Rutland Elementary earned the highest ranking of any Wilson County elementary school in the U.S. News 2027 Best Elementary Schools list, placing No. 1 in the district and No. 82 statewide out of 690 ranked Tennessee schools.
The Mt. Juliet school scored 88.24 out of 100 on the U.S. News overall index. Seventy-two percent of Rutland students scored at or above the proficient level in math, and 64% reached that mark in reading, according to the school's U.S. News profile. Those figures outpace the Wilson County district averages of 53% in math and 44% in reading, and they far exceed the Tennessee state averages of 37% and 32%.
Rutland's math performance was rated "well above expectations," and its reading performance was rated "somewhat above expectations" by U.S. News.
The school serves 1,371 students in pre-K through fifth grade across two buildings on South Rutland Road, making it the largest elementary school in Wilson County, according to the school's website. Students there speak more than 35 languages. Principal Shaunna Davis leads the school alongside three assistant principals. Davis was also named Wilson County Schools Principal of the Year, according to the district's website.
Rutland has been recognized as a Tennessee Department of Education Reward School six times. The most recent designation came for the 2023-2024 school year, when the state recognized the school for outstanding student success in achievement and growth, according to a school announcement.
Lakeview Elementary, also in Mt. Juliet, ranked second in the district. Springdale Elementary and West Elementary, both in Mt. Juliet, placed third and fourth.
Wilson County Schools Director Travis Mayfield oversees a district of 25 total schools and 20,703 students, according to U.S. News data. Twelve Wilson County elementary schools received a ranking.
The U.S. News methodology weights math and reading proficiency at 50% of the formula and factors in test results in the context of socioeconomic characteristics for the other 50%. The rankings draw on state assessment data from the 2023-2024 school year collected by RTI International. U.S. News ranked 46,713 elementary schools nationally. There is no national ranking; schools are ranked within their state and district.
Tennessee's top 10 elementary schools
- Merrol Hyde Magnet School, Hendersonville
- McFadden School of Excellence, Murfreesboro
- Thurman Francis Arts Academy, Smyrna
- Discovery School, Murfreesboro
- Clovercroft Elementary, Franklin
- Farmington Elementary, Germantown
- Lipscomb Elementary, Brentwood
- Crosswind Elementary, Collierville
- Dogwood Elementary, Germantown
- Nolan Elementary, Signal Mountain
Rutland Elementary's next closest peer on the statewide list is Lakeview Elementary, which families can compare on the U.S. News Wilson County district page.
