East Robertson High School, Cross Plains TN

Original Research by School Decision on East Robertson High School

East Robertson High School serves grades six through twelve in the small, car-dependent city of Cross Plains, located in Robertson County. The school building sits near Kilgore Park, west of the downtown area that runs along State Route 25. Cross Plains has a growing population, and the region is seeing development pressure: in 2021 a widening project began on Interstate 65, and in 2020 the city purchased land for possible park or school expansion. In August 2024, Robertson County voters approved a school bond referendum to fund a new elementary school, renovations to existing schools, and district-wide security and technology upgrades. That bond is backed by a property tax increase and will shape school facilities for years to come.

The school enrolls a moderate-sized student body for a combined middle and high school. The student population is predominantly white, with a noticeable Hispanic presence and a smaller Black share. Data on students eligible for free or reduced-price meals, students with disabilities, and English learners were not available in the records we examined, so a full picture of economic and academic need is unclear.

State assessment results are available for the grades the school tests. On the TNReady assessments, math and English language arts proficiency hover around a fifth to a quarter of tested students. Science and social studies proficiency rates are higher, roughly a third of students reaching the proficient or above level. These figures suggest that a majority of students in the tested grades are not yet meeting grade-level benchmarks in core subjects. A family considering this school would want to ask about specific academic support programs, how the school addresses skill gaps, and what trends look like over time. Since no graduation rate data were provided, the high school completion picture is incomplete. That information would be important for families with a student approaching the upper grades to investigate directly with the school.

No data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, or staffing ratios were available, and the school’s course offerings, including Advanced Placement, dual enrollment, or career and technical education pathways, were not documented in the data we received. Those are common points of inquiry for families weighing a school that covers both middle and high school grades.

The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet. It is part of the Robertson County district. The locale is rural and small-town in character, with daily life oriented around state highways and personal vehicles. The downtown strip has historic establishments like the long-running Thomas Drugs, but there is not the walkable density of an urban school setting.

East Robertson High School fits a family looking for a combined middle-high school experience in a growing but still quiet exurban area. The student body is less diverse than state or national averages, something that may matter to families seeking a different peer environment. Because key academic outcome numbers are low, a parent with a child who needs strong foundational instruction or enrichment would want to go beyond the public data and visit the school, talk to teachers, and understand what interventions and advanced options are actually available. The district’s recent bond investment suggests that school facilities across Robertson County are receiving attention, but that capital spending does not directly speak to classroom instruction. This is a school where the gaps in reported data are themselves a signal: a family will need to do more legwork to round out the picture the public record leaves incomplete.

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Academic performance

State test results and graduation outcomes.

Graduation rate (ACGR)

>=95%Cohort of 86 students · Class of 2021

The federal source publishes a banded range instead of an exact rate when the graduating cohort is small enough that an exact number could risk identifying individual students.

How this school compares to all schools in this state

Each dot is one school’s SY 2020-21 graduation rate, binned by integer rate. Taller columns mean more schools at that rate. This school is highlighted.

389 schools plotted. 19 additional schools' rates are federally suppressed and not shown. Data: EDFacts SY 2020-21.

Math

Grades 3-822%

School 22% · District 36% · ▼ 14 pts below district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 17 pts below county median

English language arts

Grades 3-824%

School 24% · District 33% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 13 pts below state median · ▼ 10 pts below county median

Science

Grades 3-834%

School 34% · District 38% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

Social studies

Grades 3-834%

School 34% · District 38% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▼ 5 pts below state median · even with county median

This schoolRobertson County, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 6Lower-income12%Higher-income42%30 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income15%Higher-income20%5 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income5%Higher-income17%12 pp gap

Grades 3-8Lower-income10%Higher-income26%16 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income18%Higher-income37%20 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income23%Higher-income25%2 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income10%Higher-income5%5 pp gap

Grades 3-8Lower-income16%Higher-income23%7 pp gap