Polk County operates 7 public schools serving 2,148 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Tennessee. The school portfolio breaks down into 5 other, 1 high, 1 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 2,160 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Polk County County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,511 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 23.3% local, 53.0% state, and 23.7% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $73,659 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 55/100, ranked #15 of 140 in Tennessee against a state average of 38 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.
a 350.1:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 20.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 95.0% White, 2.4% Hispanic or Latino, 1.2% African American across the district's schools.
Benton Elementary accounts for 19.5% of all Polk County student enrollment
That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Polk County-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: other. 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.
Polk County school enrollment varies 2.9× across entities
Polk County school enrollment ranges from 147 students (lowest) to 421 students (highest), a spread of 274 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.
Polk County student-counselor ratio is 350:1 — 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.
Polk County chronic absenteeism rate is 20.3% — 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 Polk County is typically wider than the Polk County-aggregate figure suggests.
Polk County has 7 schools, including 5 other, 1 high, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 2,148 students.
How much does Polk County spend per student?
Polk County spends $12,511 per student. The district has an equity score of 55/100, ranking #15 in Tennessee.
What is the average teacher salary in Polk County?
The average teacher salary in Polk County is $73,659 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.
What is the average rent near Polk County?
The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Polk County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.
What is the demographic composition of Polk County?
Polk County students are 95.0% White, 2.4% Hispanic or Latino, 1.2% African American, 0.3% Asian, averaged across 7 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Polk County?
Polk County has an equity score of 55/100, ranking #15 out of 140 districts in Tennessee. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.