Summary:
Zip code 37144 in Petersburg, Tennessee, is served by a single school — Unity School — which covers grades Pre-K through 8th grade and enrolls 431 students within the Lincoln County Schools district. This makes Unity School the only educational option in the area, functioning as both an elementary and middle school for the community.
Unity School is a high-performing school that consistently beats both its district and the state in most subjects. For 2025–2026, it ranks 208th out of 1,019 Tennessee schools, placing it in the top 20% with a 4-star rating. Its ranking has improved every year, jumping from 285th to 208th in a single year. In math, 51.7% of students are proficient, compared to 49.3% for the district and 43.0% statewide. English Language Arts proficiency is 50.0%, well above the district’s 43.1% and the state’s 40.6%. Science (56.3%) and social studies (58.4%) also exceed both district and state averages. The school’s biggest strengths are in the early grades: 3rd grade ELA proficiency is 63.3%, and 4th grade science reaches an impressive 70%. The 7th grade social studies rate of 69.1% is also a standout. However, 8th grade is a relative weak spot, especially in ELA (29.8%) and math (38.3%), indicating a dip as students approach the end of the K–8 pathway.
Attendance is another positive factor. Unity School’s chronic absenteeism rate is 14.8%, lower than the district’s 17.0% and the state’s 18.3%. Per-student spending is $11,553. While the school’s middle school grades show some challenges, the overall picture is of a steadily improving, 4-star school that offers a strong academic foundation through 8th grade for families in Petersburg.
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