Public schools in Cookeville, TN
15 open public schools with an address in Cookeville, operated by 2 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
15
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
7,959
15 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
Not reported
Across reporting schools
Charter schools
0
1 magnet · 0 virtual
An overview of Cookeville public schools
The federal directory lists 15 public schools in Cookeville, TN: 8 elementary, 3 middle, 2 high, 2 combined or other. The 15 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 7,959 students, an average of 531 per school. The largest campus is Cookeville High School (2,241 students), and the largest elementary school is Prescott South Elementary School (535).
Putnam County Schools operates the most schools here (14), and 2 regular districts have at least one Cookeville campus. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
School choice options include 1 magnet school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 2 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 2 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 0 of 2 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
School districts and agencies serving Cookeville
Elementary schools in Cookeville
8| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cane Creek Elementary School Putnam County Schools | PK–04 | 447 | — | |
| Capshaw Elementary School Putnam County Schools | PK–04 | 515 | — | |
| Dodson Branch Elementary School Jackson County Schools | PK–08 | 250 | — | |
| Jere Whitson Elementary School Putnam County Schools | PK–04 | 339 | — | |
| Northeast Elementary School Putnam County Schools | PK–04 | 459 | — | |
| Park View School Putnam County Schools | PK–04 | 416 | — | |
| Prescott South Elementary School Putnam County Schools | PK–04 | 535 | — | |
| Sycamore Elementary School Putnam County Schools | PK–04 | 337 | — |
Middle schools in Cookeville
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algood Middle School Putnam County Schools | 05–08 | 718 | — | |
| Avery Trace Middle School Putnam County Schools | 05–08 | 724 | — | |
| Prescott South Middle School Putnam County Schools | 05–08 | 813 | — |
High schools in Cookeville
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cookeville High School Putnam County Schools · Magnet | 09–12 | 2,241 | — | |
| Putnam County Adult High School Putnam County Schools | 09–12 | 22 | — |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Cookeville
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Putnam County VITAL School Putnam County Schools | KG–12 | 123 | — | |
| T T U Child Development Lab School Putnam County Schools | PK–PK | 20 | — |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White73.3%
- Hispanic20.1%
- Black2.8%
- Asian1.8%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.1%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial1.7%
Enrollment-weighted across 15 Cookeville schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (7,959 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Cookeville
How many public schools are in Cookeville, TN?
The current NCES directory lists 15 open public schools with a location address in Cookeville: 8 elementary, 3 middle, 2 high, 2 combined or other. Together they reported 7,959 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Cookeville?
Schools with an address in Cookeville belong to 2 education agencies, led by Putnam County Schools (14 schools), Jackson County Schools (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Cookeville?
Cookeville High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Cookeville, with 2,241 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Cookeville?
No school with an address in Cookeville is identified as a charter school in the current NCES directory. Families may still have charter or virtual options elsewhere in Tennessee.
Does living in Cookeville guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Tennessee cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Tennessee cities