The top reported proficiency rate is 69% in Science. The lowest is 54% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Thomas Jefferson Elementary School
Thomas Jefferson Elementary School, a regular public school in Kingsport, Tennessee, serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It is part of the Kingsport City Schools district, a system that operates across this northeast Tennessee city. The school sits in a community shaped by its origins as a deliberately planned “Model City,” where residential, commercial, and industrial zones were laid out from the start. Kingsport’s largest employer, Eastman Chemical Company, has long anchored the local economy, and the city also hosts a historic downtown, parks such as Bays Mountain Park and Warrior’s Path State Park, and a regional airport. The cost of living here is noted for being low, and the housing market reflects that relative affordability compared to national benchmarks.
Academically, Thomas Jefferson Elementary turns in a performance that stands out among its peers. On Tennessee’s TNReady assessments for the 2024-25 school year, the school posted proficiency rates in math, English language arts, and science that were each above the midpoint for tested schools in the county. When an overall proficiency index is calculated across those subjects, the school lands in the top quartile relative to all districts in Sullivan County. This means a parent or resident looking at the school’s test results will find a picture of solid, higher-than-typical achievement for the area. The social studies data available is from an older testing year and is less directly comparable due to assessment changes, but it is not a central point of concern given the more recent results in the other subjects.
The student body is sizable for an elementary school, with enrollment distributed fairly evenly across the grade levels from kindergarten through fifth grade, plus a pre-kindergarten class. The demographic makeup is predominantly White, with smaller shares of students who are two or more races, Hispanic, Black, Asian, and American Indian or Alaska Native. Data on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, as well as the proportions receiving special education services or classified as English learners, was not available in the records provided. A parent who wants a full picture of the school’s student support context may wish to ask the school directly about these characteristics.
The school itself is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and operates within the Kingsport system. No significant recent changes or strategic shifts were identified for the district in publicly available information, so the school appears to be running on a stable footing. The neighborhood around the school is part of a larger city that balances industrial employment with a modest downtown street life, including annual community events like Fun Fest. Housing values and rents in the zip code have been trending upward in recent months, though still below the state average, which fits with Kingsport’s reputation as an affordable place to live.
For a family weighing this school, the central point is academic: Thomas Jefferson Elementary’s proficiency outcomes are a clear strength, especially in science and ELA, and the school’s overall performance is among the top tier in its county. The absence of data on economic disadvantage and special populations limits a full comparison of how the school serves different student groups, so a parent with a child who needs extra support should follow up with the school to understand those resources. The school’s size and grade span are typical for an elementary building in this region, and the community around it offers a mix of suburban and city characteristics, with the industrial base providing economic stability. There is no test-score data for a graduation rate because the school does not serve high school grades, and no disciplinary or attendance records were available in the provided materials. Overall, this is a school with academic results that exceed the county average, set in a community where housing is more accessible than in many parts of Tennessee.
See more original research from School Decision →