Giles 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.

Pulaski, Tennessee - 8 schools

An equity score of 39/100 ranks Giles County #66 of 140 districts in Tennessee (state average 38). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $10,299 per pupil, Giles County ranks #93 of 141 Tennessee districts by per-pupil spending (Tennessee districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

3,670
Total Enrollment
8
Schools
$10,299
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Giles County operates 8 public schools serving 3,670 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Tennessee. The school portfolio breaks down into 5 combined, 1 high, 1 elementary, 1 middle schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Giles County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $10,299 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 33.5% local, 48.8% state, and 17.7% 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 39/100, ranked #66 of 140 in Tennessee against a state average of 38, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

a 366.8:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 22.4% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 73.5% White, 11.8% African American, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Bridgeforth Middle School, with a diversity index of 61.9/100.

Its largest campus is Giles Co High School, enrolling 688 students (19% of the district's total enrollment).

Giles Co High School accounts for 18.7% of all Giles County student enrollment

That concentration means Giles 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

Giles County school enrollment varies 2.6× across entities

Giles County school enrollment ranges from 263 students (lowest) to 688 students (highest), a spread of 425 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

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

Giles County student-counselor ratio is 367:1 — 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

Giles County chronic absenteeism rate is 22.4% — 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 Giles County is typically wider than the Giles 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?

17.7%
Federal
48.8%
State
33.5%
Local

Funding Equity

39
Equity Score
66 / 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 8 schools in Giles County.

White 73.5%
Hispanic or Latino 5.3%
African American 11.8%
Asian 1.1%
Multiracial 8.2%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 40.9/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Bridgeforth Middle School 61.9
  2. 2 Southside Elementary 56.9
  3. 3 Pulaski Elementary 56.1
  4. 4 Giles Co High School 52.1
  5. 5 Elkton Elementary 41.2

Programs & Resources

366.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
22.4%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Giles County

School Enrollment
Giles Co High School
688
Richland School
633
Richland Elementary
520
Pulaski Elementary
471
Southside Elementary
397
Bridgeforth Middle School
316
Minor Hill School
307
Elkton Elementary
263

How Giles County Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Tennessee districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Dyer County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Tullahoma Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Tennessee Public Charter School Commission Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
Mcnairy County Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
White County Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

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

Compare Giles 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 Giles County?

Giles County has 8 schools, including 1 high, 5 combined, 1 elementary, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 3,670 students.

How much does Giles County spend per student?

Giles County spends $10,299 per student. The district has an equity score of 39/100, ranking #66 in Tennessee.

What is the demographic composition of Giles County?

Giles County students are 73.5% White, 11.8% African American, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 1.1% Asian, averaged across 8 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Giles County?

Giles County has an equity score of 39/100, ranking #66 out of 140 districts in Tennessee.