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DeKalb County Schools
DeKalb County is a public school district in Tennessee, based in DeKalb County (Smithville). SchoolGrade grades 5 of its schools on actual versus projected test scores; every school below has its own page.
DeKalb County on the map
District boundary from the NCES EDGE composite school district file. Each marker is a graded school; click it for its grade and scores.
SchoolGrade summary for DeKalb County
4 of 5 schools in DeKalb County carry a SchoolGrade (1 have no school-level proficiency results in our source data). Grade distribution:
B: 1C: 1D: 2
Best schools in DeKalb County
Statewide rankings: all 358 high schools in Tennessee · all 312 middle schools in Tennessee · all 964 elementary schools in Tennessee
The ten highest SchoolGrades in the district. Grades reward 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.
- B- Dekalb West Elementary (Elementary school, meets expectations)
- C Northside Elementary (Elementary school, doesn't meet expectations)
- D+ Dekalb Middle School (Middle school, underperforms expectations)
- D De Kalb County High School (High school, doesn't meet expectations)
Every school in DeKalb County
High schools (1)
- D De Kalb County High School, Smithville
Middle and junior high schools (1)
- D+ Dekalb Middle School, Smithville
Elementary and primary schools (3)
- B- Dekalb West Elementary, Liberty
- C Northside Elementary, Smithville
- Smithville Elementary, Smithville
Where DeKalb County schools are
Cities and towns served (2)
- Smithville (4)
- Liberty (1)
About this district
- State: Best schools in Tennessee
- County: DeKalb County
- Type: regular local school district
- Setting: distant town (NCES locale of the district office)
- Enrollment: 2,933 students with 212 full-time-equivalent teachers and 445 total staff FTE (NCES CCD, 2023-24)
- NCES district ID: 4700990
- Grades are the 2025-26 SchoolGrade model: each school's actual proficiency against the level projected for its student context. How SchoolGrade works
Nearby school districts
- Smith County (9 schools, 20 mi)
- Warren County (12 schools, 21 mi)
- White County (8 schools, 21 mi)
- Putnam County (20 schools, 22 mi)
- Jackson County (4 schools, 27 mi)
- Wilson County (24 schools, 28 mi)
- Rutherford County (50 schools, 30 mi)
- Lebanon (7 schools, 31 mi)
Questions about DeKalb County
How many schools are in DeKalb County?
SchoolGrade grades 5 public schools in DeKalb County, across 2 cities and towns. Every one of them is listed on this page with a link to its own report.
Which cities does DeKalb County serve?
The largest by graded schools: Smithville, Liberty.
How good are the schools in DeKalb County?
Across the 4 graded schools, the average SchoolGrade is C-, with 32.8% of tested students meeting the state bar against a projected 38.8%. 25% of schools meet or exceed the expectation for their student context.
How many students attend DeKalb County?
2,933 students were enrolled in DeKalb County in the 2023-24 school year, about 13.8 students per full-time teacher (NCES Common Core of Data).
Where is DeKalb County?
DeKalb County is in Tennessee, based in DeKalb County, with its district office in Smithville. Its boundary covers about 304 sq mi.