Best High Schools in Zip Code 37034

Zip code 37034, which includes Chapel Hill, Tennessee, is served by a single high school—Forrest School, a 4-star school spanning grades 7 through 12 with 788 students in the Marshall County Schools district. Forrest School consistently ranks in the top 20% of Tennessee high schools, currently sitting at the 83rd percentile statewide, a notable achievement given that its district ranks only in the 57th percentile. The school excels in several subjects: math proficiency is 62.1% compared to the state's 43.0%, science hits 66.5% versus 46.9% statewide, and social studies reaches 66.9% against 51.4%. Its dropout rate is remarkably low at 1.1%—roughly one-sixth the state average—while its graduation rate of 90.4% essentially matches the state's 90.5%.

However, the school has clear areas for improvement. Proficiency in Algebra I is just 26.8%, which is 5.5 points below the state average, and Biology I lags by 5.9 points. This contrasts sharply with exceptional middle-school performance—7th and 8th grade math proficiency exceeds state averages by about 20 points, suggesting students struggle with the transition to advanced high-school courses. Year-over-year data shows a troubling decline in math scores: overall math proficiency dropped from 67.7% to 62.1%, and Algebra II fell from 45.8% to 38.5%. Meanwhile, humanities and science have improved, with US History jumping 16.7 points and English I rising 14.8 points in a single year.

The biggest red flag is chronic absenteeism: 20.2% of students are chronically absent, exceeding both the district (15.3%) and state (18.3%) rates. This is surprising given the strong academic outcomes and deserves close attention. Social studies remains the school's most consistent strength, with proficiency around 20 points above the state in multiple grade levels. While data on free/reduced lunch and student-teacher ratios are not reported, spending per student is $10,630. Overall, Forrest School is a high-performing campus with excellent middle-school foundations, but improving Algebra I and Biology I outcomes while tackling absenteeism would help it climb even higher in state rankings.