The top reported proficiency rate is 48% in Science. The lowest is 20% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Tellico Plains Elementary
Tellico Plains Elementary is a regular public school serving students from pre-kindergarten through fourth grade in the small rural town of Tellico Plains, Tennessee, part of the Monroe County school system. It is not a charter or magnet school. The school’s enrollment is modest for an elementary serving this grade band, and it draws almost entirely from the local community.
The student body is overwhelmingly white, with very small shares of students who are Hispanic, Asian, or identify as two or more races. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch was not available, and information on students with disabilities or English learners was also missing, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about these support populations.
Tellico Plains itself is a town with a history rooted in lumber, now sustained by tourism connected to the Cherokee National Forest and the Cherohala Skyway, a National Scenic Byway. The built environment is compact, centered on a small town square, with a walking path. The town has experienced population decline over recent decades, and no major new housing developments are evident from publicly available sources. Home values in the area sit below both the state and national benchmarks, which may be relevant for families considering relocation. The local economy is driven by outdoor recreation and small businesses; the school system itself is likely one of the larger employers.
Academically, Tellico Plains Elementary participates in Tennessee’s TNReady state testing program for grades three and four. The school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects — math, English language arts, and science — places it above the midpoint compared to the other districts in Monroe County. That is a meaningful point in a county with only two school districts, but it still signals that the school’s results are on the stronger side of the local range. Participation rates on these assessments were high, which adds credibility to the results. Science proficiency was the strongest area; math and English language arts were moderate, and social studies data is only available from several years ago and involved assessment changes, making recent comparisons unreliable.
Because this school serves only pre-K through fourth grade, there is no graduation rate, no high school course offerings, and no career or dual-credit pathways to report. The school’s program offerings beyond the core subjects were not listed in the available data, so families interested in specialized options — such as art, music, or enrichment — should inquire with the school directly. No information on chronic absenteeism or discipline was available either.
The surrounding school system, Monroe County, did not report any recent major changes or initiatives that registered in public sources, so the district’s trajectory appears stable.
For a family considering this school, the picture is of a small, rural elementary with a homogeneous student population, a town that is quiet and shrinking, and home prices that are relatively affordable by state and national measures. Academically, the school performs above the local midpoint on state tests, which is a positive sign, though the comparison is a narrow one. Parents who value a tight-knit community setting and a school where their child is known by name may find Tellico Plains Elementary a natural fit. Those looking for more demographic diversity or a broad menu of extracurricular offerings at the elementary level will want to explore further with the school.
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