The top reported proficiency rate is 36% in Science. The lowest is 17% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Smithson Craighead Academy
Smithson Craighead Academy is a public charter elementary school serving kindergarten through grade five in Madison, a suburban neighborhood in northeast Nashville. It operates under the Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools umbrella, and as a charter school it has its own governing board and curriculum within the district’s authorization. The school sits on Neely’s Bend Road, a location that places it within a largely auto-oriented commercial corridor but within reach of Peeler Park and the greenway system that connects to downtown Nashville.
Madison itself is a former settlement that was annexed into Nashville’s metro government decades ago. It functions as a connecting suburb with two retail centers—Downtown Madison and Rivergate, where a large mall anchors the shopping area. Major roads like Gallatin Pike and Old Hickory Boulevard carry heavy traffic, and Metro bus rapid transit serves the area. The housing market around the school reflects a mix of residential subdivisions and commercial strips. Home values in the 37115 zip code have been slightly below the national median, with a modest year-over-year decline, while rents have also edged down. The community has several public parks, a branch library, and the Amqui train station museum.
The school’s enrollment is moderate for an elementary school. The student body is predominantly Hispanic and Black, with a smaller share of white students and a handful of students who identify with two or more races. A few students are Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and no Asian or American Indian students are enrolled. School-level data on free or reduced-price meal eligibility is not available, nor are counts for students with disabilities or English learners. A parent who wants that information may need to ask the school directly.
State assessment results from the most recent testing year show a mixed picture. In math, roughly a quarter of students scored proficient or above. In English language arts, the share was about three in ten. Science proficiency was somewhat higher, at just over a third. These raw proficiency rates are moderate in an absolute sense, but when the school is placed relative to other school districts across Davidson County, its overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades sits above the midpoint of the county’s districts. That comparative strength matters: within the local public school landscape, Smithson Craighead is performing better than several of its neighboring districts, even if its numbers are not high by national or state standards. The school had full participation on the assessments, so the results are a complete picture. Older social studies results are suppressed and not comparable due to assessment changes, so that subject cannot be evaluated.
Because Smithson Craighead serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate and no high school course offerings such as Advanced Placement or dual enrollment. The school’s academic focus is on building foundational skills in reading, math, science, and social studies across the early and upper elementary years.
The overall profile suggests a school that serves a diverse, predominantly Hispanic and Black community in a suburban setting that is seeing continued infrastructure improvements. The academic outcomes are modest in absolute terms but relatively strong compared with other districts in Davidson County. A family considering this school should weigh the comparative advantage within the county against the lower absolute proficiency, and they may want to inquire directly about special education and English learner supports, since those data are not reported. The charter nature gives the school some autonomy over its program, and the elementary-only structure means students will later move to a middle and high school elsewhere in the Metro Nashville system.
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