Summary:
Zip code 37181 contains a single public school—Vanleer Elementary School—a PK–5 elementary school in Vanleer, Tennessee, serving 269 students within Dickson County Schools. Vanleer Elementary stands out for its strong math (46.8% proficient) and English Language Arts (48.4% proficient) performance, both above the district and state averages for those subjects. Science proficiency (46.4%) is the relative weak spot, trailing the district's 53.4% average. Attendance is a clear asset, with only 8.8% of students chronically absent compared to 13.6% in the district and 18.3% statewide, and the school spends a robust $14,931 per student.
Looking at grade-level trends, 3rd grade is exceptionally strong—56.4% proficient in math, 61.5% in ELA, and 59.0% in science—all well above state benchmarks. However, 4th grade dips below the state in every subject, while 5th grade is mixed: strong in ELA (50.0%), right at the state average in math (47.4%), and slightly below in science. The school has shown significant year-over-year improvement, with math proficiency rising 13.5 points, science up 8.1 points, and ELA up 3.4 points between 2024–2025 and 2025–2026. This momentum helped the school jump from a rank of 572 to 434 out of roughly 1,000+ schools, moving from a 2-star to a 3-star rating.
For parents considering this area, Vanleer Elementary is a solid, upward-trending rural school. Its early-grade instruction is a standout, math and ELA outperform the state overall, and excellent attendance provides a strong foundation for learning. The main challenges are the 4th-grade slump across all subjects and science achievement that trails the district. Since the district ranks 54th out of 141 in Tennessee, Vanleer is performing competitively within a well-regarded district while clearly improving—a positive sign for families in the 37181 area.
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