The top reported proficiency rate is 67% in Science. The lowest is 60% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on A L Lotts Elementary
A L Lotts Elementary is a regular public school in Knoxville serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It is part of Knox County Schools, Tennessee’s third-largest school system. The school sits in the western part of the city, in a ZIP code where home values run well above the state median and where the typical rent exceeds the national average, signaling a comparatively affluent residential catchment. The school itself is large, with an enrollment that places it among the bigger elementary schools in the region.
Student demographics show a student body that is predominantly white, with smaller shares of Black, Hispanic, Asian, and multiracial students. The data did not report the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals, making the full economic profile of the student body less visible. Special education and English learner counts were also absent. These gaps are worth noting because they are common pieces of information families use to gauge whether a school’s support systems match their child’s needs; you would want to ask the school directly about these services.
On state assessments, A L Lotts Elementary posted proficiency rates that outpace the middle of the pack among Knox County’s school districts. In math, the majority of students scored at or above the state’s proficient threshold. English language arts followed a similar pattern, with a majority of students meeting the bar. Science results were stronger still, with more than two-thirds of students reaching proficiency. A L Lotts has no high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to consider here. The social studies assessment data is several years old and the state changed the test since then, making it unreliable for current comparisons. Across the three subjects with current results, the school’s academic performance falls in the top tier when compared with the two school districts that make up Knox County’s county-level comparison set. That comparison set is narrow (two districts), so it tells you little about how this school stacks up against schools across the state, but it does confirm that within the county’s district landscape, A L Lotts is a strong performer.
The school environment section contained gaps. There is no reported data on chronic absenteeism, discipline rates, staffing ratios, or class sizes. The school’s Title I status was not reported, and its magnet status was left unfilled. Charter status is not applicable, as this is a regular public school. The absence of these fields means a family should ask the school or district about teacher experience, student behavioral climate, and whether any supplemental federal funding is in place.
Knoxville itself is a mid-sized city with a revitalized downtown anchored by the University of Tennessee, corporate headquarters like Pilot Company and Clayton Homes, and the Tennessee Valley Authority. The Knox County district recently made a system-wide shift to a structured phonics approach in early literacy, which directly affects how reading is taught at A L Lotts Elementary. A county property tax increase approved several years ago raised revenue for schools, and that financial context remains in place.
For a parent weighing this school, the takeaway is straightforward. A L Lotts Elementary serves a large, relatively well-off suburban attendance zone and delivers academic results that are clearly above the local average. The school has no reported gaps in test participation, and the proficiency data reflects a learning environment where most students are meeting grade-level expectations. The missing pieces on student support counts, teacher staffing, and discipline mean you would want to follow up with the school office to round out the picture. But the core academic story is one of a school that is performing well and serves a community with high housing costs, which is consistent with the demographic and economic context the school sits in.
See more original research from School Decision →