Van Buren County Schools & Education
Van Buren County, Tennessee
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
61/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
95.0%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
95.0%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 93.3%
Per-Pupil Spending
$6,888
National avg $13,239
State avg $6,215
School Score
61/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 47/100
State Score Position
#9
of 95 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Van Buren County
Measured School Summary
Van Buren County performs at an average level with a school score of 61/100 and a solid graduation rate of 95.0%.
Funding Context
At $6,888 per pupil, Van Buren County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 30% above the Tennessee average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 1.7 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 11% higher than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Van Buren 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
2 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
61/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #9 of 95 Tennessee counties with school score data.
Completion
95.0%
1.7 pts above the state average
Funding context
$6,888
$673 above the state average
School coverage
2
1 district represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Van Buren County has 2 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 Van Buren 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
Van Buren 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
#9
of 95 Tennessee counties with school score data. The county score is 14 points above 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.
Van Buren County
Elementary and high visible
794 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Van Buren County is the largest listed district slice, with 2 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 Van Buren County?
Which attendance zones, transfer rules, and transportation policies apply inside the local district?
Where do students transition after the visible grade band, and is that next school inside the same district path?
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
Van Buren County Leads Region with 61.3 School Score
Education data brief for Van Buren County, Tennessee.
Van Buren County achieves a composite school score of 61.3, which is the highest in this group of Tennessee counties and significantly exceeds the state average of 47.5 and the national median of 50.0. The graduation rate is 95.0%, surpassing the national average of 87.0% and the state average of 93.3%. Education spending per pupil is $6,888, which is higher than the state average of $6,215 but remains below the national average of $13,000. The county operates a very small, entirely rural system with only two public schools: Spencer Elementary and Van Buren Co High School. Total county enrollment is 794 students, with nearly equal distribution between the two campuses. There are no charter schools or middle-specific schools in this district. Factual context is essential when reviewing high scores in small enrollment districts. 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
2
in Van Buren County
Reported Enrollment
794
2 schools reporting
School Districts
1
district
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
1 School District in Van Buren County
Van Buren County
2 Public Schools in Van Buren 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 2 of 2 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Van Buren Co High School | Record | Van Buren County | Spencer, 38585Rural: Distant | 6–12 | High | 400 |
| Spencer Elementary | Record | Van Buren County | Spencer, 38585Rural: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 394 |
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$6,888
State avg $6,215
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Van Buren 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 Van Buren County?
How much does Van Buren County spend per student?
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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.