Van Buren County

Spencer, Tennessee — 2 schools

794
Total Enrollment
2
Schools
$14,137
Per-Pupil Spending
Other
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Van Buren County operates 2 public schools serving 794 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Tennessee. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 other schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 756 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Van Buren County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $14,137 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 21.9% local, 55.6% state, and 22.4% 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 $73,508 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 60/100, ranked #7 of 140 in Tennessee against a state average of 38 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

a 378:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 22.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 98.2% White, 1.1% Hispanic or Latino, 0.4% African American across the district's schools.

Van Buren Co High School accounts for 50.8% of all Van Buren County student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Van Buren 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.

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

Van Buren County student-counselor ratio is 378:1 — 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

Van Buren County chronic absenteeism rate is 22.3% — 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 Van Buren County is typically wider than the Van Buren 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?

22.4%
Federal
55.6%
State
21.9%
Local

Funding Equity

60
Equity Score
7 / 140
State Rank
38
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Van Buren County county, where this district is located.

$700
Studio/mo
$705
1 BR/mo
$925
2 BR/mo
$1,198
3 BR/mo
$1,289
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$73,508
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 2 schools in Van Buren County.

White 98.2%
Hispanic or Latino 1.1%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

378:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
22.3%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Van Buren County

School Enrollment
Van Buren Co High School
384
Spencer Elementary
372

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 · $15,292/pupil
Compare vs Van Buren County →
Davidson County
80,651 students · 161 schools · $17,219/pupil
Compare vs Van Buren County →
Knox County
60,609 students · 93 schools · $11,040/pupil
Compare vs Van Buren County →
Rutherford County
50,707 students · 51 schools · $11,822/pupil
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Hamilton County
45,902 students · 81 schools · $12,591/pupil
Compare vs Van Buren County →

Compare Van Buren 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 Van Buren County?

Van Buren County has 2 schools, including 2 other. Total enrollment is 794 students.

How much does Van Buren County spend per student?

Van Buren County spends $14,137 per student. The district has an equity score of 60/100, ranking #7 in Tennessee.

What is the average teacher salary in Van Buren County?

The average teacher salary in Van Buren County is $73,508 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Van Buren County?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Van Buren County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Van Buren County?

Van Buren County students are 98.2% White, 1.1% Hispanic or Latino, 0.4% African American, 0.3% Asian, averaged across 2 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Van Buren County?

Van Buren County has an equity score of 60/100, ranking #7 out of 140 districts in Tennessee. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

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Refreshed within 30 days of upstream release

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Federal

Authoritative data, no third-party aggregation

Page reliability score 94.0%
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