Monroe 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.

Madisonville, Tennessee - 13 schools

An equity score of 32/100 ranks Monroe County #89 of 140 districts in Tennessee (state average 38). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $11,307 per pupil, Monroe County ranks #43 of 141 Tennessee districts by per-pupil spending (Tennessee districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

5,023
Total Enrollment
13
Schools
$11,307
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Monroe County operates 13 public schools serving 5,023 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Tennessee. The school portfolio breaks down into 5 elementary, 4 combined, 3 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 Monroe County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,307 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 141 Tennessee districts by per-pupil spending. See how Tennessee compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 26.4% local, 52.1% 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 32/100, ranked #89 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 464.5:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 35.5% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 88.6% White, 7.4% Hispanic or Latino, 1.1% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Vonore Middle School, with a diversity index of 34.7/100.

Its largest campus is Sequoyah High School, enrolling 766 students (15% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Coker Creek Elementary, at 55 students, a 14x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Sequoyah High School accounts for 15.2% of all Monroe County student enrollment

That concentration means Monroe 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

Monroe County school enrollment varies 14× across entities

Monroe County school enrollment ranges from 55 students (lowest) to 766 students (highest), a spread of 711 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. 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

Monroe County student-counselor ratio is 465:1 — 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

Monroe County chronic absenteeism rate is 35.5% — 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?

21.5%
Federal
52.1%
State
26.4%
Local

Funding Equity

32
Equity Score
89 / 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 13 schools in Monroe County.

White 88.6%
Hispanic or Latino 7.4%
African American 1.1%
Multiracial 2.4%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 20.5/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Vonore Middle School 34.7
  2. 2 Sweetwater High School 33.3
  3. 3 Sequoyah High School 31.2
  4. 4 Vonore Elementary 27.2
  5. 5 Monroe County Virtual School 20.4

Programs & Resources

464.5:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
35.5%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Monroe County

School Enrollment
Sequoyah High School
766
Sweetwater High School
610
Madisonville Primary
529
Madisonville Intermediate School
475
Tellico Plains High School
435
Madisonville Middle School
430
Tellico Plains Elementary
357
Vonore Elementary
343
Monroe County Virtual School
273
Tellico Plains Junior High School
258
Vonore Middle School
258
Rural Vale Elementary
217
Coker Creek Elementary
55

How Monroe County Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Tennessee districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

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

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

Compare Monroe 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 Monroe County?

Monroe County has 13 schools, including 3 high, 4 combined, 5 elementary, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 5,023 students.

How much does Monroe County spend per student?

Monroe County spends $11,307 per student. The district has an equity score of 32/100, ranking #89 in Tennessee.

What is the demographic composition of Monroe County?

Monroe County students are 88.6% White, 7.4% Hispanic or Latino, 1.1% African American, 0.3% Asian, averaged across 13 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Monroe County?

Monroe County has an equity score of 32/100, ranking #89 out of 140 districts in Tennessee.