Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 38320

Zip code 38320 (Camden, TN) contains two elementary schools — Camden Elementary School (PK–2) and Briarwood School (3–5) — that together form a single split elementary program within Benton County Schools, a district ranked in the bottom 21st percentile of Tennessee districts. Because Camden Elementary serves the youngest students, it has no state test scores or ranking; all academic measures come from Briarwood, which is the academic standout of the two by default and performs considerably better than its district overall.

Briarwood School consistently outpaces the district on TNReady tests — in 2025–2026 it scored 37.6% proficient in math, 36.3% in ELA, and 41.2% in science versus district rates of 32.8%, 30.6%, and 40.8% — though it still trails state averages. Its biggest bright spot is 5th grade science at 55% proficiency, well above the state’s 46.5%, while 4th grade is a clear weak point, especially science at just 28.6% versus the state’s 50.1%. Briarwood’s state ranking has held steady in the upper-middle range (37th–41st percentile, 2 stars) across the past three years. Camden Elementary, lacking test data, can only be compared on other metrics: it has a slightly higher chronic absenteeism rate (17.1% vs. Briarwood’s 15.1%, both below the state’s 18.3%) and marginally higher per-student spending ($13,060 vs. $13,021).

Year-over-year, Briarwood saw a sharp 7.7-point drop in math proficiency (45.3% to 37.6%) but a strong 6.0-point gain in science (35.2% to 41.2%), with ELA essentially flat. While the district overall struggles, Briarwood punches above its district’s reputation, particularly in upper-grade science, and both schools benefit from similar funding. The lack of free/reduced-price lunch data and student-teacher ratios limits a full comparison, but for parents the key takeaway is that this zip code offers one continuous PK–5 system, with Briarwood providing the only measurable academic evidence — and that evidence shows a school that beats its district but only occasionally matches Tennessee’s state averages.