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Emerald Academy

Public, Charter Grades K-8
621st
SchoolDigger Rank ?
of 1,019 Tennessee Elementary Schools
Better than 39% of Tennessee elementary schools
Summary

Emerald Academy is a K–8 public school in Knoxville, TN, serving 451 students in the Knox County Schools district—the only K–8 school among its nearby elementary neighbors, which gives it a broader instructional range than schools that end at 5th grade. The school is on a clear upward trajectory: it ranked 621st out of 1,019 Tennessee schools in 2025–2026 (39th percentile, 2 stars), a significant improvement from the 25th percentile just two years earlier.

Emerald Academy's strongest asset is attendance. Just 14.1% of students were chronically absent in 2024–2025, far better than the district rate of 19.4% and the state rate of 18.3%—and the best among nearby schools with reported data. Its 3rd graders also stand out, outperforming district and state averages in math (63.5% vs. 44.1% and 42.6%), ELA (59.6% vs. 48.3% and 44.9%), and science (53.8% vs. 48.3% and 44.3%). The school also reports notably strong results for African American and low-income students relative to statewide benchmarks, with low-income students jumping from the 26th to the 62nd percentile in two years.

The biggest concern is a sharp drop after 3rd grade. Math proficiency falls from 63.5% in 3rd grade to 25.5% in 4th and 22% in 5th, with similar declines in ELA and science, and 8th grade math and ELA remain weak. Compared with nearby schools, Emerald outpaces Belle Morris Elementary School, Lonsdale Elementary School, Dogwood Elementary School, West View Elementary School, Green Magnet Math And Science Academy, and Maynard Elementary School—but trails South Knox Elementary School and Beaumont Elementary/Magnet School by a wide margin. Spending is moderate at $16,984 per student, below several lower-performing neighboring schools.

451
Students ?
17.6
Student/teacher ratio ?
$16,984
Per pupil spending ?
48.3%
Directly certified for free meals (2024-25) ?
 220 Carrick Street
       Knoxville, TN  37921

(865) 637-3227

District: Knox County Schools

Racial breakdown:

African American:
64.1%
Hispanic:
14.0%
White:
12.2%
more
 See top rated Tennessee elementary schools

 Compare Emerald Academy to nearby elementary schools!
At a glance
▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 22nd percentile in 2018 → 39th in 2026
Strengths
✓Ranking is trending up — up 17 percentile points since 2018
Worth a look
!Test scores below the Tennessee average (38% vs 44% meeting standards)
!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing
Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?
This school38%
District avg48%
Tennessee avg44%
Elementary school
621st of 1,019
Tennessee public elementary schools ?
Bottom 39%▲ up 17 pts since 2018
From bottom 22% (2018) to bottom 39% (2026)
See the entire ranking list of Tennessee Elementary Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
Middle school
295th of 594
Tennessee public middle schools ?
Top 50%▲ up 39 pts since 2019
From bottom 11% (2019) to top 50% (2026)
See the entire ranking list of Tennessee Middle Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
34th of 50Elementary Schools in the Knox County Schools
78th 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)
Elementary school ranking
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTennessee percentileRating
202641.7621 of 101939.1%★★☆☆☆
202532.5705 of 100930.1%★★☆☆☆
202427.2763 of 101825.0%★☆☆☆☆
202319.2834 of 102018.2%★☆☆☆☆
202227.5734 of 100026.6%★☆☆☆☆
202127.4715 of 98327.3%★☆☆☆☆
201927.1744 of 98524.5%★☆☆☆☆
201824.4782 of 99721.6%★☆☆☆☆

African American

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTennessee percentileRating
202650.7229 of 49854.0%★★★☆☆
202545.0248 of 49850.2%★★★☆☆
202442.0271 of 49845.6%★★☆☆☆
202328.4356 of 50028.8%★☆☆☆☆
202239.9256 of 48347.0%★★☆☆☆
202143.5188 of 41154.3%★★★☆☆
201940.8215 of 40446.8%★★☆☆☆
201835.3271 of 45039.8%★★☆☆☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTennessee percentileRating
202530.3718 of 98627.2%★☆☆☆☆
202429.9717 of 99027.6%★☆☆☆☆
202317.4839 of 98915.2%★☆☆☆☆
202222.0771 of 97520.9%★☆☆☆☆
202127.1699 of 94526.0%★☆☆☆☆
201930.8672 of 92627.4%★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTennessee percentileRating
202632.8318 of 45830.6%★★☆☆☆
202271.572 of 36380.2%★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTennessee percentileRating
202656.0312 of 82362.1%★★★☆☆
202545.8466 of 84344.7%★★☆☆☆
202430.9633 of 85325.8%★☆☆☆☆
202331.9623 of 86528.0%★☆☆☆☆
202229.7650 of 85824.2%★☆☆☆☆
202131.6583 of 82329.2%★☆☆☆☆
201936.7554 of 82132.5%★★☆☆☆
201844.5476 of 87745.7%★★☆☆☆

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTennessee percentileRating
202534.8664 of 98432.5%★★☆☆☆
202424.8775 of 99121.8%★☆☆☆☆
202321.6792 of 98719.8%★☆☆☆☆
202233.6652 of 98033.5%★★☆☆☆
202129.3656 of 94130.3%★★☆☆☆
201924.6729 of 91620.4%★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTennessee percentileRating
202624.8526 of 64117.9%★☆☆☆☆
202492.121 of 58296.4%★★★★★
202241.9226 of 44749.4%★★☆☆☆

White

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTennessee percentileRating
201934.9552 of 81232.0%★★☆☆☆
201858.3280 of 84166.7%★★★☆☆
Middle school ranking
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTennessee percentileRating
202649.3295 of 59450.3%★★★☆☆
202539.3356 of 58338.9%★★☆☆☆
202437.1363 of 58738.2%★★☆☆☆
202336.1367 of 59438.2%★★☆☆☆
202228.6403 of 56929.2%★☆☆☆☆
202124.7430 of 57625.3%★☆☆☆☆
201913.6511 of 57411.0%★☆☆☆☆

African American

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTennessee percentileRating
202663.3105 of 32868.0%★★★☆☆
202554.8107 of 31265.7%★★★☆☆
202455.3116 of 31863.5%★★★☆☆
202345.4138 of 31656.3%★★★☆☆
202237.7162 of 29945.8%★★☆☆☆
202131.6167 of 27739.7%★★☆☆☆
201925.9221 of 29324.6%★☆☆☆☆
201825.9220 of 28422.5%★☆☆☆☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTennessee percentileRating
202547.7288 of 54647.3%★★☆☆☆
202438.5331 of 55440.3%★★☆☆☆
202329.3402 of 56028.2%★☆☆☆☆
202220.6441 of 55220.1%★☆☆☆☆
202121.1428 of 53820.4%★☆☆☆☆
201917.0459 of 52913.2%★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTennessee percentileRating
202629.1218 of 30227.8%★☆☆☆☆
202531.7209 of 28626.9%★☆☆☆☆
202474.752 of 28581.8%★★★★☆
202382.136 of 28587.4%★★★★☆
202253.796 of 27565.1%★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTennessee percentileRating
202666.1116 of 47875.7%★★★★☆
202555.7180 of 49063.3%★★★☆☆
202441.1279 of 51045.3%★★☆☆☆
202332.9342 of 51433.5%★★☆☆☆
202237.3298 of 49539.8%★★☆☆☆
202132.5322 of 48333.3%★★☆☆☆
201921.3420 of 49014.3%★☆☆☆☆
201841.7287 of 48140.3%★★☆☆☆

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTennessee percentileRating
202532.0389 of 55029.3%★☆☆☆☆
202434.9366 of 56034.6%★★☆☆☆
202339.8323 of 55742.0%★★☆☆☆
202240.0312 of 54042.2%★★☆☆☆
202130.7362 of 52931.6%★★☆☆☆
201914.5465 of 52311.1%★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTennessee percentileRating
202630.4245 of 34929.8%★★☆☆☆
202526.5260 of 33221.7%★☆☆☆☆
202492.18 of 29997.3%★★★★★
202237.5141 of 26045.8%★★☆☆☆

White

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTennessee percentileRating
202154.0191 of 49661.5%★★★☆☆
201920.8435 of 48410.1%★☆☆☆☆
201854.5185 of 48161.5%★★★☆☆
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)
Elementary school
Low Socio Economic Status (2026)62nd percentile+23 vs school
African American (2026)54th percentile+15 vs school
Male (2025)33rd percentile~ school
White (2019)32nd percentile+8 vs school
Hispanic (2026)31st percentile-8 vs school
Female (2025)27th percentile-3 vs school
Special Education (2026)18th percentile-21 vs school
Middle school
Low Socio Economic Status (2026)76th percentile+25 vs school
African American (2026)68th percentile+18 vs school
White (2021)61st percentile+36 vs school
Female (2025)47th percentile+8 vs school
Special Education (2026)30th percentile-21 vs school
Male (2025)29th percentile-10 vs school
Hispanic (2026)28th percentile-23 vs school
By subject vs Tennessee (2025-2026) ?
Social Studies48%-4 vs state
Algebra I45%+13 vs state
Mathematics39%-4 vs state
Science37%-10 vs state
English Language Arts34%-6 vs state

1.6
7 ratings · 6 written reviews
5★1
4★0
3★0
2★0
1★6
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What people are saying
by a parent
Tuesday, June 23, 2020

Open Quote Amazing teachers and great opportunity for children in lower income communities to be ready for high-school and college Close Quote


by a teacher
Friday, August 2, 2019

Open Quote This was the most horrible experience as a substitute teacher I ever had. The staff turnover is extremely high it’s insane. The “ scholars” have 0 respect for staff or each other. You will get screamed at on a daily basis by the students . The teachers and staff suck , and will make you feel like you can’t do anything. Don’t work there and don’t send your kids there. Close Quote


by a parent
Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Open Quote Terrible school. Don't send your child here if you want them to succeed. Abuse is happening under their noses and they refuse to report even though they are mandated reporters. Close Quote


by a teacher
Thursday, April 18, 2019

Open Quote Honestly, a terrible, terrible place to teach or be taught. Close Quote


by a teacher
Saturday, December 29, 2018

Open Quote Emerald Academy is a horrible place to work. Dysfunction at every level, long hours, little support, and alarmingly high staff turnover. Students and parents are sold false promises as academics are subpar. Don’t work here, don’t send your kids here. Run away. Close Quote


by a teacher
Friday, October 12, 2018

Open Quote Emerald is a horrible place to learn and grow. Students often physically hurt others, scream at teachers, and purposefully cause distractions in learning. Administration can't or will not help teachers and reprimands them to not being able to control the chaos. Close Quote





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Frequently Asked Questions about Emerald Academy

Students at Emerald Academy are 64% African American, 14% Hispanic, 12% White, 10% Two or more races.

Emerald Academy ranks 621st of 1019 Tennessee elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

In the 2024-25 school year, 451 students attended Emerald Academy.

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Latest Tennessee data All new data »
2025–26 TNReady test scoresAug 25, 2026
2024–25 dropout ratesApr 2, 2026
2024–25 school spending dataFeb 27, 2026
2024–25 attendance dataDec 18, 2025


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.

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