Schools in Zip Code 37216

Zip code 37216 in Nashville, Tennessee contains 7 schools serving students from pre-K through 12th grade across 3 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 2 high schools — all part of Metro Nashville Public Schools, a district ranked 126th out of 141 in Tennessee. This zip code holds two very different school realities: elementary and middle schools with some genuine bright spots, alongside high schools facing significant challenges with graduation rates and chronic absenteeism.

The clear standout is Dan Mills Elementary School, which ranks in the 87th percentile statewide (4 stars) and exceeds state averages in math, ELA, and science proficiency, all while spending less per student than several lower-performing peers. East End Preparatory School and Isaac Litton Middle School both show notable strength in middle-grades advanced math — 8th-grade Integrated Math I proficiency of 55% and 57.1%, respectively, versus the state average of 30.2% — though their overall ranks sit at the 37th percentile. Among the two high schools, Stratford STEM Magnet School outperforms Maplewood High School across every major metric, including graduation rate (77.0% vs. 71.2%), dropout rate (21.9% vs. 26.9%), and chronic absenteeism (50.1% vs. 57.7%).

Chronic absenteeism sharply divides the zip code, with the two high schools above 50% while most elementary and middle schools range from 6.5% to 20.6%. However, low absenteeism alone does not guarantee academic success, as Liberty Collegiate Academy has the best attendance rate (6.5%) but still struggles on proficiency tests. Spending also does not predict outcomes: East End Prep spends the most at $25,770 per student, while Dan Mills spends $17,384 and dramatically outperforms it. Maplewood showed meaningful year-over-year gains in English, science, and history in 2025-26, suggesting recent momentum despite its low overall ranking.