Schools in Zip Code 37097

Zip code 37097 in rural Perry County, Tennessee, contains just one school: Lobelville Elementary School, a small Pre-K–8 campus serving 237 students and part of the Perry County Schools district, which ranks in the bottom quarter of Tennessee districts. This is a school on the rise: its state ranking jumped from the 10th percentile in 2023–2024 to the 44th percentile in 2025–2026, and its chronic absenteeism rate of 8.8% is less than half the state average of 18.3% — a clear sign that students are consistently showing up ready to learn.

Academically, the school is a mixed picture. In the 2025–2026 school year, proficiency rates across all grades were below state averages in every subject: 33.1% in math (state 43.0%), 32.3% in ELA (state 40.6%), 37.7% in science (state 46.9%), and 31.0% in social studies (state 51.4%). The strongest comparison is to its own district, where math and ELA scores are nearly identical, but the school trails more noticeably in science (37.7% vs. district 43.8%) and social studies (31.0% vs. district 36.8%). Science made a remarkable leap of 10.2 points year-over-year, and ELA improved by 3.4 points, but math declined by 3.5 points. Per-student spending is relatively high at $13,733, suggesting resources exist but outcomes have yet to fully reflect that investment.

The most telling pattern is the grade-level collapse. Third graders at Lobelville Elementary School outpace the state in ELA (71.4% vs. 44.9%), math (57.1% vs. 42.6%), and science (57.1% vs. 44.3%). By 8th grade, however, proficiency falls to 15.4% in ELA, science, and social studies, and 23.1% in math — all 15 to 32 points below state averages. Sixth grade also shows major gaps, especially in social studies (18.5% vs. 50.7% statewide). For parents, this school offers a warm, well-attended early elementary experience, but the middle-school years are a critical weakness. The biggest priority should be reversing the dramatic slide in grades 6–8, particularly in social studies and science, while building on the strong early foundation and excellent attendance culture.