Summary:
Zip code 38006 contains exactly one public school: Bells Elementary School, a PK–5 elementary school with 407 students that serves as the sole public education option in the area and is part of Bells City Schools. With no middle or high schools in the zip code, families seeking secondary options must look outside the immediate area, making Bells Elementary the educational foundation for the community.
As the only school in 38006, Bells Elementary stands out by default, but its internal patterns tell a more nuanced story. The 4th grade is a clear bright spot: in 2025–2026, 4th graders outperformed the state in all three tested subjects (57.8% proficient in math vs. 49.4% statewide, 53.1% in ELA vs. 47.4%, and 51.6% in science vs. 50.1%). In contrast, 5th graders fell well below state averages, especially in science (29.2% vs. 46.5%) and math (33.3% vs. 47.4%). Overall, the school's math proficiency dropped sharply from 57.9% in 2024–2025 to 41.1% in 2025–2026, and its state ranking declined from the 72nd percentile with 4 stars in 2023–2024 to the 47th percentile with 2 stars in 2025–2026.
There are several positive indicators worth noting. The school's chronic absenteeism rate of 9.5% is well below the Tennessee average of 18.3%, and the district rate of 3.7% is remarkably low, suggesting strong attendance is a district-wide strength. Per-student spending is $12,173, which is relatively robust, though outcomes are mixed. The district ranks in the 35th percentile of Tennessee districts, while the school itself ranks in the 47th percentile of all schools, indicating that Bells Elementary is a relative strength within a weaker overall district. However, the recent decline in ranking and math proficiency, combined with weak 5th-grade science and math scores, signals challenges that warrant attention. The strong 4th-grade results demonstrate that success is achievable, but the school is no longer performing at the level it did just a few years ago.
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