Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 159 schools in district

Smithson Craighead Academy

730 Neely's Bend RD, Madison, TN 37115Davidson County →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–05Charter
316
Students
Total enrolled
$17,219
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 20% vs nat'l
19.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 28% vs nat'l
36/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 28% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 316 students in grades KG–05 in Madison, Tennessee.
20% above average funding
District spends $17,219 per pupil, 20% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 36th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Smithson Craighead Academy is a mid-sized elementary in Madison, Tennessee, serving grades KG–05 with 316 students. The district invests $17,219 per student — 20% above the national average of $14,347, with a 19.8:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. A neighborhood opportunity score of 36/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Smithson Craighead Academy

316
Total Students
19.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
—
Free Lunch
16
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution166 male · 150 female
53%
47%
Male 53%Female 47%
Student Composition
9%
47%
40%
White9%
Hispanic / Latino47%
Black40%
Multiracial3%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 470318001941

Academic Outcomes at Smithson Craighead Academy

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
36
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 36th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 13th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 37115

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$17,219Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$17,219
State avg
$16,278
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$7,576
Student Support$3,272
Administration$2,066
Operations$2,583
Other$1,722
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $17,219 spent per student, an estimated $7,628 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
26%
59%
State government
26.4%
Local (property tax)
58.7%
Federal programs
14.9%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $17,219/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • Charter school — may offer specialized curriculum or alternative teaching approaches
Worth Considering
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (36/100) — national median is 50
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Cole ElementaryEast End Preparatory SchoolUna ElementaryCane Ridge Elementary
+5 more
↓
Middle
John F. Kennedy MiddleThurgood Marshall MiddleMcMurray MiddleMeigs Middle
+2 more
↓
High School
McGavock HighAntioch High SchoolJohn Overton HighCane Ridge High School
+11 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 05
Location—
CountyDavidson County
CharterYes
VirtualNo
DistrictDavidson County →
Phone: (615)228-9886
NCES ID: 470318001941
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Madison seeking a charter elementary school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Davidson County
High
McGavock High
2,098 students · 09–12
● 40 opp
High
Antioch High School
2,083 students · 09–12
High
John Overton High
2,016 students · 09–12
● 54 opp
High
Cane Ridge High School
1,948 students · 09–12
High
Hunters Lane High
1,466 students · 09–12
● 32 opp
High
Valor Flagship Academy
1,400 students · 05–12
● 43 opp
High
Hillsboro High
1,227 students · 09–12
● 53 opp
High
Martin Luther King Jr School
1,211 students · 07–12
● 33 opp
District School Rankings
Location
730 Neely's Bend RD, Madison, TN 37115
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.