Johnson City Schools

Johnson City Schools, located in Johnson City, Tennessee, serves 7,818 students across 11 schools—one high school, two middle schools, and eight elementary schools spanning grades K-12—and ranks 7th out of 141 Tennessee districts, placing it in the 95th percentile with a 5-star rating. The district far exceeds state averages in every tested subject: math proficiency is 65.0% versus 43.0% statewide, ELA is 61.8% versus 40.6%, science is 68.9% versus 46.9%, and social studies is 72.0% versus 51.4%. Seven of the eleven schools earn a 5-star rating, three earn 4 stars, and only one falls below that mark.

The top performers span all grade levels. Towne Acres Elementary School ranks 12th in Tennessee with the district's highest proficiency rates (math 87.7%, ELA 85.6%, science 83.4%), while Lake Ridge Elementary School ranks 35th and posts the lowest chronic absenteeism at 6.0%. Science Hill High School graduates 97.2% of students—well above the state's 90.5%—with a dropout rate of just 1.6%. The two middle schools are nearly tied in rank but have different strengths: Indian Trail Middle School leads in math (61.0%) and ELA (56.5%), while Liberty Bell Middle School leads in science (70.0%) and social studies (74.1%). The clear outlier is Mountain View Elementary School, ranking 458th, roughly 20 points below the district average in every subject and the only school rated below 4 stars, though it has improved steadily.

Elementary schools outpace middle schools in math and ELA, and there is a visible slide from 6th to 7th grade, especially at Liberty Bell, where math drops from 68.2% to 52.5%. Spending does not predict performance: North Side Elementary School spends the most ($17,960 per student) yet ranks 166th, while Towne Acres spends less ($13,568) and ranks 12th. Science Hill's chronic absenteeism of 16.5% is the district's highest, though still below the state average. Overall, this is an elite district with standout elementary schools, two strong middle schools, and a top-tier high school—but Mountain View and the middle-school transition deserve targeted attention.