Schools in Zip Code 37307

ZIP code 37307 in Benton, Tennessee, is home to four schools in the Polk County Schools district, serving approximately 1,261 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. Polk County Schools ranks 125th out of 141 Tennessee districts, placing it in the 11th percentile with a one-star rating. The four schools include Polk County High School (grades 9–12), Benton Elementary School (PK–5), Chilhowee Middle School (grades 6–8), and Polk Innovative Learning Academy (K–12 alternative). Per-student spending at the traditional schools ranges from $11,644 to $12,935, while the alternative academy spends only $6,555 per student.

The standout performer is Chilhowee Middle School, which improved from a 2-star to a 3-star rating and jumped from the 37th to the 54th percentile, with gains in every subject—notably 7th grade social studies at 66.3% proficiency, well above the state average of 56.0%. Polk County High School declined from 3 stars to 2 stars, yet still exceeds state averages in Algebra II (38.8% vs. 37.3%) and US History (52.9% vs. 42.4%). Benton Elementary School is the most concerning trend, falling from the 48th to the 22nd percentile over three years, with math proficiency dropping from 34.1% to 22.7%. Polk Innovative Learning Academy, as an alternative school, shows extremely low proficiency, with ELA at just 17.6% and US History at 6.3%.

Chronic absenteeism is a district-wide issue, with all three traditional schools above the state average of 18.3%—Benton Elementary School leads at 27.1%. The Algebra I pipeline is a serious weakness: only 14.7% of high school students are proficient versus 32.3% statewide, suggesting students arrive underprepared from earlier grades. Benton Elementary School's 4th grade math proficiency of 22.8% trails the state by 26.6 points. Despite these challenges, Polk County High School posts a low 2.2% dropout rate versus the state's 6.7%. The district's uneven results—Chilhowee Middle School rising while Benton Elementary School falls—indicate school-level leadership and interventions, not district-wide policy, are driving outcomes.