Summary:
Zip code 37097 is home to one elementary school, Lobelville Elementary School, which serves grades PK-8 in the rural Perry County area of Tennessee and is part of Perry County Schools.
For parents considering this school, the most encouraging news is the standout performance in early elementary grades. Lobelville’s 3rd graders far exceed both district and state averages, with 71.4% proficient in English Language Arts compared to 44.9% statewide, and 57.1% proficient in math versus 42.6% statewide. This suggests strong early literacy and math instruction. The school also has an impressively low chronic absenteeism rate of 8.8%, less than half the state average of 18.3%, indicating that students are engaged and attending school consistently. Additionally, Lobelville has shown dramatic improvement in its statewide ranking, jumping from the 10th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 44th percentile in 2025-2026, and improving from a 1-star to a 2-star rating.
However, the overall picture is mixed. When looking at all grades combined, Lobelville trails the state in every subject: math proficiency is 33.1% versus 43.0% statewide, ELA is 32.3% versus 40.6%, science is 37.7% versus 46.9%, and social studies is 31.0% versus 51.4%. The school also shows a clear pattern of decline as students advance. By 8th grade, proficiency drops to just 15.4% in ELA, science, and social studies, far below state averages. One notable exception is 7th grade social studies, where 61.1% of students are proficient, outperforming both the district and state. Year-to-year gains are positive in most subjects, especially science, which improved by 10.2 percentage points. Per-student spending is $13,733, a relatively high figure that may reflect the costs of running a small rural PK-8 school. While the early grades are a clear strength, targeted support for middle school students appears necessary to prevent further declines.
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