Dodson Branch Elementary

16221 Dodson Branch HWY
Cookeville, TN 38501

281 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 8th

School Overview

Dodson Branch Elementary, located at 16221 Dodson Branch Highway in Cookeville, Tennessee, is a small, rural public school serving students in the Jackson County School District. As a community-focused institution, it provides foundational education for elementary-aged children, emphasizing a close-knit learning environment that reflects the character of the surrounding Dodson Branch area. The school is known for its rural setting, which helps foster a personalized atmosphere where students and faculty often develop strong, long-term connections.

While the school maintains a modest scale, it remains committed to the academic and social development of its student body by offering standard elementary curricula designed to prepare children for middle school. Like many schools in the Jackson County system, Dodson Branch Elementary plays a central role in the lives of local families, acting as a pillar for the neighborhood. It provides a quiet, focused environment for learning, supported by the dedicated staff and parents who contribute to the school’s traditions and daily operations.

281

Total Students

21.3

Full-Time Teachers

13.2

Student/Teacher Ratio

N/A

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Dodson Branch Elementary
Demographic	Student Count
White	260
Hispanic	5
Two or More	14
American Indian	2

White
260 (92.5 %)
Two or More
14 (5.0 %)
Hispanic
5 (1.8 %)
American Indian
2 (0.7 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	Yes
District:	Jackson County
Phone:	(931)268-0761
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 8th
Total Students:	281
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	21.3
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	13.2
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	0
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	0

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Pre-Kindergarten 18

Kindergarten 24

Grade 1 32

Grade 2 33

Grade 3 26

Grade 4 26

Grade 5 47

Grade 6 24

Grade 7 25

Grade 8 26