Best High Schools in Zip Code 37354

Zip code 37354 in Madisonville, Tennessee, is served by two high schools—Sequoyah High School (grades 9–12, 766 students) and Monroe County Virtual School (grades 6–12, 273 students)—both part of the Monroe County Schools district, which ranks 122nd out of 141 Tennessee districts. Sequoyah is the stronger academic school, ranking 246th in the state with a 2-star rating, while the virtual school ranks 354th with a 1-star rating. Sequoyah is the only school in the zip code to exceed the state average in any subject (Algebra I at 35.3% proficient vs. 32.3% statewide), but it still lags in most subjects, including English I and Geometry, where proficiency is roughly 10–15 points below state averages. Monroe County Virtual School posts much lower proficiency rates—just 7.4% in 8th-grade math and 8.2% in social studies—but it serves a wider grade span, making direct comparisons tricky.

The biggest contrast comes in student outcomes. Despite lower test scores, Monroe County Virtual School reports a graduation rate of 90.5% and a dropout rate of only 1.6%, matching the state average for graduation. Sequoyah, by comparison, has an 81.6% graduation rate and a 13.9% dropout rate—more than double both the district and state averages. Sequoyah also struggles with chronic absenteeism at 24.7%, affecting roughly one in four students, compared to 18.3% statewide. This suggests that while Sequoyah's academics are stronger, the virtual school is doing a better job keeping students enrolled and on track to graduate.

Both schools are trending in opposite directions. Sequoyah has fallen from a 3-star, 55th-percentile ranking in 2023–2024 to a 2-star, 38th-percentile ranking in 2025–2026, with notable declines in Algebra II, Biology I, and English I. Monroe County Virtual School has improved from the 1st percentile to the 12th percentile over the same period, though from a very low base. Spending also differs significantly: Sequoyah spends $12,495 per student versus $7,308 at the virtual school. For parents, the takeaway is that these schools serve different needs—Sequoyah offers more rigorous academics but has engagement challenges, while Monroe County Virtual School prioritizes flexibility and completion, though at the cost of very low test proficiency.