Marion County Schools & Education
Marion County, Tennessee
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
27/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Lower Signal
Graduation Rate
89.1%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
89.1%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 93.3%
Per-Pupil Spending
$5,685
National avg $13,239
State avg $6,215
School Score
27/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 47/100
State Score Position
#90
of 95 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Marion County
Measured School Summary
Marion County faces educational challenges with a school score of 27/100 and a graduation rate of 89.1%, falling below typical benchmarks.
Funding Context
At $5,685 per pupil, Marion County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 43% below the Tennessee average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 4.2 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 9% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Marion 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
13 public schools and 2 districts 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
27/100
Lower measured signal. Ranks #90 of 95 Tennessee counties with school score data.
Completion
89.1%
4.2 pts below the state average
Funding context
$5,685
$530 below the state average
School coverage
13
2 districts 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
Marion County has 13 public schools across 2 districts, 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 Marion 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.
Dominant-district county
Marion County carries most of the listed public-school system, with 12 of 13 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.
State position
#90
of 95 Tennessee counties with school score data. The county score is 20 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.
Marion County
Elementary to high school visible
3,960 students
12 listed schools in this county slice.
Richard City
Other grade structure
182 students
1 listed school in this county slice.
District reality check
Marion County is the largest listed district slice, with 12 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 Marion County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Marion County district systems?
What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?
Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?
Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?
Education Overview
About Schools in Marion County, Tennessee
This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.
Marion County's Educational Framework
Marion County supports 4,142 students across 13 public schools and two districts. The system includes five elementary, two middle, and five high schools, plus one alternative learning center. This distribution provides high school options across several small communities in the county.
Marion County and Richard City Districts
The Marion County district is the major provider, serving 3,960 students in 12 schools. The small Richard City district operates a single school with 182 students, offering a very localized alternative. No charter schools are currently operating within the county boundaries.
Small Campuses in Town and Country
Schools are split between seven town and six rural locales, with an average school size of 345 students. Jasper Elementary is the largest school in the system with 629 students. This small-scale environment ensures that most students benefit from a more personalized academic atmosphere.
School Overview
Total Schools
13
in Marion County
Reported Enrollment
4,142
13 schools reporting
School Districts
2
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
2 School Districts in Marion County
Marion County
GuideRichard City
13 Public Schools in Marion 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 13 of 13 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jasper Elementary School | Record | Marion County | Jasper, 37347Rural: Fringe | PK–4 | Primary | 629 |
| South Pittsburg Elementary | Record | Marion County | South Pittsburg, 37380Town: Distant | PK–6 | Primary | 521 |
| Whitwell Elementary | Record | Marion County | Whitwell, 37397Rural: Distant | PK–4 | Primary | 492 |
| Jasper Middle School | Record | Marion County | Jasper, 37347Town: Distant | 5–8 | Middle | 491 |
| Marion Co High School | Record | Marion County | Jasper, 37347Town: Distant | 9–12 | High | 491 |
| South Pittsburg High School | Record | Marion County | South Pittsburg, 37380Town: Distant | 7–12 | High | 425 |
| Whitwell High School | Record | Marion County | Whitwell, 37397Rural: Distant | 9–12 | High | 343 |
| Whitwell Middle School | Record | Marion County | Whitwell, 37397Rural: Distant | 5–8 | Middle | 308 |
| Monteagle Elementary | Record | Marion County | Monteagle, 37356Rural: Remote | PK–8 | Primary | 224 |
| Richard Hardy Memorial School | Record | Richard City | South Pittsburg, 37380Rural: Fringe | PK–12 | Other | 182 |
| Marion Virtual High School | Record | Marion County | Jasper, 37347Town: Distant | 6–12 | Virtual | 31 |
| Marion Virtual Elementary School | Record | Marion County | Jasper, 37347Town: Distant | KG–5 | Virtual | 5 |
| Central Prep Academy | Record | Marion County | Jasper, 37347Town: Distant | 10–12 | Alternative | 0 |
South Pittsburg Elementary
Marion County
South Pittsburg, 37380 / Town: Distant
South Pittsburg High School
Marion County
South Pittsburg, 37380 / Town: Distant
Richard Hardy Memorial School
Richard City
South Pittsburg, 37380 / Rural: Fringe
Marion Virtual Elementary School
Marion County
Jasper, 37347 / Town: Distant
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$5,685
State avg $6,215
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Marion 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?
What is per-pupil spending like in Tennessee?
How should I read the school score in Marion County?
What is the graduation rate in Marion County?
How much does Marion County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Marion County, Tennessee — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Marion County, Tennessee?
Marion County supports 4,142 students across 13 public schools and two districts. The system includes five elementary, two middle, and five high schools, plus one alternative learning center. This distribution provides high school options across several small communities in the county.
What are the major school districts in Marion County, Tennessee?
The Marion County district is the major provider, serving 3,960 students in 12 schools. The small Richard City district operates a single school with 182 students, offering a very localized alternative. No charter schools are currently operating within the county boundaries.
What is the school experience like in Marion County?
Schools are split between seven town and six rural locales, with an average school size of 345 students. Jasper Elementary is the largest school in the system with 629 students. This small-scale environment ensures that most students benefit from a more personalized academic atmosphere.
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.