Mcnairy 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.

Selmer, Tennessee - 9 schools

An equity score of 56/100 ranks Mcnairy County #14 of 140 districts in Tennessee (state average 38). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $10,521 per pupil, Mcnairy County ranks #82 of 141 Tennessee districts by per-pupil spending (Tennessee districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

3,831
Total Enrollment
9
Schools
$10,521
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Mcnairy County operates 9 public schools serving 3,831 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Tennessee. The school portfolio breaks down into 6 combined, 2 high, 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 Mcnairy County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $10,521 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 19.9% local, 60.0% state, and 20.2% 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 56/100, ranked #14 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 420.4:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 20.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 86.5% White, 7.1% African American, 2.4% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Mcnairy County Virtual School K-12, with a diversity index of 39.4/100.

Its largest campus is Adamsville Elementary, enrolling 710 students (19% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Mcnairy County Virtual School K-12, at 33 students, a 22x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Adamsville Elementary accounts for 18.5% of all Mcnairy County student enrollment

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

Mcnairy County school enrollment varies 22× across entities

Mcnairy County school enrollment ranges from 33 students (lowest) to 710 students (highest), a spread of 677 students. That spread is wider than typical and predicts noticeable gaps in service quality between the highest and lowest areas. 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

Mcnairy County student-counselor ratio is 420:1 — 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

Mcnairy County chronic absenteeism rate is 20.6% — 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 Mcnairy County is typically wider than the Mcnairy 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?

20.2%
Federal
60.0%
State
19.9%
Local

Funding Equity

56
Equity Score
14 / 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 9 schools in Mcnairy County.

White 86.5%
Hispanic or Latino 2.4%
African American 7.1%
Multiracial 3.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 23.6/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Mcnairy County Virtual School K-12 39.4
  2. 2 Selmer Middle School 38.9
  3. 3 Selmer Elementary 36.2
  4. 4 Mcnairy Central High School 28.3
  5. 5 Ramer Elementary 17.3

Programs & Resources

420.4:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
20.6%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Mcnairy County

School Enrollment
Adamsville Elementary
710
Mcnairy Central High School
673
Selmer Elementary
548
Adamsville High School
460
Bethel Springs Elementary
415
Ramer Elementary
355
Michie Elementary
342
Selmer Middle School
197
Mcnairy County Virtual School K-12
33

How Mcnairy County Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Tennessee districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Tennessee Public Charter School Commission Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
White County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Marion County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Gibson Co Sp Dist Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Weakley County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

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

Compare Mcnairy 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 Mcnairy County?

Mcnairy County has 9 schools, including 6 combined, 2 high, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 3,831 students.

How much does Mcnairy County spend per student?

Mcnairy County spends $10,521 per student. The district has an equity score of 56/100, ranking #14 in Tennessee.

What is the demographic composition of Mcnairy County?

Mcnairy County students are 86.5% White, 7.1% African American, 2.4% Hispanic or Latino, 0.4% Asian, averaged across 9 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Mcnairy County?

Mcnairy County has an equity score of 56/100, ranking #14 out of 140 districts in Tennessee.