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Excellent

#45 of 1,786 schools in TN

Top 3% in state

Dodson Branch Elementary

Elementary School · Jackson County · Cookeville, TN

A Jackson County elementary school where students score 28 points above what's typical for similar communities.

16221 Dodson Branch HWY, Cookeville, TN 38501

  • Math 73% vs TN 39% (2025)
  • Reading 43% vs TN 41% (2025)
  • 14.6:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress9.5Excellent50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change+0.49 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendStable
Academics9.4Excellent30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency73.4% (2025 TCAP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency43% (2025 TCAP)
Math vs. State Avg+34.2 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+2.2 pts
Overall Proficiency58% (2025 TCAP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)31% (model expectation from 2025 TCAP)
vs. Expected+27.5 pts
Adjusted Percentile91th
Resources & Environment7.9Very Good20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio14.6:1
District spending per student$11,716
Chronic Absenteeism14.1%

Students at Dodson Branch Elementary score 58% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 31%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 TCAP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. TN average.

Math Proficiency73%(2025 TCAP)
School
State
39%(2025 TCAP)
ELA Proficiency43%(2025 TCAP)
School
State
41%(2025 TCAP)

Trend

↑ Improving

Proficiency has improved 21 points since 2020, reaching 58% in 2025, across a 17-year record (2009–2025).

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
37%
ELA
37%
2010
Math
32%
ELA
42%
2011
Math
42%
ELA
32%
2012
Math
52%
ELA
37%
2013
Math
62%
ELA
42%
2014
Math
62%
ELA
47%
2016
Math
42%
ELA
32%
2017
Math
42%
ELA
27%
2018
Math
47%
ELA
32%
2019
Math
47%
ELA
32%
2020*
Math
42%
ELA
32%
2021*
Math
42%
ELA
32%
2022
Math
46%
ELA
42%
2025
Math
73%
ELA
43%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 48% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 36% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 30 test records from TN state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Dodson Branch Elementary sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 3Car-Dependent
  • Bike 16Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High1,971/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Cookeville), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$50,923

Median home value

$245,100

Median rent

$856/mo

College educated

30.8%

Homeownership

49.4%

Poverty rate

20%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 38501; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

1 in Jackson County

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Gainesboro ElementaryEnrollment path unverified9.0PK–3Not available331Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Jackson County

Schools in district
4
Rank in district
#1 of 4
District spending per student
$11,716NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
23.8%Census SAIPE · 2024

Dodson Branch Elementary is listed in Jackson County; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Dodson Branch Elementary

Dodson Branch Elementary is a public elementary school in Cookeville, TN, part of Jackson County, serving approximately 277 students in grades Pre-K-8th with a 14.6:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 9.2 out of 10 and ranks #45 of 1,786 schools in TN. State assessment records show 48% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 36% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Dodson Branch Elementary

What grades does Dodson Branch Elementary serve?

Dodson Branch Elementary serves students in grades Pre-K through 8th.

How many students attend Dodson Branch Elementary?

Dodson Branch Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 277 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Dodson Branch Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Dodson Branch Elementary is 14.6:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Dodson Branch Elementary rank in TN?

Dodson Branch Elementary ranks #45 of 1,786 schools in TN.

What is Dodson Branch Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Dodson Branch Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 9.2 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Dodson Branch Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Dodson Branch Elementary has 48% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 36% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Dodson Branch Elementary a charter school?

No, Dodson Branch Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Dodson Branch Elementary a Title I school?

No, Dodson Branch Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Pre-K – 8th
Enrollment
277
Student-Teacher Ratio
14.6:1
Teachers (FTE)
19
Type
regular
Setting
Distant Rural
County
Jackson County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
14.1%
Area population (ZIP 38501)
42,422
Area average commute
21.4 min
Area median age
31.5
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 TCAP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 TCAP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 TCAP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 TCAP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 38501; this does not measure the attendance area.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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