12,535, though data on free/reduced lunch and student-teacher ratio was not available, which limits a fuller context. Overall, North Stewart Elementary is a good single-school community option that has demonstrated meaningful progress in recent years.