Lake 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.

Tiptonville, Tennessee - 3 schools

An equity score of 69/100 ranks Lake County #2 of 140 districts in Tennessee (state average 38). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,059 per pupil, Lake County ranks #13 of 141 Tennessee districts by per-pupil spending (Tennessee districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

749
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$12,059
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Lake County operates 3 public schools serving 749 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Tennessee. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 elementary, 1 high, 1 combined 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 Lake County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,059 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the top 15 of 141 Tennessee districts by per-pupil spending. See how Tennessee compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 17.5% local, 60.7% state, and 21.8% 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 69/100, ranked #2 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.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 3 schools offering Advanced Placement (1 AP courses district-wide), a 112.2:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 39.4% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 62.8% White, 26.6% African American, 2.8% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Margaret Newton Elementary, with a diversity index of 57.3/100.

Its largest campus is Lara Kendall Elementary, enrolling 326 students (44% of the district's total enrollment).

Lara Kendall Elementary accounts for 43.5% of all Lake County student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Lake County-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: elementary. 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

Lake County student-counselor ratio is 112:1 — well below typical (typically associated with unusually small scale or exceptionally high per-unit investment)

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 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 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Lake County chronic absenteeism rate is 39.4% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

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

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

Where does the funding come from?

21.8%
Federal
60.7%
State
17.5%
Local

Funding Equity

69
Equity Score
2 / 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 3 schools in Lake County.

White 62.8%
Hispanic or Latino 2.8%
African American 26.6%
Multiracial 7.7%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 52.7/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Margaret Newton Elementary 57.3
  2. 2 Lake Co High School 51.0
  3. 3 Lara Kendall Elementary 49.8

Programs & Resources

1 / 3
Schools with AP
1 AP courses total
112.2:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
39.4%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Lake County

School Enrollment
Lara Kendall Elementary
326
Lake Co High School
209
Margaret Newton Elementary
208

How Lake County Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Tennessee districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Van Buren County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Newport Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
West Carroll Sp Dist Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Hollow Rock - Bruceton Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Dayton Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

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

Compare Lake 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 Lake County?

Lake County has 3 schools, including 1 elementary, 1 high, 1 combined. Total enrollment is 749 students.

How much does Lake County spend per student?

Lake County spends $12,059 per student. The district has an equity score of 69/100, ranking #2 in Tennessee.

What is the demographic composition of Lake County?

Lake County students are 62.8% White, 26.6% African American, 2.8% Hispanic or Latino, 0.1% Asian, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Lake County?

Lake County has an equity score of 69/100, ranking #2 out of 140 districts in Tennessee.