The top reported proficiency rate is 15% in Social studies. The lowest is 9% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Cockrill Elementary
Cockrill Elementary is a regular public school in Nashville, Tennessee, serving prekindergarten through fifth grade as part of the Davidson County school district—Metro Nashville Public Schools. It is one of many elementary options within this large, urban district set in a fast-growing state capital known for its music industry, healthcare sector, and multiple universities.
The school enrolls a student body that is predominantly Black and Hispanic, with smaller shares of white students and students of two or more races. The size of the enrollment is modest for an elementary serving PK through fifth grade. Information about the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals was not available, nor were data on students with disabilities or English learners, though a parent may want to ask the school directly about these important support indicators.
State testing results for the most recent school year show that the share of students scoring proficient or above was low in math, English language arts, and science. Participation rates in those assessments were high, meaning the results reflect nearly all enrolled students in tested grades. Because this is an elementary school, there is no graduation rate to report, and the school’s grade band does not include the older grades where that metric applies.
When compared with the small number of districts in Davidson County, Cockrill Elementary’s overall proficiency rate across tested subjects and grades lands above the midpoint of that set. That is a relative position; in absolute terms, the school’s achievement levels are well below what most families might hope to see. Social studies data is from an older school year and involved changes to the test and cut scores, so it is not directly comparable to current results.
Housing in the school’s ZIP code is expensive relative to statewide and national benchmarks, with home values well above typical Tennessee figures and rents that strain the local median-income household. That context matters because it shapes who can live near the school and who may be commuting from other parts of the city.
Nashville itself is a sprawling, car-dependent consolidated city-county with a vibrant downtown and university campuses distributed across the metro area. The city continues to grow rapidly, and its public school system serves a diverse and mobile population. No recent district-level changes with lasting parent impact were found in publicly reported sources, so the operating conditions for Cockrill appear stable for now.
What this adds up to is a school where a large majority of students are not reaching state proficiency benchmarks in core subjects, and where the surrounding housing market is costly. For a family considering this school, the low academic attainment figures are the central fact to weigh. The school has full participation in testing, suggesting a consistent academic environment, but the outcomes point to high instructional need. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand what academic interventions, supports, and enrichment are in place, and to get a clearer picture of the student demographics and family circumstances that are not fully captured in the available data.
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