Is Decatur County Middle School a good school?

Decatur County Middle School ranks 165 th of 587 Tennessee middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Decatur County Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 416 students attended Decatur County Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Decatur County Middle School?

Students at Decatur County Middle School are 86% White, 5% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 3% African American, 2% Asian.

What high school do graduates of Decatur County Middle School attend?

Students who attend Decatur County Middle School usually go on to attend Riverside High School

Decatur County Middle School

Summary:

Decatur County Middle School is a public middle school in Parsons, Tennessee, serving 426 students in grades 5-8. The school is part of the Decatur County School District, which is ranked 32 out of 139 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

Decatur County Middle School consistently outperforms the state average in mathematics, with 49.7% of students proficient or better, compared to the state average of 39.7%. However, the school's performance in English Language Arts is slightly below the state average. The school's science scores are strong, with 49.7% of students proficient or better, while social studies scores are slightly below the state average. The school has a predominantly white student population, with 87.09% of students identifying as white. Decatur County Middle School also has a strong performance among students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, ranking 62nd out of 502 Tennessee middle schools in 2023-2024.

Compared to nearby schools, Linden Middle School in Perry County has a similar racial makeup but consistently underperforms Decatur County Middle School in academic metrics. On the other hand, Lexington Middle School in Lexington has a more diverse student population and outperforms Decatur County Middle School in several academic areas, including English Language Arts, science, and social studies.

Detail:

Public 5-8

2740 Hwy 641 South
Parsons, TN 38363

(731) 847-6510

District: Decatur County

SchoolDigger Rank:
165^th of 587 Tennessee Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,106

Students who attend Decatur County Middle School usually attend:

High:

Riverside High School

Feeder schools for Decatur County Middle School:

Elementary:	Decaturville Elementary
	Parsons Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 11.7

Number of students: 416

Racial breakdown:

White:

85.8%

Hispanic:

4.6%

Two or more races:

3.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 54.8%

See top rated Tennessee middle schools

Compare Decatur County Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Decatur County Middle School ranks better than 71.9% of middle schools in Tennessee. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 66.06. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (85.8%), Hispanic (4.6%), two or more races (3.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Decatur County Middle School is 11.7. (See more...)

Compare Decatur County Middle School employs 35.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Decatur County Middle School is $11,106.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Decatur County Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Decatur County Middle School 165^th of 587 Tennessee public middle schools. (See Decatur County Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Decatur County:

SchoolDigger ranks Decatur County 23^rd of 140 Tennessee school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Decatur County Middle School?

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Rank History for Decatur County Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Decatur County Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TN State Percentile
2010	68.10	125^th	435	71.3%
2011	60.18	188^th	462	59.3%
2012	57.33	210^th	466	54.9%
2013	60.80	207^th	475	56.4%
2014	59.51	189^th	485	61.0%
2015	72.79	116^th	492	76.4%
2017	70.55	72^nd	362	80.1%
2018	58.60	192^nd	563	65.9%
2019	60.04	175^th	574	69.5%
2021	69.40	110^th	576	80.9%
2022	67.68	139^th	569	75.6%
2023	74.09	114^th	594	80.8%
2024	66.06	165^th	587	71.9%

See the entire list of Tennessee Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Decatur County Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TN State Percentile
2018	48.72	108^th	279	61.3%
2019	49.22	76^th	222	65.8%
2021	38.65	132^nd	238	44.5%
2022	50.20	78^th	260	70.0%
2023	38.13	149^th	288	48.3%
2024	31.70	206^th	299	31.1%

See the entire list of Best Tennessee Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Decatur County Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TN State Percentile
2018	66.06	100^th	481	79.2%
2019	72.81	60^th	490	87.8%
2021	75.98	47^th	483	90.3%
2022	77.27	56^th	495	88.7%
2023	83.29	33^rd	514	93.6%
2024	75.63	61^st	510	88.0%

See the entire list of Best Tennessee Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Decatur County Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TN State Percentile
2019	57.15	191^st	529	63.9%
2021	65.72	132^nd	538	75.5%
2022	65.58	141^st	552	74.5%
2023	70.71	128^th	560	77.1%
2024	67.63	141^st	554	74.5%

See the entire list of Best Tennessee Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Decatur County Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TN State Percentile
2019	61.86	150^th	523	71.3%
2021	69.40	102^nd	529	80.7%
2022	66.18	137^th	540	74.6%
2023	73.64	102^nd	557	81.7%
2024	61.76	178^th	560	68.2%

See the entire list of Best Tennessee Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Decatur County Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	46.98	125^th	293	57.3%

See the entire list of Best Tennessee Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for White students at Decatur County Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TN State Percentile
2018	52.46	198^th	481	58.8%
2019	55.63	170^th	484	64.9%
2021	62.09	146^th	496	70.6%
2022	60.67	153^rd	500	69.4%
2023	67.31	137^th	503	72.8%
2024	56.78	190^th	504	62.3%

See the entire list of Best Tennessee Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Tennessee Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Tennessee Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Decatur County Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	493	34	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	528
1989	479	30	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	-54	455
1990	463	27	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	491
1991	458	25	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	10	494
1992	473	26	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	500
1993	485	26	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	512
1994	526	25	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	551
1995	497	27	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	525
1996	497	27	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	525
1997	483	9	3	2	0	n/a	n/a	15	512
1998	484	20	1	6	0	n/a	n/a	1	512
1999	477	24	1	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	509
2000	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	517	517
2001	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	443	443
2002	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	477	477
2003	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	477	477
2004	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	501	501
2005	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	494	494
2006	447	27	0	8	1	n/a	n/a	0	483
2007	464	22	0	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	492
2008	455	19	2	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	483
2009	420	19	1	9	1	n/a	n/a	0	450
2010	415	17	1	14	1	n/a	n/a	0	448
2011	411	16	0	20	1	1	3	0	452
2012	421	22	2	25	0	0	0	0	470
2013	455	22	4	22	1	0	0	0	504
2014	448	23	2	21	1	0	1	0	496
2015	475	23	3	22	1	0	2	0	526
2016	492	22	2	19	0	0	2	0	537
2017	428	21	0	24	0	0	2	0	475
2018	433	15	0	25	3	0	2	0	478
2019	411	16	1	26	2	0	2	0	458
2020	411	11	2	26	2	0	6	0	458
2021	408	7	2	25	1	0	5	0	448
2022	365	7	5	24	2	0	10	0	413
2023	371	9	8	22	2	0	14	0	426
2024	357	12	10	19	2	0	16	0	416

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Decatur County Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	528	30.0	17.6	n/a
1989	455	30.0	15.1	n/a
1990	491	30.0	16.3	n/a
1991	494	28.0	17.6	n/a
1992	500	28.0	17.8	n/a
1993	512	28.0	18.3	n/a
1994	551	33.0	16.7	n/a
1995	525	32.0	16.4	n/a
1996	525	32.0	16.4	n/a
1997	512	n/a	0.0	n/a
1998	512	n/a	0.0	n/a
1999	509	n/a	0.0	n/a
2000	517	n/a	0.0	n/a
2001	443	n/a	0.0	n/a
2002	477	n/a	n/a	n/a
2003	477	n/a	n/a	n/a
2004	501	n/a	n/a	n/a
2005	494	n/a	n/a	n/a
2006	483	30.0	16.1	n/a
2007	492	33.0	14.9	23.2
2008	483	32.0	15.1	56.9
2009	450	33.7	13.4	58.7
2010	448	35.0	12.8	57.1
2011	452	32.0	14.1	56.6
2012	470	32.0	14.6	58.1
2013	504	32.0	15.7	56.2
2014	496	30.0	16.5	54.8
2015	526	29.0	18.1	55.3
2016	537	30.0	17.9	52.1
2017	475	32.0	14.8	n/a
2018	478	32.0	14.9	n/a
2019	458	31.0	14.7	n/a
2020	458	30.0	15.2	54.8
2021	448	32.3	13.8	n/a
2022	413	34.8	11.8	n/a
2023	426	33.7	12.6	n/a
2024	416	35.5	11.7	n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Decatur County Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	528	30.0	17.6	n/a
1989	455	30.0	15.1	n/a
1990	491	30.0	16.3	n/a
1991	494	28.0	17.6	n/a
1992	500	28.0	17.8	n/a
1993	512	28.0	18.3	n/a
1994	551	33.0	16.7	n/a
1995	525	32.0	16.4	n/a
1996	525	32.0	16.4	n/a
1997	512	n/a	0.0	n/a
1998	512	n/a	0.0	n/a
1999	509	n/a	0.0	n/a
2000	517	n/a	0.0	n/a
2001	443	n/a	0.0	n/a
2002	477	n/a	n/a	n/a
2003	477	n/a	n/a	n/a
2004	501	n/a	n/a	n/a
2005	494	n/a	n/a	n/a
2006	483	30.0	16.1	n/a
2007	492	33.0	14.9	23.2
2008	483	32.0	15.1	56.9
2009	450	33.7	13.4	58.7
2010	448	35.0	12.8	57.1
2011	452	32.0	14.1	56.6
2012	470	32.0	14.6	58.1
2013	504	32.0	15.7	56.2
2014	496	30.0	16.5	54.8
2015	526	29.0	18.1	55.3
2016	537	30.0	17.9	52.1
2017	475	32.0	14.8	n/a
2018	478	32.0	14.9	n/a
2019	458	31.0	14.7	n/a
2020	458	30.0	15.2	54.8
2021	448	32.3	13.8	n/a
2022	413	34.8	11.8	n/a
2023	426	33.7	12.6	n/a
2024	416	35.5	11.7	n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Decatur County Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$643 (7.0%)	$8,006 (87.3%)	$9,172
2020	$663 (7.3%)	$7,918 (87.3%)	$9,067
2021	$986 (10.2%)	$8,156 (84.4%)	$9,663
2022	$916 (8.6%)	$9,033 (84.8%)	$10,649
2023	$817 (7.4%)	$9,531 (85.8%)	$11,106

Data source: Tennessee Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Decatur County Middle School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 175^th of 574 Middle schools	Ranks 114^th of 594 Middle schools	11.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
5th Grade Mathematics (Decatur County Middle School)	34.2	50.5	16.3%
5th Grade Mathematics (Decatur County)	34.2	50.5	16.3%
5th Grade Mathematics (Tennessee)	46.2	41.3	4.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Decatur County Middle School)	27.9	45.1	17.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Decatur County)	27.9	45.1	17.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Tennessee)	35.2	37	1.8%
6th Grade Mathematics (Decatur County Middle School)	77.5	55.4	22.1%
6th Grade Mathematics (Decatur County)	77.5	55.4	22.1%
6th Grade Mathematics (Tennessee)	39	33.8	5.2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Decatur County Middle School)	40	45.5	5.5%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Decatur County)	40	45.5	5.5%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Tennessee)	33.4	35.9	2.5%
6th Grade Social Studies (Decatur County Middle School)	42.5	47.5	5%
6th Grade Social Studies (Decatur County)	42.5	47.5	5%
6th Grade Social Studies (Tennessee)	38	43.4	5.4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Decatur County Middle School)	59.3	54	5.3%
7th Grade Mathematics (Decatur County)	59.3	54	5.3%
7th Grade Mathematics (Tennessee)	33.6	35	1.4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Decatur County Middle School)	32.7	39.8	7.1%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Decatur County)	32.7	39.8	7.1%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Tennessee)	35.4	36.1	0.7%
7th Grade Social Studies (Decatur County Middle School)	51.3	48.7	2.6%
7th Grade Social Studies (Decatur County)	51.3	48.7	2.6%
7th Grade Social Studies (Tennessee)	43.2	46.9	3.7%
8th Grade Mathematics (Decatur County Middle School)	35.1	56.2	21.1%
8th Grade Mathematics (Decatur County)	35.1	56.2	21.1%
8th Grade Mathematics (Tennessee)	35.1	34	1.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Decatur County Middle School)	10.8	40	29.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Decatur County)	10.8	40	29.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Tennessee)	27.1	26.3	0.8%
8th Grade Social Studies (Decatur County Middle School)	23.4	33.3	9.9%
8th Grade Social Studies (Decatur County)	23.4	33.3	9.9%
8th Grade Social Studies (Tennessee)	41.5	41.6	0.1%
All Grades Mathematics (Decatur County Middle School)	52.1	54.1	2%
All Grades Mathematics (Decatur County)	54.2	49.5	4.7%
All Grades Mathematics (Tennessee)	40.8	38.1	2.7%
All Grades English Language Arts (Decatur County Middle School)	28.1	42.4	14.3%
All Grades English Language Arts (Decatur County)	31.3	41.8	10.5%
All Grades English Language Arts (Tennessee)	33.7	36.6	2.9%
All Grades Social Studies (Decatur County Middle School)	39.2	43.3	4.1%
All Grades Social Studies (Decatur County)	39.2	43.3	4.1%
All Grades Social Studies (Tennessee)	40.9	43.9	3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	458	426	7%
African American	16	9	43.8%
American Indian	2	2
Asian	1	8	700%
Hispanic	26	22	15.4%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	411	371	9.7%
Two or More Races	2	14	600%

Schools Near Decatur County Middle School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				TNReady Mathematics (2024)					TNReady English Language Arts (2024)					TNReady Science (2024)					TNReady Social Studies (2024)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	TNReady Mathematics 5th Grade	TNReady Mathematics 6th Grade	TNReady Mathematics 7th Grade	TNReady Mathematics 8th Grade	TNReady Mathematics All Grades	TNReady English Language Arts 5th Grade	TNReady English Language Arts 6th Grade	TNReady English Language Arts 7th Grade	TNReady English Language Arts 8th Grade	TNReady English Language Arts All Grades	TNReady Science 5th Grade	TNReady Science 6th Grade	TNReady Science 7th Grade	TNReady Science 8th Grade	TNReady Science All Grades	TNReady Social Studies 6th Grade	TNReady Social Studies 7th Grade	TNReady Social Studies 8th Grade	TNReady Social Studies All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Decatur County Middle School	Public	5-8	2740 Hwy 641 South	Parsons	38363	Decatur County	Decatur County	No	No	No	Yes	(731) 847-6510	416	36	11.7		357 (85.8%)	12 (2.9%)	19 (4.6%)	10 (2.4%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (3.8%)	66.1	165^th of 587 public middle schools	71.9%		74.1	114^th of 594 public middle schools	80.8%	51	35.6	59.6	54.3	51.4	49.7	29.8	43.8	40.4	21.9	33.4	50.0	58.4	45.7	45.7	49.7	46.1	53.2	28.6	42.0	$11,106	$817	$9,531
Lexington Middle School	Public	6-8	112 Airways	Lexington	38351	Henderson County	Lexington	No	No	No	Yes	(731) 968-8457	248	18	14.1		165 (66.5%)	38 (15.3%)	17 (6.9%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (10.5%)	82	74^th of 587 public middle schools	87.4%		86.4	54^th of 594 public middle schools	90.9%	20		47.0	40.5	53.7	47.3		54.2	43.2	28.9	42.1		61.4	78.4	59.8	66.1	68.7	60.8	69.5	66.5	$12,222	$1,675	$9,532
Linden Middle School	Public	5-8	130 College AVE	Linden	37096	Perry County	Perry County	No	No	No	Yes	(931) 589-5000	201	17	12.1		183 (91.0%)	2 (1.0%)	6 (3.0%)	1 (0.5%)	3 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.0%)	53.1	247^th of 587 public middle schools	57.9%		43.9	319^th of 594 public middle schools	46.3%	72	25.0	25.6	45.7	43.9	34.2	40.0	25.6	37.0	26.8	33.2	48.3	41.9	56.5	43.9	47.9	20.9	56.5	31.7	36.9	$15,564	$3,988	$10,904

Decatur County Middle School

Decatur County Middle School:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Decatur County:

What do you think?

Rank History for Decatur County Middle School

Rank History for all students at Decatur County Middle School

Rank History for Special Education students at Decatur County Middle School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Decatur County Middle School

Rank History for Female students at Decatur County Middle School

Rank History for Male students at Decatur County Middle School

Rank History for African American students at Decatur County Middle School

Rank History for White students at Decatur County Middle School

Enrollment information for Decatur County Middle School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Decatur County Middle School

Student/Teacher Ratio Decatur County Middle School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Decatur County Middle School

Impact of COVID-19 on Decatur County Middle School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Decatur County Middle School