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West High School

Q: Is West High School a good school?

West High School ranks 125 th of 400 Tennessee high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Q: How many students attend West High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,474 students attended West High School.

Q: What is the racial makeup of West High School?

Students at West High School are 57% White, 20% African American, 16% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

Q: What schools feed into West High School?

West High School is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Bearden Elementary School Elementary : Pond Gap Elementary School Elementary : Sequoyah Elementary School Elementary : West Haven Elementary School Elementary : West View Elementary School Middle : Bearden Middle School

Public, Magnet Grades 9-12

125^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 400 Tennessee High Schools

Better than 69% of Tennessee high schools

Summary

West High School is a large comprehensive public high school in Knoxville, TN, serving 1,474 students in grades 9–12 as part of Knox County Schools. It consistently ranks among the stronger traditional high schools in the area, landing in the 66th–79th percentile of Tennessee high schools over the past decade and earning a 3-star rating in 2025–2026. Among nearby schools, only Bearden High School and the magnet-style L N STEM Academy outperform it.

West's academic picture is generally strong: students exceed district and state averages in English, Biology, US History, Geometry, and Algebra II. In fact, 10th graders taking Algebra II post an extraordinary 89% proficiency rate. However, Algebra I tells a very different story, with just 10.7% of students proficient versus roughly 32% statewide. This likely reflects a split math pathway—accelerated students move quickly into higher math, while many 9th graders in Algebra I are still building foundational skills. On the positive side, West's graduation rate of 92.7% tops both district and state averages, and chronic absenteeism has improved to 18.8%, matching the state level and far outperforming several nearby schools.

West also spends less than most comparable Knox County high schools—$12,616 per student—while achieving better results, suggesting efficient use of resources. Its most pressing equity challenge is that low-income students score below their peers, though the school's standing with this group improved from the 18th to 35th percentile over the past two years. Special education students have also gained ground, climbing from the 34th to 63rd percentile statewide. Overall, West is a stable, above-average high school offering strong academics, solid graduation outcomes, and improving attendance—trailing only Bearden High School and L N STEM Academy among immediate neighbors while outperforming schools like Central High School, Powell High School, South Doyle High School, Fulton High School, and Austin East High/Magnet School.

1,474

Students ?

17.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$12,616

Per pupil spending ?

17.2%

Directly certified for free meals (2024-25) ?

3300 Sutherland Avenue
Knoxville, TN 37919

(865) 594-4477

District: Knox County Schools

Feeder schools for West High School:

Elementary:	Bearden Elementary School
	Pond Gap Elementary School
	Sequoyah Elementary School
	West Haven Elementary School
	More...
	West View Elementary School
Middle:	Bearden Middle School

Racial breakdown:

White:

57.2%

African American:

19.9%

Hispanic:

15.6%

See top rated Tennessee high schools

Compare West High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 79th percentile in 2016 → 69th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Tennessee average (50% vs 43% meeting standards)

✓94% graduate in 4 years — above the Tennessee average (91%)

✓Above the Tennessee median (69th percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 10 percentile points since 2016

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

!Algebra I scores 22 pts below the Tennessee average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school50%

District avg45%

Tennessee avg43%

125^th of 400

Tennessee public high schools ?

Top 31%▼ down 11 pts since 2016

From top 21% (2016) to top 31% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Tennessee High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

4^th of 15High Schools in the Knox County Schools

78^th of 141Knox County Schools among Tennessee districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2026	60.2	125 of 400	68.8%	★★★☆☆
2025	62.6	108 of 389	72.2%	★★★★☆
2024	57.0	134 of 392	65.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	58.5	123 of 384	68.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	65.5	76 of 358	78.8%	★★★★☆
2021	55.4	110 of 347	68.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	63.7	75 of 342	78.1%	★★★★☆
2018	56.1	105 of 341	69.2%	★★★☆☆
2017	58.1	84 of 273	69.2%	★★★★☆
2016	67.7	72 of 351	79.5%	★★★★☆
2015	47.8	195 of 300	35.0%	★★☆☆☆
2014	45.4	190 of 296	35.8%	★★☆☆☆
2013	55.1	145 of 285	49.1%	★★★☆☆
2012	47.3	180 of 269	33.1%	★★☆☆☆
2011	43.6	190 of 273	30.4%	★★☆☆☆
2010	57.5	129 of 267	51.7%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2026	38.7	132 of 230	42.6%	★★☆☆☆
2025	34.2	150 of 233	35.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	34.3	141 of 240	41.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	35.7	140 of 239	41.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	42.1	111 of 222	50.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	36.9	120 of 208	42.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	51.8	63 of 187	66.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	34.5	115 of 199	42.2%	★★☆☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2022	72.9	12 of 47	74.5%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2025	59.8	115 of 365	68.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	55.0	139 of 365	61.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	55.9	132 of 366	63.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	56.9	109 of 350	68.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	52.9	127 of 340	62.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	65.8	70 of 337	79.2%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2026	28.5	175 of 229	23.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	38.7	123 of 213	42.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	45.9	94 of 209	55.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	44.9	97 of 202	52.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	38.7	109 of 189	42.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	52.6	65 of 180	63.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	45.3	74 of 153	51.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	26.4	129 of 159	18.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2026	37.1	201 of 308	34.7%	★★☆☆☆
2025	27.7	251 of 324	22.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	25.0	278 of 337	17.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	31.0	240 of 330	27.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	30.9	239 of 322	25.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	22.9	262 of 317	17.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	49.8	125 of 302	58.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	36.4	195 of 308	36.7%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2025	60.4	109 of 368	70.4%	★★★★☆
2024	56.3	129 of 366	64.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	59.5	102 of 359	71.6%	★★★★☆
2022	65.0	72 of 349	79.4%	★★★★☆
2021	52.3	114 of 332	65.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	67.7	61 of 329	81.5%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2026	48.4	78 of 210	62.9%	★★★☆☆
2025	41.5	85 of 198	57.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	35.1	100 of 151	33.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	31.6	86 of 125	31.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	60.8	30 of 127	76.4%	★★★★☆
2018	55.9	36 of 159	77.4%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Tennessee percentile	Rating
2026	74.4	57 of 330	82.7%	★★★★☆
2025	75.0	54 of 323	83.3%	★★★★☆
2024	70.0	64 of 326	80.4%	★★★★☆
2023	66.2	64 of 325	80.3%	★★★★☆
2022	65.4	70 of 312	77.6%	★★★★☆
2021	61.2	68 of 306	77.8%	★★★★☆
2019	74.9	50 of 301	83.4%	★★★★☆
2018	66.0	66 of 307	78.5%	★★★★☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

White (2026)83rd percentile+14 vs school

Asian (2022)74th percentile-4 vs school

Male (2025)70th percentile~ school

Female (2025)68th percentile-4 vs school

Special Education (2026)63rd percentile-6 vs school

African American (2026)43rd percentile-26 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)35th percentile-34 vs school

Hispanic (2026)24th percentile-45 vs school

By subject vs Tennessee (2025-2026) ?

English II66%+8 vs state

Biology I62%+12 vs state

English I55%+18 vs state

US History49%+7 vs state

Geometry48%+6 vs state

Algebra II45%+7 vs state

Algebra I11%-22 vs state

3.0

4 ratings · 4 written reviews

5★2

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★2

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What people are saying

by a student
Sunday, April 30, 2023

they don't handle serious situations well, at all. Close Quote

by a student
Wednesday, May 10, 2017

West has the IB program, and is the only school in knox county that has it. The teachers are great and open minded to new possibilities, and the cultural diversity is unlike anywhere else. Definitely a great and positive place. Close Quote

by a parent
Thursday, September 6, 2012

School is in total disarray since Principal Greg Roach left. Close Quote

by a student
Friday, January 22, 2010

west is amazing. it has amazing teachers and amazing extra activities. i love it. Close Quote

Schools Near West High School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				TNReady Mathematics (2026)			TNReady English Language Arts (2026)			TNReady Algebra I (2026)					TNReady Algebra II (2026)					TNReady Biology I (2026)					TNReady US History (2026)				TNReady English I (2026)					TNReady English II (2026)				TNReady Geometry (2026)					TNReady Science (2026)			TNReady Social Studies (2026)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Directly certified (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	TNReady Mathematics 7th Grade	TNReady Mathematics 8th Grade	TNReady Mathematics All Grades	TNReady English Language Arts 7th Grade	TNReady English Language Arts 8th Grade	TNReady English Language Arts All Grades	TNReady Algebra I 9th Grade	TNReady Algebra I 10th Grade	TNReady Algebra I 11th Grade	TNReady Algebra I 12th Grade	TNReady Algebra I All Grades	TNReady Algebra II 9th Grade	TNReady Algebra II 10th Grade	TNReady Algebra II 11th Grade	TNReady Algebra II 12th Grade	TNReady Algebra II All Grades	TNReady Biology I 9th Grade	TNReady Biology I 10th Grade	TNReady Biology I 11th Grade	TNReady Biology I 12th Grade	TNReady Biology I All Grades	TNReady US History 10th Grade	TNReady US History 11th Grade	TNReady US History 12th Grade	TNReady US History All Grades	TNReady English I 9th Grade	TNReady English I 10th Grade	TNReady English I 11th Grade	TNReady English I 12th Grade	TNReady English I All Grades	TNReady English II 10th Grade	TNReady English II 11th Grade	TNReady English II 12th Grade	TNReady English II All Grades	TNReady Geometry 9th Grade	TNReady Geometry 10th Grade	TNReady Geometry 11th Grade	TNReady Geometry 12th Grade	TNReady Geometry All Grades	TNReady Science 7th Grade	TNReady Science 8th Grade	TNReady Science All Grades	TNReady Social Studies 7th Grade	TNReady Social Studies 8th Grade	TNReady Social Studies All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
West High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	3300 Sutherland Avenue	Knoxville	37919	Knox County	Knox County Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(865) 594-4477	1,509	88	17.0	17.2%	876 (58.1%)	312 (20.7%)	196 (13.0%)	34 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (0.3%)	86 (5.7%)	60.2	125^th of 400 public high schools	68.8%		62.6	108^th of 389 public high schools	72.2%	17							11.7	< 5%			10.7		89.0	17.1	9.1	44.7	83.8	70.4	29.4	10.0	61.7		49.3		49.1	56.0				54.8	67.9			65.9	≥ 95%	26.4	7.7		48.4							$12,616	$827	$11,481
L N STEM Academy	Public, Magnet	9-12	800 World's Fair Park Drive	Knoxville	37902	Knox County	Knox County Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(865) 329-8440	581	33	17.4	4.6%	457 (78.7%)	28 (4.8%)	39 (6.7%)	27 (4.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (5.2%)	98.2	3^rd of 400 public high schools	99.3%		89.2	23^rd of 389 public high schools	94.1%	20							54.0				54.7		≥ 95%	56.2		77.5		≥ 95%	85.9		92.6		88.6		88.6	83.4				83.6	93.0			93.1	≥ 95%	64.1			83.4							$12,335	$744	$11,269
Dr. Paul L. Kelley Volunteer Academy	Public	9-12	535 Chickamauga Avenue Avenue	Knoxville	37917	Knox County	Knox County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(865) 525-0069	72	10	7.2	27.4%	39 (54.2%)	20 (27.8%)	10 (13.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (4.2%)	6.9	391^st of 400 public high schools	2.3%					(n/a)														< 5%	< 5%	< 5%			< 5%	10.0	6.1		5.9		< 5%			< 5%		< 5%							< 5%		< 5%							$34,515	$1,011	$33,156
Fulton High School	Public	9-12	2509 North Broadway	Knoxville	37917	Knox County	Knox County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(865) 594-1240	927	74	12.6	37.8%	217 (23.4%)	289 (31.2%)	355 (38.3%)	3 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	62 (6.7%)	12.4	363^rd of 400 public high schools	9.3%		13.4	352^nd of 389 public high schools	9.5%	11							5.5	< 5%			5.1		30.0	< 5%	5.6	5.1			21.4		11.1		13.3		13.2	15.7				15.5	38.8	< 5%		31.8	76.9	9.0	< 5%		11.6							$15,766	$1,492	$13,732
Bearden High School	Public	9-12	8352 Kingston Pike	Knoxville	37919	Knox County	Knox County Schools	No	No	No	No	(865) 539-7800	2,008	114	17.5	9.9%	1,421 (70.8%)	172 (8.6%)	247 (12.3%)	61 (3.0%)	2 (0.1%)	3 (0.1%)	102 (5.1%)	68.5	92^nd of 400 public high schools	77.0%		69.4	81^st of 389 public high schools	79.2%	11							21.7	5.0			20.5	≥ 95%	94.8	32.3	< 5%	50.0	92.8	53.3	46.8	28.6	61.1		42.6		42.3	48.1				47.4	74.1	12.5		71.2	93.4	39.8	20.0		51.1							$11,936	$819	$10,844
Tennessee School for the Deaf High School	Public	9-12	2725 Island Home Boulevard	Knoxville	37920	Knox County	Tennessee Schools for the Deaf	No	No	No	Yes	(865) 440-8195	63	20	3.1	13.3%	19 (30.2%)	20 (31.7%)	12 (19.0%)	7 (11.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.6%)	4 (6.3%)								(n/a)
Austin East High/Magnet School	Public, Magnet	9-12	2800 M L King Jr Avenue	Knoxville	37914	Knox County	Knox County Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(865) 594-3792	666	64	10.3	49.3%	59 (8.9%)	490 (73.6%)	73 (11.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.3%)	41 (6.2%)	8.4	384^th of 400 public high schools	4.0%		9.4	372^nd of 389 public high schools	4.4%	12							5.6	7.1			6.4		21.4	5.2		6.4		12.6	9.1		13.7		12.6		13.8	6.8				6.8	30.2	10.0		28.7		12.0	< 5%		11.3							$19,014	$2,168	$16,285
Powell High School	Public	9-12	2136 West Emory Road	Powell	37849	Knox County	Knox County Schools	No	No	No	No	(865) 938-2171	1,292	80	16.1	14.6%	868 (67.2%)	111 (8.6%)	223 (17.3%)	23 (1.8%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	65 (5.0%)	48	198^th of 400 public high schools	50.5%		51.2	171^st of 389 public high schools	56.0%	27							17.0	7.7			16.5		83.8	27.8	< 5%	34.2		71.9	45.8		51.7		44.0		44.0	30.3				30.3	53.7			51.5	85.3	23.4		9.1	30.3							$13,352	$906	$11,906
South Doyle High School	Public	9-12	2020 Tipton Station Road	Knoxville	37920	Knox County	Knox County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(865) 577-4475	955	66	14.4	27.6%	670 (70.2%)	125 (13.1%)	96 (10.1%)	4 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	59 (6.2%)	35.2	263^rd of 400 public high schools	34.3%		43.8	203^rd of 389 public high schools	47.8%	60							< 5%	< 5%			< 5%		46.7	9.4	< 5%	14.4		92.9	45.8		54.3		46.2		45.5	28.8	< 5%			27.5	45.2			44.0	64.7	9.9	< 5%		17.3							$14,965	$1,352	$13,011
Richard Yoakley School	Public	6-12	4415 Washington Pike	Knoxville	37917	Knox County	Knox County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(865) 594-3790	105	19	5.5	42.0%	46 (43.8%)	34 (32.4%)	17 (16.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (7.6%)	3.6	400^th of 400 public high schools	0.0%		12.8	355^th of 389 public high schools	8.7%	45	< 5%	< 5%	< 5%	< 5%	< 5%	< 5%	< 5%				< 5%			< 5%		< 5%			9.1		13.6		< 5%		6.3	< 5%				< 5%	5.3			9.5		< 5%			< 5%	< 5%	< 5%	< 5%	< 5%	< 5%	< 5%	$46,952	$2,986	$43,119

Frequently Asked Questions about West High School

What district is West High School in?

Knox County Schools

How many students attend West High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,474 students attended West High School.

What is the racial makeup of West High School?

Students at West High School are 57% White, 20% African American, 16% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What schools feed into West High School?

West High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Bearden Elementary School
Elementary : Pond Gap Elementary School
Elementary : Sequoyah Elementary School
Elementary : West Haven Elementary School
Elementary : West View Elementary School
Middle : Bearden Middle School

Is West High School a good school?

West High School ranks 125^th of 400 Tennessee high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Rate West High School!

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Latest Tennessee data All new data »

2025–26 dropout ratesNewNov 2, 2026

2025–26 graduation ratesNewOct 29, 2026

2025–26 TNReady test scoresAug 25, 2026

2024–25 dropout ratesApr 2, 2026

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Tennessee Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.