Summary:
Zip code 38544 in Baxter, Tennessee, is served by four schools in the Putnam County Schools district, forming a complete PK-12 pipeline that enrolls 2,455 students across Baxter Primary School, Cornerstone Elementary School, Upperman Middle School, and Upperman High School.
Cornerstone Elementary is the clear academic standout, ranking in the 82nd percentile statewide with a 4-star rating and improving dramatically from the 51st percentile three years ago. Its proficiency rates are well above district and state averages in math, ELA, and science, and it has the lowest chronic absenteeism in the zip code at 11.3%. Upperman High is also on an upward trajectory, jumping from the 40th to 55th percentile, with a 91.2% graduation rate and a dropout rate of just 1.2% — far better than the state's 6.7%. However, Upperman Middle is the weakest link, sitting at only the 46th percentile with a 2-star rating and remaining flat for three years. Its ELA proficiency of 31.2% is well below the state average of 40.6%.
Attendance is a major concern at the secondary level: chronic absenteeism jumps from 11–14% at the elementary schools to 22–23% at the middle and high schools. Spending does not clearly predict performance — Baxter Primary spends the most at $16,234 per student but has no test data, while the highest-performing school spends a moderate $13,480. There is also a striking disconnect in Algebra I: accelerated middle schoolers posted a 91.7% proficiency rate while the high school's general Algebra I students managed just 7.8%. Overall, this is a mixed but improving area with strong elementary education, a rising high school, and a middle school that needs attention, particularly in ELA and attendance.
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