Decatur County

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.

Decaturville, Tennessee - 4 schools

An equity score of 50/100 ranks Decatur County #28 of 140 districts in Tennessee (state average 38). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $10,627 per pupil, Decatur County ranks #76 of 141 Tennessee districts by per-pupil spending (Tennessee districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,524
Total Enrollment
4
Schools
$10,627
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Decatur County operates 4 public schools serving 1,524 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Tennessee. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 combined, 1 high, 1 elementary 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 Decatur County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $10,627 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 23.6% local, 54.9% state, and 21.5% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 50/100, ranked #28 of 140 in Tennessee against a state average of 38, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

a 432:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 16.4% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 89.5% White, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 1.5% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Parsons Elementary, with a diversity index of 24.2/100.

Its largest campus is Riverside High School, enrolling 440 students (30% of the district's total enrollment).

Riverside High School accounts for 28.9% of all Decatur County student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Decatur County-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

Decatur County student-counselor ratio is 432:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

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

Decatur County chronic absenteeism rate is 16.4% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

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 Variation between sub-units within Decatur County is typically wider than the Decatur County-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Where does the funding come from?

21.5%
Federal
54.9%
State
23.6%
Local

Funding Equity

50
Equity Score
28 / 140
State Rank
38
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 4 schools in Decatur County.

White 89.5%
Hispanic or Latino 4.8%
African American 1.3%
Asian 1.5%
Multiracial 2.1%
Other 0.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 19.4/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Decatur County's schools, below the Tennessee average of 38.3.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Parsons Elementary 24.2
  2. 2 Decatur County Middle School 23.0
  3. 3 Riverside High School 20.5
  4. 4 Decaturville Elementary 10.0

Programs & Resources

432:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
16.4%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Decatur County

School Enrollment
Riverside High School
440
Decatur County Middle School
424
Parsons Elementary
365
Decaturville Elementary
230

How Decatur County Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Tennessee districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Union City Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Sweetwater Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Manchester Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Jackson County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Oneida Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Decatur County'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 Decatur County →
Davidson County
80,651 students · 161 schools · $15,421/pupil
Compare vs Decatur County →
Knox County
60,609 students · 93 schools · $10,538/pupil
Compare vs Decatur County →
Rutherford County
50,707 students · 51 schools · $10,141/pupil
Compare vs Decatur County →
Hamilton County
45,902 students · 81 schools · $12,002/pupil
Compare vs Decatur County →

Compare Decatur County

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 Decatur County?

Decatur County has 4 schools, including 1 high, 1 elementary, 2 combined. Total enrollment is 1,524 students.

How much does Decatur County spend per student?

Decatur County spends $10,627 per student. The district has an equity score of 50/100, ranking #28 in Tennessee.

What is the demographic composition of Decatur County?

Decatur County students are 89.5% White, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 1.5% Asian, 1.3% African American, averaged across 4 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Decatur County?

Decatur County has an equity score of 50/100, ranking #28 out of 140 districts in Tennessee.