Summary:
Zip code 38363, in the Parsons, Tennessee area, contains two public schools: Parsons Elementary School serving grades PK–4 and Decatur County Middle School serving grades 5–8, with no high school in the immediate zip code. Both schools are part of Decatur County Schools, a district ranked 57th out of 141 Tennessee districts with a 3-star rating, placing it slightly above average statewide. Enrollment stands at 365 students at the elementary school and 424 at the middle school.
Decatur County Middle School is the clear standout. It ranks 155th out of 594 Tennessee middle schools, putting it in the 74th percentile with a 4-star rating for the third straight year. The school outperforms the state in all four tested subjects, with its biggest margins in science (+9.8 points) and social studies (+3.8 points). Its 8th-grade math proficiency of 63.2% towers over the state average of 38.3% — a nearly 25-point advantage — and 8th-grade ELA and science also significantly exceed state averages. The middle school spends $11,680 per student, while Parsons Elementary School spends $12,422 per student, about $742 more, despite lower performance.
Parsons Elementary School is the lower-performing school and has declined sharply, falling from a 3-star, 62nd-percentile ranking in 2023-2024 to a 2-star, 40th-percentile ranking in 2025-2026 — a drop of roughly 219 positions. It trails its own district in math and science, especially in 4th grade, where math proficiency is 36.7% versus 51.6% districtwide and science is 38.3% versus 48.4% districtwide. On a positive note, the elementary school posted solid year-over-year gains in math (+7.1 points) and ELA (+6.7 points). Chronic absenteeism is elevated at both schools — 19.6% at the middle school and 18.1% at the elementary school, compared to the district rate of 15.3%. Overall, the middle school is a genuine bright spot, while the elementary school warrants targeted attention in upper-elementary math and science.
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