Schools in Zip Code 38008

Zip code 38008 in Bolivar, TN, is served by three public schools—covering grades PK through 12—all part of Hardeman County Schools, a district ranked 129th out of 141 in Tennessee. Total enrollment across the three schools is 1,623 students: Bolivar Elementary School (670 students, PK–5), Bolivar Middle School (290 students, 6–8), and Central High School (663 students, 9–12). Unfortunately, every school in this zip code scores below the Tennessee state average in nearly all subjects, and the district carries a 0-star rating.

The biggest academic warning sign is at Bolivar Middle School, where only 12.2% of students are proficient in math—a striking 30.8-point gap from the state average. Seventh grade math proficiency is just 7.7%, meaning fewer than 1 in 10 students meet state standards. Central High also struggles with attendance: 28.3% of students are chronically absent, which is nearly 10 points higher than the state average and likely contributes to its graduation rate of 84.4% (compared to 90.5% statewide). On the positive side, Bolivar Elementary School is a clear standout within the district. It is the only school that outperforms its district average in math and ELA, posting 29.5% and 31.7% proficiency respectively, and it showed strong year-over-year gains in every subject—including an impressive +8.9 point jump in ELA.

Compared to the middle and high schools, Bolivar Elementary also spends the most per student ($14,241) and has seen its state rank improve from the 17th to the 22nd percentile. Bolivar Middle, despite spending more than the high school, saw its math proficiency drop by 4.7 points last year, while Central High showed mixed results with strong gains in Biology I (+7.9) but declines in Geometry (-5.1) and English I (-3.5). All three schools now hold a 1-star rating, and the upward trend in state rankings suggests slow progress. For parents, the priorities are clear: intensive math support at the middle school level, attendance interventions at Central High, and replicating the successful instructional strategies already working at Bolivar Elementary.