Summary:
Zip code 38556 (Jamestown, Tennessee) is served by two elementary schools—Pine Haven Elementary School and York Elementary School—both part of Fentress County Schools and serving grades PK–8. Pine Haven is the clear academic standout: it ranks 547th out of 1,019 Tennessee elementary schools (46th percentile) with a 2-star rating, while York ranks 839th (18th percentile) with a 1-star rating. Pine Haven outperforms York in every tested subject, often by wide margins—math proficiency is 36.9% versus 19.9%, and social studies is 51.5% versus 25.0%. Pine Haven even matches the state average in social studies (51.4%), an impressive feat for a school in a district ranked 110 out of 141 in Tennessee.
York spends considerably more per student yet gets far weaker results: $14,982 per student compared to Pine Haven’s $12,007, a difference of about 25%. Despite the higher spending, York trails its district average in all four subjects and sits in the bottom fifth of the state. Chronic absenteeism is a shared concern—19.3% at Pine Haven and 20.9% at York, both above the state rate of 18.3% and near the district’s 19.1%. Pine Haven finishes above the district in every subject, while York finishes below it, particularly in social studies (16.1 points below the district) and science (14.6 points below).
York’s middle grades are especially troubling: 6th grade math proficiency is just 5.4% (state: 40.1%), and 6th grade science is 13.5% (state: 48.0%). Pine Haven, by contrast, has clear strengths in social studies and 4th grade, though its 5th grade shows a notable dip in math, ELA, and science. Both schools lost ground in the latest state rankings—Pine Haven fell from the 54th to 46th percentile, while York dropped from the 32nd to 18th percentile. For parents, the choice is straightforward: Pine Haven offers stronger academics and better value, while York’s combination of high spending, low proficiency, and rising absenteeism warrants serious questions.
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