Jere Whitson Elementary

Summary:

Jere Whitson Elementary is a public elementary school in Cookeville, Tennessee, serving 327 students in grades PK-4 as part of the Putnam County School District. While the school has a significantly higher percentage of Hispanic students compared to nearby schools, it consistently ranks in the bottom quartile of Tennessee elementary schools and struggles with low academic performance, particularly for Hispanic students and English Language Learners.

Jere Whitson Elementary's academic performance on state assessments (TNReady) is significantly lower than the Putnam County and Tennessee averages across all subjects and grade levels. The school's performance has been consistently poor over the past several years, with rankings between 793-849 out of 983-1020 Tennessee elementary schools. This trend is concerning and indicates the need for significant interventions and support to improve student outcomes. The school's high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds may be a contributing factor, as it ranks in the bottom half of Tennessee elementary schools for this metric.

Interestingly, the surrounding schools, such as Cornerstone Elementary, Prescott South Elementary, and Capshaw Elementary, generally outperform Jere Whitson Elementary on academic measures. This highlights the need for Jere Whitson to learn from the practices and strategies of its higher-performing peers and explore more effective ways to utilize its resources to support student learning, especially for its diverse student population.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-4

 178 East Jere Whitson RD
       Cookeville, TN  38501


(931) 526-6575

District: Putnam County

SchoolDigger Rank:
799th of 1,018 Tennessee Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $13,168 Help


Students who attend Jere Whitson Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Avery Trace Middle School
High:    Cookeville High School
    Putnam County Adult High School

Student/teacher ratio:  11.5 Help
Number of students:  317

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
65.6%
White:
29.0%
African American:
3.2%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  94.2% Help


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 Compare Jere Whitson Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Jere Whitson Elementary ranks worse than 78.5% of elementary schools in Tennessee. It also ranks last among 10 ranked elementary schools in the Putnam County School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 23.99. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (65.6%), White (29%), African American (3.2%). (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Jere Whitson Elementary is 11.5, which is the 2nd best among 10 elementary schools in the Putnam County School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Jere Whitson Elementary employs 27.3 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Jere Whitson Elementary is $13,168, which is the 3rd highest among 10 elementary schools in the Putnam County School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Jere Whitson Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Jere Whitson Elementary 799th of 1018 Tennessee public elementary schools. (See Jere Whitson Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Putnam County:

SchoolDigger ranks Putnam County 71st of 140 Tennessee school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Jere Whitson Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Jere Whitson Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2010 22.16 683rd 809 15.6%
2011 19.52 722nd 818 11.7%
2012 41.59 531st 820 35.2%
2013 42.67 631st 846 25.4%
2014 28.93 681st 853 20.2%
2015 31.25 686th 855 19.8%
2018 20.63 829th 997 16.9%
2019 24.73 777th 985 21.1%
2021 14.68 849th 983 13.6%
2022 22.33 788th 1000 21.2%
2023 23.43 793rd 1020 22.3%
2024 23.99 799th 1018 21.5%
See the entire list of Tennessee Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Jere Whitson Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.55 43rd 95 54.7%
2019 28.09 55th 66 16.7%
2022 41.05 84th 165 49.1%
2023 42.26 84th 164 48.8%
2024 20.99 168th 178 5.6%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Jere Whitson Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 32.27 302nd 447 32.4%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Jere Whitson Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 35.21 606th 877 30.9%
2019 40.26 510th 821 37.9%
2021 37.62 501st 823 39.1%
2022 47.48 415th 858 51.6%
2023 52.95 361st 865 58.3%
2024 45.19 455th 853 46.7%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Jere Whitson Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 17.81 809th 926 12.6%
2021 13.91 828th 945 12.4%
2022 19.72 799th 975 18.1%
2023 17.43 838th 989 15.3%
2024 20.58 804th 990 18.8%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Jere Whitson Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 39.56 553rd 916 39.6%
2021 15.39 818th 941 13.1%
2022 37.11 603rd 980 38.5%
2023 31.07 693rd 987 29.8%
2024 31.61 697th 991 29.7%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Jere Whitson Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.28 266th 319 16.6%
2019 34.97 158th 250 36.8%
2021 23.20 276th 324 14.8%
2022 30.80 270th 363 25.6%
2023 29.04 297th 387 23.3%
2024 24.85 342nd 415 17.6%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Jere Whitson Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 21.32 739th 841 12.1%
2021 30.16 617th 844 26.9%
2022 21.36 731st 844 13.4%
2023 37.81 539th 852 36.7%
2024 45.05 445th 847 47.5%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Tennessee Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Jere Whitson Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Tennessee Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Jere Whitson Elementary

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 512 8 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 521
1989 560 13 3 n/a n/a n/a n/a 0 576
1990 546 7 3 0 1 n/a n/a 0 557
1991 556 4 5 0 0 n/a n/a 0 565
1992 552 4 5 0 0 n/a n/a 0 561
1993 563 4 0 5 2 n/a n/a 0 574
1994 556 5 1 0 1 n/a n/a 0 563
1995 538 3 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 541
1996 538 3 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 541
1997 381 4 0 4 3 n/a n/a -6 386
1998 336 5 2 3 1 n/a n/a -8 339
1999 333 1 1 25 3 n/a n/a 0 363
2000 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 353 353
2001 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 341 341
2002 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 312 312
2003 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 312 312
2004 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 326 326
2005 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 348 348
2006 208 17 3 153 2 n/a n/a 0 383
2007 198 19 2 157 0 n/a n/a 0 376
2008 175 9 0 130 2 n/a n/a 0 316
2009 170 7 1 131 1 n/a n/a 0 310
2010 183 12 3 144 0 n/a n/a 0 342
2011 151 7 7 170 0 0 0 0 335
2012 141 17 4 174 0 0 0 0 336
2013 132 7 4 167 0 0 2 0 312
2014 134 9 1 185 0 2 1 0 332
2015 111 17 5 186 0 2 1 0 322
2016 94 13 2 186 0 2 4 0 301
2017 75 9 3 194 1 2 3 0 287
2018 86 10 2 227 0 0 4 0 329
2019 99 13 3 224 0 0 5 0 344
2020 86 13 2 254 0 0 5 0 360
2021 97 13 3 224 0 0 3 0 340
2022 67 10 2 232 0 0 3 0 314
2023 81 14 3 227 0 0 2 0 327
2024 92 10 5 208 0 1 1 0 317

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Jere Whitson Elementary

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 521 24.0 21.7 n/a
1989 576 24.0 24.0 n/a
1990 557 24.0 23.2 n/a
1991 565 27.0 20.9 n/a
1992 561 27.0 20.7 n/a
1993 574 27.0 21.3 n/a
1994 563 29.0 19.4 n/a
1995 541 33.0 16.4 n/a
1996 541 33.0 16.4 n/a
1997 386 n/a 0.0 n/a
1998 339 n/a 0.0 n/a
1999 363 n/a 0.0 n/a
2000 353 n/a 0.0 n/a
2001 341 n/a 0.0 n/a
2002 312 n/a n/a n/a
2003 312 n/a n/a n/a
2004 326 n/a n/a n/a
2005 348 n/a n/a n/a
2006 383 25.8 14.8 n/a
2007 376 26.7 14.1 93.6
2008 316 24.0 13.2 85.8
2009 310 24.6 12.6 96.5
2010 342 25.0 13.6 82.7
2011 335 24.9 13.4 98.2
2012 336 24.0 14.0 92.6
2013 312 23.5 13.2 92
2014 332 22.6 14.6 93.1
2015 322 24.0 13.4 86.3
2016 301 23.0 13.0 95.7
2017 287 25.0 11.4 n/a
2018 329 27.0 12.1 n/a
2019 344 26.0 13.2 n/a
2020 360 24.0 15.0 94.2
2021 340 24.8 13.6 n/a
2022 314 29.0 10.7 n/a
2023 327 24.7 13.2 n/a
2024 317 27.3 11.5 n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Jere Whitson Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 521 24.0 21.7 n/a
1989 576 24.0 24.0 n/a
1990 557 24.0 23.2 n/a
1991 565 27.0 20.9 n/a
1992 561 27.0 20.7 n/a
1993 574 27.0 21.3 n/a
1994 563 29.0 19.4 n/a
1995 541 33.0 16.4 n/a
1996 541 33.0 16.4 n/a
1997 386 n/a 0.0 n/a
1998 339 n/a 0.0 n/a
1999 363 n/a 0.0 n/a
2000 353 n/a 0.0 n/a
2001 341 n/a 0.0 n/a
2002 312 n/a n/a n/a
2003 312 n/a n/a n/a
2004 326 n/a n/a n/a
2005 348 n/a n/a n/a
2006 383 25.8 14.8 n/a
2007 376 26.7 14.1 93.6
2008 316 24.0 13.2 85.8
2009 310 24.6 12.6 96.5
2010 342 25.0 13.6 82.7
2011 335 24.9 13.4 98.2
2012 336 24.0 14.0 92.6
2013 312 23.5 13.2 92
2014 332 22.6 14.6 93.1
2015 322 24.0 13.4 86.3
2016 301 23.0 13.0 95.7
2017 287 25.0 11.4 n/a
2018 329 27.0 12.1 n/a
2019 344 26.0 13.2 n/a
2020 360 24.0 15.0 94.2
2021 340 24.8 13.6 n/a
2022 314 29.0 10.7 n/a
2023 327 24.7 13.2 n/a
2024 317 27.3 11.5 n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Jere Whitson Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,270 (11.2%) $9,024 (79.8%) $11,304
2020 $1,243 (11.7%) $8,489 (80.0%) $10,615
2021 $1,628 (13.5%) $9,193 (76.3%) $12,042
2022 $2,461 (18.2%) $9,748 (72.3%) $13,485
2023 $1,864 (14.2%) $10,020 (76.1%) $13,168

Data source: Tennessee Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Jere Whitson Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 777th of 985 Elementary schoolsRanks 793rd of 1020 Elementary schools
 1.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Jere Whitson Elementary)38.129.3
 8.8%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Putnam County)48.848.7
 0.1%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Tennessee)43.840.5
 3.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Jere Whitson Elementary)20.927.6
 6.7%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Putnam County)38.742.9
 4.2%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Tennessee)36.940.5
 3.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Jere Whitson Elementary)34.532.3
 2.2%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Putnam County)47.448.2
 0.8%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Tennessee)4643.6
 2.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Jere Whitson Elementary)8.629
 20.4%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Putnam County)35.844.7
 8.9%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Tennessee)34.343.5
 9.2%
All Grades Mathematics (Jere Whitson Elementary)3630.8
 5.2%
   All Grades Mathematics (Putnam County)40.944.6
 3.7%
   All Grades Mathematics (Tennessee)40.838.1
 2.7%
All Grades English Language Arts (Jere Whitson Elementary)13.928.3
 14.4%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Putnam County)32.837.2
 4.4%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Tennessee)33.736.6
 2.9%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students344327
 4.9%
African American1314
 7.7%
American Indian00
Asian33
Hispanic224227
 1.3%
Pacific Islander00
White9981
 18.2%
Two or More Races52
 60%


Schools Near Jere Whitson Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Jere Whitson Elementary

Students who attend Jere Whitson Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Avery Trace Middle School
High : Cookeville High School
High : Putnam County Adult High School

Students at Jere Whitson Elementary are 66% Hispanic, 29% White, 3% African American, 2% Asian.

In the 2023-24 school year, 317 students attended Jere Whitson Elementary.

Jere Whitson Elementary ranks in the bottom 21.5% of Tennessee elementary schools.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Tennessee Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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