Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 22 schools in district

Sycamore Elementary

452 Ellis AVE, Cookeville, TN 38501Putnam County →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–04Non-Charter
298
Students
Total enrolled
$10,860
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 24% vs nat'l
12.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 19% vs nat'l
40/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 21% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 298 students in grades PK–04 in Cookeville, Tennessee.
24% below average funding
District spends $10,860 per pupil, 24% less than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 40th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Sycamore Elementary is a mid-sized elementary in Cookeville, Tennessee, serving grades PK–04 with 298 students. The district invests $10,860 per student — 24% below the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 12.4:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1.

Student Body & Demographics at Sycamore Elementary

298
Total Students
12.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
—
Free Lunch
24
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–04) are served by this school
Gender Distribution150 male · 148 female
50%
50%
Male 50%Female 50%
Student Composition
68%
21%
Asian1%
White68%
Hispanic / Latino21%
Black5%
Multiracial5%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 470348001459

Academic Outcomes at Sycamore Elementary

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
40
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 40th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 27th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 38501

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$10,860Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$10,860
State avg
$16,278
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$4,778
Student Support$2,063
Administration$1,303
Operations$1,629
Other$1,086
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $10,860 spent per student, an estimated $4,811 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
46%
31%
State government
45.8%
Local (property tax)
31.5%
Federal programs
22.7%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 12.4:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-average funding — $10,860/student, 24% less than the national average
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Prescott South ElementaryBurks ElementaryAlgood ElementaryCapshaw Elementary
+6 more
↓
Middle
Upperman Middle SchoolPrescott South Middle SchoolAlgood Middle SchoolAvery Trace Middle School
↓
High School
Cookeville High SchoolUpperman High SchoolMonterey High SchoolPutnam Co Adult High School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 04
Location—
CountyPutnam County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictPutnam County →
Phone: (931)526-9322
NCES ID: 470348001459
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Cookeville seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing smaller class sizes and more individualized teacher access. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Putnam County
High
Cookeville High School
2,199 students · 09–12
● 40 opp
High
Upperman High School
903 students · 09–12
● 39 opp
Mid
Upperman Middle School
853 students · 05–08
● 39 opp
Mid
Prescott South Middle School
812 students · 05–08
Mid
Algood Middle School
757 students · 05–08
Mid
Avery Trace Middle School
720 students · 05–08
● 40 opp
High
Monterey High School
572 students · 07–12
● 38 opp
Elem
Prescott South Elementary
558 students · PK–04
District School Rankings
Location
452 Ellis AVE, Cookeville, TN 38501
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.