The top reported proficiency rate is 60% in Science. The lowest is 34% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Waverly Elementary
Waverly Elementary serves the early primary years, pre-kindergarten through third grade, in the county seat of Humphreys County. Because it covers only the youngest grades, it does not have a graduation rate, and state testing data is limited to the subjects and grades that are assessed. This is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet.
The school sits in the middle of Waverly, a small town centered on a traditional courthouse square with shops, restaurants, and a movie theater. The town is at the junction of U.S. Route 70, which connects Nashville to Memphis, and State Route 13, which leads to Interstate 40. The Buffalo River and Kentucky Lake are nearby, making the area a gateway for outdoor recreation. Civic and commercial life is integrated rather than spread across separate districts, and the school is part of that downtown fabric. Waverly was the site of the catastrophic August 2021 flood, when over 17 inches of rain caused Trace Creek to overflow, killing 20 people countywide and flooding Waverly Elementary along with many homes and businesses. The dominant recent story for the town has been post-flood recovery and rebuilding.
Enrollment at Waverly Elementary is moderate for a primary school. The student body is predominantly white, with a smaller but present share of Black students, a small number of Hispanic students, and a modest number of students who identify as two or more races. Asian American and Native American students are represented in very small numbers. Data on students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, students with disabilities, and English learners was not reported in the available records. A parent may want to ask the school directly about the level of support services and the share of students in these categories.
On the 2024-25 Tennessee state assessments, the school saw full participation from its tested students. In math, a majority of students scored at or above the proficient level. In English language arts, the proficiency rate was lower, with a smaller share reaching the proficient threshold. Science results were stronger, with a majority of students demonstrating proficiency. Social studies data was available only from a much earlier year and involved assessment changes that make direct comparison unreliable, so it provides little useful picture of current performance. Because the school serves only through third grade, the academic picture is limited to early elementary subjects, and there is no data on middle school math, writing, or high school readiness measures.
The area’s housing market shows home values sitting below the national median but above a figure that would make the area inexpensive relative to the rest of the country. Monthly mortgage costs for a typical home, given prevailing interest rates, represent a substantial share of a typical household budget. No rental market data was available for the immediate area. The national unemployment rate was moderate at the time of data collection, and real median household income nationally has been rising over the past several years, but no local income figure was reported for Humphreys County specifically.
The Humphreys County school district, of which Waverly Elementary is a part, has no recent major changes noted in publicly available records. A wider district comparison was not possible because there is only one school district in Humphreys County, so no relative academic positioning against neighboring districts could be calculated. That means a parent looking for a comparative frame across districts will need to look beyond the county line.
Waverly Elementary offers a straightforward early-elementary pathway in a town that is small, walkable around its square, and tightly connected to the surrounding natural landscape. The school’s test results show a mixed picture, with stronger performance in math and science and a weaker one in reading, which is worth noting for families with children just beginning their academic journey. The town’s recovery from a devastating flood is an ongoing context, and the school itself was directly affected. A parent considering this school should visit, talk to current families, and ask about early literacy support and how the school has fared since the 2021 disaster.
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