Summary:
Zip code 38565 is home to just one elementary school, South Fentress Elementary School, which serves grades PK-8 and enrolls 561 students in the Fentress County Schools district.
South Fentress Elementary is currently a 1-star school that has declined sharply over the past two years. Its statewide percentile ranking fell from the 54th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 29th percentile in 2025-2026, dropping from 3 stars to 1 star. In 2025-2026, math proficiency was 25.6%, far below the state's 43.0%, with 5th grade math particularly alarming at just 13.3% proficient compared to the state's 47.4%. English Language Arts also fell from 40.3% to 32.4% in one year, dipping below the state average of 40.6%. Social Studies proficiency was 37.5%, trailing the state by nearly 14 points, and 6th grade social studies showed a 22.6-point gap. The one bright spot academically is science, where the school's 43.1% proficiency is close to the state's 46.9% and actually exceeds the district's 40.3%.
On a positive note, the school has a chronic absenteeism rate of 16.1%, which is better than both the district (19.1%) and the state (18.3%). Spending per student is $11,983. While the school outperforms its low-ranked district in some areas, such as 3rd and 7th grade math and 6th and 8th grade science, the overall trend is concerning. The strongest needs are in upper-elementary math, middle-grade ELA, and 6th grade social studies. Regular attendance and relative strength in science provide a solid foundation, but targeted interventions will be needed to reverse the downward trajectory.
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