For more than a century, the Coker-Ogletree family owned the land on which the school is located. In 1992 Coker descendants made the land available to the Murray County School System. In recognition of their contribution, the school building is named Coker Elementary School.

Coker opened in 1994 with 660 students and 80 staff members. Mrs. Kinma Bond served as the principal - the first female principal in the county's history. At that time, faculty members from the other four elementary schools came together to form the Coker staff.

Mrs. Bond was the principal at Coker Elementary for ten years. She retired as principal at the end of the 2003-2004 school year.

Ms. Barbie Kendrick was Coker's second principal. She served as principal for four years; 2004-2008. She left Coker to become the Elementary Curriculum Director for Murray County Schools.

Ms. Donna Standridge was Coker's third principal. She began her term with the 2008-2009 school year. Coker's fourth and current principal is Dr. Brett James who began his tenure in the 2012-2013 school year. Dr. James began his career in Murray County Schools in 2000 and he taught social studies at MCHS for six years. He left MCHS in 2006 to become assistant principal at Woodlawn Elementary School, followed by four years as assistant principal at Eton Elementary and two years as assistant principal at Northwest Elementary. Prior to coming to Coker he served as assistant principal at Bagley Middle School for one year.