Putnam County School District

1400 East Spring St
Cookeville, TN 38506-4313
(District boundaries shown in map)
7/
10
Top 50%

Top Rankings

Putnam County School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Tennessee for:

Category
Attribute
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 6 public high schools serving 3,897 students in Putnam County School District. This district's average high testing ranking is 5/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public high schools in Tennessee.
Public High Schools in Putnam County School District have an average math proficiency score of 20% (versus the Tennessee public high school average of 23%), and reading proficiency score of 38% (versus the 40% statewide average).
Public High School in Putnam County School District have a Graduation Rate of 91%, which is more than the Tennessee average of 90%.
The school with highest graduation rate is Upperman High School, with 96% graduation rate. Read more about public school graduation rate statistics in Tennessee or national school graduation rate statistics.
Minority enrollment is 25% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the Tennessee public high school average of 42% (majority Black).

Overview

This School District
This State (TN)
# Schools
22 Schools
507 Schools
# Students
11,762 Students
327,116 Students
# Teachers
815 Teachers
21,160 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
14:1
14:1

District Rank

Putnam County School District, which is ranked within the top 50% of all 147 school districts in Tennessee (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 91% has decreased from 92% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (TN)
#56 out of 147 school districts
(Top 50%)
This chart displays the overall district rank of Putnam County  School District, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
33%
31%
This chart displays the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Math of Putnam County  School District and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Math of Tennessee by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
37%
37%
This chart displays the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Reading/Language Arts of Putnam County  School District and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Reading/Language Arts of Tennessee by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
39%
40%
This chart displays the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Science of Putnam County  School District and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Science of Tennessee by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
91%
90%
This chart displays public school graduation rate of Putnam County  School District and public school graduation rate of Tennessee by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.

Students by Ethnicity:

0.39
0.60
# American Indian Students
9 Students
563 Students
% American Indian Students
n/a
n/a
# Asian Students
162 Students
6,924 Students
% Asian Students
1%
2%
# Hispanic Students
2,115 Students
48,246 Students
% Hispanic Students
18%
15%
# Black Students
317 Students
66,689 Students
% Black Students
3%
20%
# White Students
8,949 Students
191,311 Students
% White Students
76%
59%
# Hawaiian Students
9 Students
351 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
n/a
# Two or more races Students
201 Students
13,032 Students
% of Two or more races Students
2%
4%

Students by Grade:

# Students in PK Grade:
489
912
# Students in K Grade:
858
872
# Students in 1st Grade:
876
902
# Students in 2nd Grade:
846
947
# Students in 3rd Grade:
795
981
# Students in 4th Grade:
846
1,031
# Students in 5th Grade:
837
1,744
# Students in 6th Grade:
868
4,748
# Students in 7th Grade:
831
7,652
# Students in 8th Grade:
858
8,282
# Students in 9th Grade:
920
77,036
# Students in 10th Grade:
918
77,259
# Students in 11th Grade:
956
73,989
# Students in 12th Grade:
864
70,761
# Ungraded Students:
-
-

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $10,350 in this school district is less than the state median of $11,979. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $10,304 is less than the state median of $11,478. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
This School District
This State (TN)
Total Revenue
$122 MM
$12,104 MM
This chart displays total revenue of Putnam County  School District and median value from total revenues of all school districts in Tennessee by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Spending
$121 MM
$11,597 MM
This chart displays total spending of Putnam County  School District and median value from total spendings of all school districts in Tennessee by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Revenue / Student
$10,350
$11,979
This chart displays average revenue per public school student in Putnam County  School District and average revenue per public school student of all school districts in Tennessee by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Spending / Student
$10,304
$11,478
This chart displays average spending per public school student in Putnam County  School District and average spending per public school student of all school districts in Tennessee by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

Best Putnam County School District Public High Schools (2025)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Cookeville High School
Magnet School
(Math: 25% | Reading: 50%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
1 Cavalier Dr
Cookeville, TN 38501
(931) 520-2287
Grades: 9-12
| 2,202 students
Rank: #22.
Upperman High School
(Math: 17% | Reading: 30%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
6950 Nashville Hwy
Baxter, TN 38544
(931) 858-3112
Grades: 9-12
| 918 students
Rank: #33.
Monterey High School
(Math: 17% | Reading: 28%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
710 East Commercial Ave
Monterey, TN 38574
(931) 839-2970
Grades: 7-12
| 544 students
Rank: #44.
Putnam County Vital
(Math: 15% | Reading: 25%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
1400 E. Spring St
Cookeville, TN 38506
(931) 372-2368
Grades: PK-12
| 106 students
Rank: #55.
White Plains Academy
Alternative School
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: 6-9%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
288 E. Main St
Cookeville, TN 38506
(931) 528-1847
Grades: K-12
| 98 students
Rank: n/an/a
268 East Main St
Cookeville, TN 38506
(931) 528-8685
Grades: 9-12
| 29 students

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Quick Stats (2025)

  • District size: 22 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 11,762 students
  • Student:Teacher Ratio: 14:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 24%
  • : 91% (Btm 50% in TN)
  • : Top 50%
  • : 33% (Top 50%)
  • : 37% (Top 50%)
  • : 39% (Top 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), TN Dept. of Education

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