Summary:
Zip code 38469 (Loretto, TN) is served by two public schools in Lawrence County Schools, covering grades PK–8 at South Lawrence Elementary School and grades 9–12 at Loretto High School. Both schools currently hold 4-star statewide ratings, but they present very different academic profiles. South Lawrence Elementary ranks in the 80th percentile (202 out of 1019 schools) and has improved its ranking two years in a row, while Loretto High ranks in the 73rd percentile (107 out of 400 high schools) after a slight dip from last year but a strong overall upward trend since 2023-24.
South Lawrence Elementary outperforms both district and state averages in math, English language arts, and science, with particularly strong 3rd grade scores in math (76%) and science (76%). It also posted solid year-over-year gains in math (+7.3 points), ELA (+7.8), and science (+6.3). The one weak spot is social studies, especially 6th grade social studies at just 22.6% proficiency—far below the district (43.0%) and state (50.7%). Chronic absenteeism is low at 12.7% versus the state average of 18.3%, and per-student spending is $11,649. Loretto High School, by contrast, is strong in English (English I and II at or above state averages) but lags district and state in Algebra I, Biology I, and Geometry. It saw large swings this year, including a 10.8-point drop in English II and a 9.2-point gain in Geometry. The high school spends $13,272 per student but shows weaker math/science results relative to the elementary school’s consistent outperformance.
The most alarming finding for Loretto High is its 2024-25 graduation rate of 15.8%, which is extraordinarily low compared to the district (62.6%) and state (90.5%) and appears inconsistent with its 8.3% dropout rate—a discrepancy that strongly suggests a data reporting error or an extremely small cohort. Parents should verify this figure with the school before drawing conclusions. On a positive note, chronic absenteeism at Loretto High is just 9.8%, well below state and district levels, which is a good sign for student engagement. While the two schools serve different grade spans, South Lawrence Elementary is the stronger performer academically relative to state benchmarks, and it is on a clear upward trajectory. Loretto High shows strengths in English and overall rising rankings, but its math/science weaknesses and questionable graduation data warrant closer attention.
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