Valley View Elementary, Lafollette TN

Original Research by School Decision on Valley View Elementary

Valley View Elementary is a regular public school in LaFollette, Tennessee, serving prekindergarten through fifth grade as part of the Campbell County district. The school sits in a small city that was founded around coal and rail operations and now markets itself as the gateway to Norris Lake, with a hospital, a new post office, and upgraded recreation. Its population has been relatively stable. The housing market here is moderately priced, below statewide and national benchmarks, which matters for families weighing affordability against school options.

The student body is predominantly white, with very small shares identifying as Hispanic, Black, Native American, Asian, or multiracial. Enrollment is moderate for an elementary school. Data on students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals, on students with disabilities, and on English learners was not available in the records we used. A parent would need to ask the school directly for that picture of student support needs. The school is not a charter and its magnet and Title I statuses were not reported.

On state testing, a clear story emerges. In math, the share of students scoring at the proficient level or above on the TNReady assessment was below a third of test takers. In English language arts and in science, the proficiency rate was higher than in math but still below half of students. In all three subjects, participation rates were very near total, so the results reflect nearly all tested students. The social studies data came from a previous testing era with different cut scores and should be read with that caveat; the reported proficiency level was low. The district itself is the only district in Campbell County, so the school’s results cannot be compared against other districts in the county — there is no ready local benchmark. A family moving into the area will want to look at these proficiency levels as a starting point and ask the school what academic supports and interventions are in place, particularly in math and literacy.

Because this is an elementary school, there is no graduation rate to report. There was no information available on chronic absenteeism, discipline rates, class sizes, teacher credentials, or course access. The district’s recent strategic initiatives were not publicly documented in the sources we reviewed, so a parent interested in upcoming changes would need to contact the district office directly.

The school’s academic results are its main soft spot. Strengths include high test participation, indicating that nearly all students are being assessed. The school offers a full range of elementary grades, and the community has invested in a new elementary school building, though it was not specified whether this is Valley View itself. The setting is a small city with modest growth, outdoor recreation at Norris Lake and the Cumberland Trail, and a short drive to Interstate 75. Families who prioritize a traditional elementary program in a small-town atmosphere with below-average housing costs will find Valley View fits that description. Those who see stronger test performance and a more detailed picture of student supports and programs as a priority will want to investigate further with the school or consider other options within commuting distance.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grades 3-817%

School 17% · District 32% · ▼ 16 pts below district

▼ 23 pts below state median · ▼ 11 pts below county median

English language arts

Grades 3-830%

School 30% · District 31% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Science

Grades 3-835%

School 35% · District 31% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

Social studies

Grades 3-810%

School 10% · District 31% · ▼ 21 pts below district

▼ 29 pts below state median · ▼ 21 pts below county median

This schoolCampbell County, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income20%Higher-income33%13 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income36%Higher-income41%5 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income12%Higher-income25%13 pp gap

Grades 3-8Lower-income24%Higher-income33%9 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income5%Higher-income11%6 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income12%Higher-income22%10 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income12%Higher-income30%19 pp gap

Grades 3-8Lower-income10%Higher-income21%11 pp gap