The top reported proficiency rate is 49% in Social studies. The lowest is 33% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on St Clair Elementary
St Clair Elementary is a regular public school that serves kindergarten through fifth grade in the small East Tennessee town of Bulls Gap. It is part of the Hawkins County school system. The school sits in or near Bulls Gap’s historic downtown district, which has a railroad-era core listed on the National Register of Historic Places. For high school, students from the area attend Cherokee Comprehensive High School outside town, an arrangement that separates the elementary and middle grades from the upper campus.
The student body at St Clair Elementary is predominantly White, with a small Hispanic population and a very small number of students who identify as two or more races. The school is a small one for its grade band; classes from kindergarten through fifth grade each hold a modest number of children. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, on special education enrollment, and on English learner status were not available in this record, so a family looking to understand the school’s full economic and support profile would need to ask the school or district directly.
St Clair Elementary’s most recent state test results, across the grades and subjects that Tennessee assesses, show a mixed picture. On the TNReady assessments, the school’s proficiency rate in English language arts was roughly in line with a level where, in many classrooms, a little fewer than half of students met the state’s benchmark for proficient or above. In math, the share of students reaching proficiency was lower. Science results were more encouraging, with nearly half of tested students reaching the proficient mark. Social studies data came from a prior year during a period when the state changed its assessment and cut scores, making that older result difficult to compare to current performance. Taken together, the school’s overall proficiency index across tested subjects placed it in the top quartile among districts in Hawkins County, though the county has only two districts to compare, so that position reflects a narrow field. Participation rates on the tests were high, above ninety-five percent, which suggests nearly all students took the assessments.
The town of Bulls Gap is a very small, quiet rural crossroads. Its history is tied to the railroad, and its downtown is a historic district. The population has seen only minimal growth in recent years. Housing values in the area were below both the state median and the national median, and the monthly estimated mortgage cost was well under a thousand dollars, placing this as a relatively affordable housing market compared to broader benchmarks. The local economy shows no major private employer identified in searches; the town government employs a handful of people, and many residents likely commute to the larger Tri-Cities region for work. Street life is minimal outside of the annual Labor Day festival that honors local entertainer Archie Campbell. There is no public transit system; getting around requires a car.
For a family weighing St Clair Elementary, the school offers a small, rural elementary setting with a high level of test participation, a bright spot in science, and a very affordable housing market. The math and English proficiency rates are soft spots that a parent may want to look into further with the school, particularly to understand what interventions or instructional supports are in place. The lack of data on economic need and special populations leaves a gap in the picture. The school does not have a graduation rate because it serves only through fifth grade; this is a function of its grade span, not a missing indicator. The overall profile is of a small-town school in a community with little growth pressure, where nearly all students are White, housing is inexpensive, and the academic results vary by subject.
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