DeKalb County Schools & Education
DeKalb County, Tennessee
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
39/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Lower Signal
Graduation Rate
92.0%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
92.0%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 93.3%
Per-Pupil Spending
$5,797
National avg $13,239
State avg $6,215
School Score
39/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 47/100
State Score Position
#71
of 95 counties by score
Education Data Brief: DeKalb County
Measured School Summary
Despite a lower school score of 39/100, DeKalb County maintains a strong graduation rate of 92.0%, suggesting effective student support systems.
Funding Context
At $5,797 per pupil, DeKalb County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 18% below the Tennessee average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 1.3 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 7% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read DeKalb County before comparing districts
County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.
Local context that changes the interpretation
6 public schools and 1 district are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.
Overall screen
39/100
Lower measured signal. Ranks #71 of 95 Tennessee counties with school score data.
Completion
92.0%
1.3 pts below the state average
Funding context
$5,797
$418 below the state average
School coverage
6
1 district represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
DeKalb County has 6 public schools across 1 district, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.
Verify local rules
Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.
What DeKalb County school data means before you move
County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.
Small-system county
DeKalb County has a compact public-school footprint. A single school change, boundary rule, or district update can move the lived experience more than the county score suggests.
State position
#71
of 95 Tennessee counties with school score data. The county score is 8 points below the state average.
Data confidence
Usable
3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.
K-12 continuity check
These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.
DeKalb County
Elementary to high school visible
2,938 students
6 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
DeKalb County is the largest listed district slice, with 6 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.
What the data cannot tell you
NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.
Questions to ask before choosing an address
Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in DeKalb County?
Which attendance zones, transfer rules, and transportation policies apply inside the local district?
What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?
If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?
Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?
Data Story
DeKalb County Per-Pupil Spending Below State and National Averages
Education data brief for DeKalb County, Tennessee.
DeKalb County reports a per-pupil expenditure of $5,797, which is lower than the Tennessee average of $6,215 and approximately 55% lower than the national average of $13,000. This funding supports 2,938 students enrolled in six public schools. The schools are grouped into a single district, with four located in town locales and two in rural areas. De Kalb County High School is the largest campus, with 807 students, followed by Smithville Elementary with 599 students. The county’s composite school score is 38.6, below the state average of 47.5 and the national median of 50.0. Despite the spending and score differentials, the county’s graduation rate of 92.0% remains five percentage points above the national average of 87.0%. See the NCES Common Core of Data for school-level records.
Sources
- NCES Common Core of Data
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS
School Overview
Total Schools
6
in DeKalb County
Reported Enrollment
2,938
6 schools reporting
School Districts
1
district
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
1 School District in DeKalb County
DeKalb County
6 Public Schools in DeKalb County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Every NCES public school remains listed here; no school-level profile pages are included in the current generated coverage for this county.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 6 of 6 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| De Kalb County High School | Record | DeKalb County | Smithville, 37166Town: Distant | 9–12 | High | 807 |
| Smithville Elementary | Record | DeKalb County | Smithville, 37166Town: Distant | PK–2 | Primary | 599 |
| Northside Elementary | Record | DeKalb County | Smithville, 37166Rural: Fringe | 2–5 | Primary | 558 |
| DeKalb Middle School | Record | DeKalb County | Smithville, 37166Town: Distant | 6–8 | Middle | 526 |
| DeKalb West Elementary | Record | DeKalb County | Liberty, 37059Rural: Distant | PK–8 | Primary | 448 |
| De Kalb County Adult High School | Record | DeKalb County | Smithville, 37166Town: Distant | 10–12 | High | 0 |
De Kalb County Adult High School
DeKalb County
Smithville, 37166 / Town: Distant
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$5,797
State avg $6,215
Compare Nearby Counties
Review DeKalb County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which Tennessee counties have the highest graduation rates?
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What is the graduation rate in DeKalb County?
How much does DeKalb County spend per student?
Counties with Similar School Profile
Data Sources
Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.
Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.