Summary:
Zip code 38478 in Pulaski, Tennessee, is served by four public schools in the Giles County Schools district, which ranks 90th of 141 districts statewide with a 2-star rating, and enrolls about 1,872 students across a clear PK-12 feeder pattern: Pulaski Elementary School serves grades PK-2, Southside Elementary School serves grades 3-5, Bridgeforth Middle School serves grades 6-8, and Giles County High School serves grades 9-12. Because Pulaski Elementary serves only the youngest students, it has no test-based ranking, so academic comparisons must focus on the other three schools, which all fall below state averages in most subjects.
Southside Elementary School is the clear standout, earning the highest rank in the zip code (42nd percentile, 2 stars) and posting the only subject scores at or near state proficiency — its 5th grade science rate of 58.3% beats the state's 46.5%. It also has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate in the area at 9.5%. Bridgeforth Middle School sits in the middle with a 36th-percentile rank and bright spots like 6th grade social studies (52.4% proficiency), though its 7th grade math and ELA proficiency is just 22.7%. Giles County High School presents a paradox: a strong 96.0% graduation rate but weak test scores, including only 9.9% proficiency in Algebra I and 12.5% in U.S. History.
A major red flag is chronic absenteeism at Giles County High School (23.4%), far above the district average of 14.1% and the state's 18.3%, and likely tied to its academic struggles. Spending also varies widely within the district: Pulaski Elementary School spends $15,999 per student, about $4,240 more than the high school's $11,759, with no test data to judge the return. The clean feeder system means students change schools frequently, which may help explain achievement dips seen in 4th and 7th grades. Overall, families moving to zip code 38478 should expect a moderate-to-low performing district with one solid elementary option and significant challenges at the high school level.
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