The top reported proficiency rate is 48% in Science. The lowest is 28% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Kittrell Elementary
Kittrell Elementary is a regular public school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in Readyville, a small rural unincorporated community that straddles Cannon and Rutherford Counties in Tennessee. The school sits within the Rutherford County district, which has been under pressure from steady enrollment growth and has responded with a voter-approved bond referendum funding new construction and renovations district-wide. Kittrell itself is a modest-sized elementary for its grade band, enrolling children from the surrounding rural area.
On state assessments, overall proficiency across tested subjects places the school in the bottom quartile among districts in Rutherford County. Proficiency rates fall below the county midpoint, a pattern worth noting. In math, roughly a third of students scored at the proficient or above level. In English language arts, the share was a bit higher but still below half. Science performance was stronger, with nearly half of students reaching proficiency. Social studies data from an earlier year is available but is considered outdated and not comparable due to assessment changes. Readers should keep in mind that these results cover only grades three through five; younger students are not tested. A parent may want to follow up with the school for more context on how these scores align with classroom instruction and any interventions in place.
Readyville itself shapes the experience. The community is small and rural, with a historic mill and a few landmarks that give it character, but also with very limited walkability and minimal street life. An EF2 tornado in 2023 heavily damaged much of the town center, including the post office, market, and the Readyville Mill. Residents likely commute to Murfreesboro or Woodbury for work and shopping. Housing values in the ZIP code area are above both the state and national medians, reflecting the broader Nashville-area market pressures, though the community itself has seen little new development. The John Bragg Highway bypass built years ago reduced through-traffic through the center, and the tornado setback has further reshaped the local landscape.
Within the district, Rutherford County Schools have made system-level changes that affect Kittrell. A phonics-based literacy curriculum was introduced in all elementary schools starting a few years ago, backed by teacher training and a universal reading screener for K-3. The district also completed a 1:1 technology initiative, with each student receiving a Chromebook or iPad. Both of these are lasting shifts in how instruction and resources are delivered.
The student body is predominantly white, with a sizable Hispanic population and smaller shares of Black students and students of two or more races. Enrollment is relatively stable across grades. Data on free or reduced-price meal eligibility and on students with disabilities or English learner status was not available, so those dimensions cannot be assessed here. That gap may be worth exploring directly with the school if those factors matter to a family.
For a family considering this school, the picture is a small, rural elementary in a recovering community, part of a large and growing county district. Academic results are on the lower side relative to county peers, though science stands out as a relative bright spot. The setting is quiet, spread out, and dependent on car travel. The district investments in literacy and technology are reaching this school, and the bond-funded construction elsewhere in the county may eventually affect capacity or boundaries. Kittrell offers a contained K-5 experience in a place where the nearest commercial and civic anchors are a short drive away, and where the tornado's aftermath is still part of the community's recent memory.
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