The top reported proficiency rate is 54% in English language arts. The lowest is 40% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Tharptown Elementary School
Tharptown Elementary School serves students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade in a rural area of Franklin County, near the town of Russellville. The school is part of the Franklin County school district, a countywide system separate from the Russellville city schools. The community is a low-density, car-dependent setting where the local economy has historically included manufacturing, mining, and agriculture, though industrial jobs have declined over time. The town of Russellville has seen modest population changes in recent years, with a noticeable shift in its demographic makeup, and the county schools serve a broad geographic area that includes both the town and outlying unincorporated communities.
The student body reflects that wider community. Families considering this school will encounter a population that is roughly evenly split between white students and Hispanic students, with a small number of students from other racial backgrounds. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that a majority of families face economic pressures. Data on the share of students with disabilities or who are English learners was not available in this record, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about how those populations are supported and what resources are in place.
Tharptown Elementary provides state testing results for grades three through six in English language arts and math, and for fourth-grade science. The proficiency rates vary noticeably by grade level. In English language arts, the results for third, fourth, and fifth graders fell in a range that could be described as moderate, with a share of students meeting proficiency. Sixth-grade English language arts results were lower. In math, the pattern showed fourth graders at a moderate level, while third graders were a step lower, and fifth and sixth graders had notably smaller shares reaching proficiency. Fourth-grade science results also fell at a moderate level. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school’s overall proficiency index placed it in the bottom quartile among districts in Franklin County. Because the data covers only one school year, there is no year-over-year trend to assess yet. A parent may want to look into what academic interventions or supports the school offers, particularly in the upper elementary grades where performance dips.
There is no information in this record about discipline rates, chronic absenteeism, or staffing ratios. Those are areas where a parent might follow up directly with the school or the district. The school offers no high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report, and no data on advanced coursework, career pathways, or dual-credit programs, which are not applicable at this grade level.
Housing in the broader Russellville area is relatively affordable compared to state and national benchmarks, with home values that have seen a modest recent decline. A typical home mortgage here would be well below the national median household income level, consistent with the area’s lower cost of living. Rental market data was not available.
For a family looking at Tharptown Elementary, the picture is of a rural elementary school serving a community with significant economic need and a student body that has grown more diverse in recent years. The academic results show some bright spots in the early elementary grades but a clear softening in the upper grades, particularly in math. The school sits within a county district that has only two districts total, so comparisons are limited. A parent would want to understand what kind of instructional support and enrichment is available, how the school addresses the range of student needs, and what the transition to middle school looks like for students leaving after sixth grade.
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