Top Rankings
Polk County School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Tennessee for:
Category
Attribute
Student Attention
Lowest student:teacher ratio (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 3 public preschools serving 1,052 students in Polk County School District. This district's average pre testing ranking is 6/10, which is in the top 50% of public pre schools in Tennessee.
Public Preschools in Polk County School District have an average math proficiency score of 42% (versus the Tennessee public pre school average of 41%), and reading proficiency score of 37% (versus the 37% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 4% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the Tennessee public preschool average of 42% (majority Black).
Overview
This School District
This State (TN)
# Schools
7 Schools
890 Schools
# Students
2,131 Students
417,431 Students
# Teachers
159 Teachers
28,312 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
13:1
13:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Polk County School District, which is ranked within the top 50% of all 147 school districts in Tennessee (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 87% has decreased from 95% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#71 out of 147 school districts
(Top 50%)
(Top 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
33%
34%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
36%
37%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
41%
40%
Graduation Rate
87%
90%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.09
0.61
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
% Asian
1%
2%
% Hispanic
2%
14%
% Black
1%
21%
% White
95%
58%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
1%
5%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $11,594 in this school district is less than the state median of $11,979. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $11,043 is less than the state median of $11,478. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$25 MM
$12,104 MM
Spending
$24 MM
$11,597 MM
Revenue / Student
$11,594
$11,979
Spending / Student
$11,043
$11,478
Best Polk County School District Public Preschools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Benton Elementary School
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 40-44%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
215 Schoolhouse Hill Rd
Benton, TN 37307
(423) 299-0090
Benton, TN 37307
(423) 299-0090
Grades: PK-5
| 395 students
Rank: #22.
South Polk Elementary School
(Math: 40-44% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
964 Old Federal Rd
Old Fort, TN 37362
(423) 338-4512
Old Fort, TN 37362
(423) 338-4512
Grades: PK-5
| 341 students
Rank: #33.
Copper Basin Elementary School
(Math: 35-39% | Reading: 30-34%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
206 Cougar Dr
Copperhill, TN 37317
(423) 496-3271
Copperhill, TN 37317
(423) 496-3271
Grades: PK-6
| 316 students
Recent Articles

The 15 Biggest Failures of the American Public Education System
The world is in a constant state of change and those who fail to adjust fall behind. Unfortunately, the American public education system has not kept up with the times and is currently facing a number of serious problems. Keep reading to learn about the biggest failures affecting the modern U.S. public education system as well as some of the trends that could spark change.

Florida Governor Calls for More Funding for State鈥檚 Public School System
Florida Governor Rick Scott has introduced a state budget for next year that pumps one billion more dollars into the public school system. We鈥檒l look at his reasons for the increase and the responses to the proposal.

Can Your Child鈥檚 School Meet the National Standards?
The article discusses the challenges public schools face in meeting national educational standards. It examines current performance trends, identifies key issues affecting student achievement, and explores potential solutions for improving academic outcomes across U.S. public schools.