Best Elementary Schools in Nashville, TN (2025-26)
Every ranked elementary school in Nashville, TN, ordered by SchoolGrade. A grade rewards actual test performance against the projection for each school's student context, so a B in a high-poverty school can outrank an A- elsewhere on impact. Click a column heading to sort, or filter by school, city or district.
Nashville, TN rankings: Middle Schools · Elementary Schools
Nashville, TN elementary schools ranked
How Nashville, TN's elementary schools compare
A: 12B: 4C: 7D: 20F: 11
30% of the 54 ranked elementary schools in Nashville, TN earn an A or B (12 A grades, 4 B, 7 C, 20 D, 11 F), against 46% of elementary schools nationwide. 41 schools meet or beat the proficiency projected from their student context (76% here, 70% nationally), and 26 exceed it. On average 35% of tested students meet the state bar against a projected 25% (national averages: 46% actual, 37% projected).
The biggest overperformers, by actual proficiency above projection: Purpose Prep (53% against 11%, B+), Kipp Nashville College Prep Elementary (45% against 11%, B-), Lockeland Elementary (92% against 60%, A+), John B Whitsitt Elementary (44% against 13%, B-), Nashville Classical (45% against 22%, B-).
Districts with the most schools in the top quarter (the top 14): Davidson County (14).
The largest ranked elementary schools: East End Preparatory School (756 students, C, #18), Una Elementary (749 students, D-, #43), May Werthan Shayne Elementary School (735 students, C-, #20).
Of the top 25, 6 are magnet schools and 4 are charters. Selective and specialised schools tend to post high actual scores; the projection column is the fairer comparison for a neighborhood school.
Elementary schools in Nashville, TN that are not ranked
3 graded elementary schools are listed here rather than ranked, each for the reason given. Every one has its own page with its full SchoolGrade report.
Special-purpose schools (2)
Alternative, special-education and vocational schools serve a different mission and a different student body, so they are graded but not ranked against regular schools.
- F Murrell At Glenn School, Nashville
- F Tennessee School For The Deaf Nashville, Nashville
Not yet graded (1)
Our source data has no school-level proficiency results for these schools, so they carry no SchoolGrade yet.
- Rocketship Nashville Northeast Elementary, Nashville
About this ranking
- Scope: public elementary schools in Nashville, TN, as grouped on its schools page; the Tennessee ranking covers the whole state.
- Order: SchoolGrade, then actual proficiency, then name; schools with the same grade and score share a rank.
- Ranked: regular public schools that NCES lists as open, not fully online, with at least 30 students. Others are listed with the reason.
- Tags: Magnet and Charter from the NCES school directory; K-12 marks schools serving every grade that are ranked with the elementary schools.
- Grades are the 2025-26 SchoolGrade model. How SchoolGrade works
Questions about elementary schools in Nashville, TN
What is the best elementary school in Nashville, TN?
Lockeland Elementary in Nashville ranks first among the 54 ranked elementary schools in Nashville, TN with a SchoolGrade of A+, 92% of tested students meeting the state bar against a projected 60%.
How are elementary schools in Nashville, TN ranked?
By SchoolGrade, the 2025-26 model that scores each school's actual test proficiency against the level projected for its student context, then by actual proficiency to break ties. Regular public schools that are open, not fully online and have at least 30 students are ranked; the rest are listed below the table with the reason.
How many elementary schools does Nashville, TN have?
SchoolGrade grades 57 public elementary schools in Nashville, TN; 54 are ranked here and 3 are listed as not ranked.