Summary:
Polk County Schools serves roughly 2,160 students across seven schools in Tennessee, including three elementary schools, one middle school, two high schools, and one alternative school, with the district ranked 125th out of 141 districts statewide (11th percentile, 1 star). Despite this low overall rating, school-level performance varies dramatically, offering both bright spots and cautionary tales for parents exploring the area.
Copper Basin High School is the district’s clear standout, ranking in the 72nd percentile (4 stars) with a 93.9% graduation rate, far outpacing the district’s 85.1%. It excels in U.S. History (66.7% proficient vs. 42.4% statewide) and English II (64.7%). Chilhowee Middle School is the most improved, jumping from the 37th to 54th percentile in a year with gains in every subject. Meanwhile, South Polk Elementary School, while only in the 40th percentile, posts the best elementary results, with ELA proficiency above the state average and a standout 4th grade class (74.4% math proficiency). It also has the district’s lowest chronic absenteeism rate at 14.9%.
In contrast, Benton Elementary School and Copper Basin Elementary School rank in the 22nd and 16th percentiles respectively, with declining math and science scores and chronic absenteeism above 23%. Polk Innovative Learning Academy, the alternative school, faces severe challenges with single-digit proficiency in most subjects and a graduation rate of 81.3%. Notably, Polk County High School (50th percentile) and Copper Basin High have different strengths, with Polk County High leading in Algebra II and Biology. Overall, attendance appears to be a key lever, as the highest-performing elementary school also has the best attendance, while most other schools exceed the state absenteeism rate.
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