Arlington

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Arlington, Tennessee - 4 schools

An equity score of 11/100 ranks Arlington #140 of 140 districts in Tennessee (state average 38). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $10,029 per pupil, Arlington ranks #111 of 141 Tennessee districts by per-pupil spending (Tennessee districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

4,803
Total Enrollment
4
Schools
$10,029
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Arlington operates 4 public schools serving 4,803 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Tennessee. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 combined, 1 high, 1 middle schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Shelby County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $10,029 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 141 Tennessee districts by per-pupil spending. See how Tennessee compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 47.1% local, 41.4% state, and 11.5% federal, a balanced mix across local, state, and federal sources, spreading budget risk across funding cycles rather than concentrating it in one. The district's equity score is 11/100, ranked #140 of 140 in Tennessee against a state average of 38, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 4 schools offering Advanced Placement (37 AP courses district-wide), a 498.5:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 9.4% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 69.5% White, 13.0% African American, 8.8% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Arlington High, with a diversity index of 51.7/100.

Its largest campus is Arlington High, enrolling 1,674 students (38% of the district's total enrollment).

Arlington High accounts for 34.9% of all Arlington student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Arlington-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Arlington student-counselor ratio is 499:1 — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Arlington chronic absenteeism rate is 9.4% — well below typical (typically associated with unusually small scale or exceptionally high per-unit investment)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Values this far below typical often correlate with unusually small scale or population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se — worth checking whether the underlying denominator is itself an outlier.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

11.5%
Federal
41.4%
State
47.1%
Local

Funding Equity

11
Equity Score
140 / 140
State Rank
38
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 4 schools in Arlington.

White 69.5%
Hispanic or Latino 8.8%
African American 13.0%
Asian 2.9%
Multiracial 5.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 48.8/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Arlington's schools, above the Tennessee average of 38.3.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Arlington High 51.7
  2. 2 Donelson Elementary 50.8
  3. 3 Arlington Middle 48.3
  4. 4 Arlington Elementary 44.4

Programs & Resources

1 / 4
Schools with AP
37 AP courses total
498.5:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
9.4%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Arlington

School Enrollment
Arlington High
1,674
Arlington Middle
960
Arlington Elementary
926
Donelson Elementary
843

How Arlington Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Tennessee districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Carter County Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Oak Ridge Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Johnson County Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Loudon County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Franklin County Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Arlington's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Tennessee

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Memphis-Shelby County Schools
109,797 students · 222 schools · $13,650/pupil
Compare vs Arlington →
Davidson County
80,651 students · 161 schools · $15,421/pupil
Compare vs Arlington →
Knox County
60,609 students · 93 schools · $10,538/pupil
Compare vs Arlington →
Rutherford County
50,707 students · 51 schools · $10,141/pupil
Compare vs Arlington →
Hamilton County
45,902 students · 81 schools · $12,002/pupil
Compare vs Arlington →

Compare Arlington

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Memphis-Shelby County Schools →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Arlington?

Arlington has 4 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 2 combined. Total enrollment is 4,803 students.

How much does Arlington spend per student?

Arlington spends $10,029 per student. The district has an equity score of 11/100, ranking #140 in Tennessee.

What is the demographic composition of Arlington?

Arlington students are 69.5% White, 13.0% African American, 8.8% Hispanic or Latino, 2.9% Asian, averaged across 4 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Arlington?

Arlington has an equity score of 11/100, ranking #140 out of 140 districts in Tennessee.