Salem Elementary School

Q: Is Salem Elementary School a good school?

Salem Elementary School ranks 290 th of 1018 Tennessee elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Salem Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, serving grades PK-6 with a total enrollment of 968 students. The school is part of the Murfreesboro District, which is ranked 77 out of 139 districts in Tennessee and is rated 2 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Salem Elementary School stands out for its diverse student population, with a racial makeup of 56.51% White, 21.9% African American, 7.85% Hispanic, 5.48% Asian, and 8.06% two or more races. Academically, the school has consistently performed better than the Murfreesboro District and the state of Tennessee, with higher proficiency rates in Mathematics (49.7% vs. 45.6% for Murfreesboro and 39.7% for Tennessee), English Language Arts (49.5% vs. 42% for Murfreesboro and 37.6% for Tennessee), and Science (49.9% vs. 44% for Murfreesboro and 44% for Tennessee). The school also ranks highly in the state for the performance of African American, Hispanic, and White student subgroups in Mathematics.

While Salem Elementary School outperforms many of its peers in the Murfreesboro District, it faces some challenges in addressing the performance gaps of certain student subgroups, such as Asian students and English Language Learners. Additionally, when compared to nearby schools in the Rutherford County District, like Discovery School and Rockvale Elementary, Salem Elementary School's academic performance, while strong, is not as exceptional. Nevertheless, the school's higher spending per student and lower student-teacher ratio may be contributing factors to its success.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

3275 St. Bernard DR
Murfreesboro, TN 37128

(615) 893-2313

District: Murfreesboro

SchoolDigger Rank:
290^th of 1,018 Tennessee Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,642

Student/teacher ratio: 16.1

Number of students: 965

Racial breakdown:

White:

55.3%

African American:

19.3%

Hispanic:

11.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 32%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Salem Elementary School ranks better than 71.5% of elementary schools in Tennessee. It also ranks 4^th among 13 ranked elementary schools in the Murfreesboro School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 64.47. (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 (55.3%), African American (19.3%), Hispanic (11.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Salem Elementary School is 16.1. 11 elementary schools in the Murfreesboro School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Salem Elementary School employs 59.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Salem Elementary School is $10,642. 10 elementary schools in the Murfreesboro School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Salem Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Salem Elementary School 290^th of 1018 Tennessee public elementary schools. (See Salem Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Asian students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Murfreesboro:

SchoolDigger ranks Murfreesboro 77^th of 140 Tennessee school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Salem Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Salem Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TN State Percentile
2021	46.38	481^st	983	51.1%
2022	61.48	313^th	1000	68.7%
2023	68.65	246^th	1020	75.9%
2024	64.47	290^th	1018	71.5%

See the entire list of Tennessee Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Salem Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	25.81	154^th	178	13.5%

See the entire list of Best Tennessee Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Salem Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TN State Percentile
2021	25.84	302^nd	369	18.2%
2022	24.47	377^th	447	15.7%
2023	37.78	305^th	528	42.2%
2024	50.43	213^th	582	63.4%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Salem Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TN State Percentile
2021	29.61	603^rd	823	26.7%
2022	52.69	354^th	858	58.7%
2023	70.40	161^st	865	81.4%
2024	60.62	259^th	853	69.6%

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

Rank History for Female students at Salem Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TN State Percentile
2021	49.74	419^th	945	55.7%
2022	59.77	324^th	975	66.8%
2023	69.79	226^th	989	77.1%
2024	62.25	307^th	990	69.0%

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

Rank History for Male students at Salem Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TN State Percentile
2021	41.86	502^nd	941	46.7%
2022	59.56	308^th	980	68.6%
2023	64.05	281^st	987	71.5%
2024	63.83	282^nd	991	71.5%

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

Rank History for Asian students at Salem Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TN State Percentile
2022	18.82	45^th	55	18.2%
2023	19.94	47^th	57	17.5%
2024	26.10	45^th	55	18.2%

See the entire list of Best Tennessee Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Salem Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TN State Percentile
2021	56.63	124^th	411	69.8%
2022	67.10	102^nd	483	78.9%
2023	82.17	58^th	500	88.4%
2024	63.79	139^th	498	72.1%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Salem Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TN State Percentile
2022	54.83	130^th	363	64.2%
2023	90.64	33^rd	387	91.5%
2024	73.86	86^th	415	79.3%

See the entire list of Best Tennessee Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Salem Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TN State Percentile
2021	50.83	349^th	844	58.6%
2022	62.69	248^th	844	70.6%
2023	62.18	243^rd	852	71.5%
2024	64.34	241^st	847	71.5%

See the entire list of Best Tennessee Elementary 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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Monday, April 26, 2021

This school has a STEM focus. Lots of thinking out of the box and hands on learning. The principal, teacher and staff are all incredible. They love what they are doing and it shows. We chose not to sell our house as planned to keep our children in this school. The PTO is fantastic and parental involvement is good. We are proud to be Salem Saints! Close Quote

Enrollment information for Salem Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2020	422	219	33	54	0	0	66	794
2021	470	261	39	56	1	0	69	896
2022	595	282	47	77	0	1	99	1101
2023	547	212	53	76	0	2	78	968
2024	534	186	53	108	0	0	84	965

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 Salem Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2020	794	49.0	16.2	32
2021	896	55.6	16.0	n/a
2022	1101	63.6	17.2	n/a
2023	968	61.5	15.7	n/a
2024	965	59.8	16.1	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 Salem Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2020	794	49.0	16.2	32
2021	896	55.6	16.0	n/a
2022	1101	63.6	17.2	n/a
2023	968	61.5	15.7	n/a
2024	965	59.8	16.1	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 Salem Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2020	$181 (2.0%)	$8,177 (91.5%)	$8,937
2021	$649 (6.7%)	$8,614 (88.5%)	$9,735
2022	$879 (9.0%)	$8,308 (85.2%)	$9,747
2023	$729 (6.9%)	$9,420 (88.5%)	$10,642

Data source: Tennessee Department of Education

Schools Near Salem Elementary 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 3rd Grade	TNReady Mathematics 4th Grade	TNReady Mathematics 5th Grade	TNReady Mathematics 6th Grade	TNReady Mathematics All Grades	TNReady English Language Arts 3rd Grade	TNReady English Language Arts 4th Grade	TNReady English Language Arts 5th Grade	TNReady English Language Arts 6th Grade	TNReady English Language Arts All Grades	TNReady Science 3rd Grade	TNReady Science 4th Grade	TNReady Science 5th Grade	TNReady Science 6th Grade	TNReady Science All Grades	TNReady Social Studies 6th Grade	TNReady Social Studies All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Salem Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	3275 St. Bernard DR	Murfreesboro	37128	Rutherford County	Murfreesboro	No	No	No	No	(615) 893-2313	965	60	16.1		534 (55.3%)	186 (19.3%)	108 (11.2%)	53 (5.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	84 (8.7%)	64.5	290^th of 1018 public elementary schools	71.5%		68.6	246^th of 1020 public elementary schools	75.9%	44	37.6	66.5	52.8	27.8	49.7	39.2	64.4	52.0	29.6	49.5	43.9	59.6	48.0	42.6	49.9	22.2	22.2	$10,642	$729	$9,420
Scales Elementary School	Public	K-5	2340 St. Andrews DR	Murfreesboro	37128	Rutherford County	Murfreesboro	No	No	No	No	(615) 895-5279	963	67	14.4		426 (44.2%)	224 (23.3%)	188 (19.5%)	40 (4.2%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	82 (8.5%)	36	665^th of 1018 public elementary schools	34.7%		51.9	450^th of 1020 public elementary schools	55.9%	215	32.1	37.0	35.7		35.1	35.7	34.8	30.7		33.8	40.7	29.3	33.1		34.1			$10,506	$833	$8,987
Cason Lane Academy	Public	PK, KG-6	1330 Cason LN	Murfreesboro	37128	Rutherford County	Murfreesboro	No	No	No	Yes	(615) 898-7145	869	57	15.1		329 (37.9%)	253 (29.1%)	149 (17.1%)	32 (3.7%)	3 (0.3%)	2 (0.2%)	101 (11.6%)	36.5	657^th of 1018 public elementary schools	35.5%		33.2	691^st of 1020 public elementary schools	32.3%	34	39.0	29.4	40.6	13.9	34.0	34.0	39.2	35.6	16.7	34.2	42.9	30.4	33.7	19.4	34.0	19.4	19.4	$12,072	$993	$10,400
Rockvale Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	6550 Hwy 99	Rockvale	37153	Rutherford County	Rutherford County	No	No	No	No	(615) 904-3881	983	61	16.0		721 (73.3%)	83 (8.4%)	120 (12.2%)	15 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	43 (4.4%)	68.8	244^th of 1018 public elementary schools	76.0%		80.4	144^th of 1020 public elementary schools	85.9%	100	40.3	65.3	52.7		52.0	41.5	70.1	44.3		51.0	48.9	63.3	42.5		51.0			$10,765	$620	$9,657
Barfield Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	350 Veterans Parkway	Murfreesboro	37128	Rutherford County	Rutherford County	No	No	No	No	(615) 904-3810	965	61	15.8		514 (53.3%)	186 (19.3%)	145 (15.0%)	36 (3.7%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	82 (8.5%)	74.1	201^st of 1018 public elementary schools	80.3%		74.7	191^st of 1020 public elementary schools	81.3%	10	64.0	60.0	47.0		56.4	55.3	53.8	50.0		52.9	64.4	49.4	45.9		52.7			$10,860	$693	$9,705
Overall Creek Elementary	Public	K-6	429 Otter TRL	Murfreesboro	37128	Rutherford County	Murfreesboro	No	No	No	No	(615) 624-5500	993	63	15.6		584 (58.8%)	145 (14.6%)	106 (10.7%)	69 (6.9%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	88 (8.9%)	81.3	144^th of 1018 public elementary schools	85.9%		82.6	131^st of 1020 public elementary schools	87.2%	13	58.6	57.3	69.0	54.5	61.4	56.7	63.1	56.5	45.5	57.8	58.0	58.1	49.4	54.5	54.9	48.5	48.5	$10,538	$755	$9,276
Blackman Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	586 Fortress BLVD	Murfreesboro	37128	Rutherford County	Rutherford County	No	No	No	No	(615) 904-3795	1,068	65	16.4		461 (43.2%)	253 (23.7%)	181 (16.9%)	93 (8.7%)	4 (0.4%)	2 (0.2%)	74 (6.9%)	58.1	380^th of 1018 public elementary schools	62.7%		55.7	398^th of 1020 public elementary schools	61.0%	18	49.1	48.3	34.9		43.8	46.1	43.3	36.8		41.9	53.3	53.6	41.6		49.3			$10,031	$530	$8,974
Discovery School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-6	1165 Middle Tennessee BLVD	Murfreesboro	37130	Rutherford County	Murfreesboro	No	Yes	No	No	(615) 895-4973	391	22	17.9		308 (78.8%)	32 (8.2%)	12 (3.1%)	14 (3.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (6.1%)	99.6	2^nd of 1018 public elementary schools	99.8%		99.6	2^nd of 1020 public elementary schools	99.8%		88.3			94.4	93.8	93.2		89.4	94.4	93.3	86.7				94.3			$11,498	$739	$10,201
McFadden School Of Excellence	Public, Magnet	K-5	221 Bridge AVE	Murfreesboro	37129	Rutherford County	Rutherford County	No	Yes	No	No	(615) 893-7251	389	21	18.5		298 (76.6%)	31 (8.0%)	6 (1.5%)	32 (8.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	21 (5.4%)								(n/a)	95.0																	$11,077	$530	$9,675
Bradley Academy - An Arts Integrated School	Public	K-6	511 Doctor Martin Luther King	Murfreesboro	37130	Rutherford County	Murfreesboro	No	No	No	Yes	(615) 895-2672	342	30	11.4		51 (14.9%)	135 (39.5%)	132 (38.6%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	21 (6.1%)	34	684^th of 1018 public elementary schools	32.8%		25.4	777^th of 1020 public elementary schools	23.8%	93	54.5	23.5	39.6	43.2	39.4	31.8	29.4	16.7	32.4	27.2	40.9	35.3	18.8	21.6	29.4	24.3	24.3	$15,566	$1,230	$12,787

Frequently Asked Questions about Salem Elementary School

How many students attend Salem Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 965 students attended Salem Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Salem Elementary School?

Students at Salem Elementary School are 55% White, 19% African American, 11% Hispanic, 9% Two or more races, 5% Asian.

Is Salem Elementary School a good school?

Salem Elementary School ranks 290^th of 1018 Tennessee elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Salem Elementary School in?

Murfreesboro

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Tennessee Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.