Summary:
ZIP code 37406 in Chattanooga is served by 3 public schools within Hamilton County Schools — a district ranked 81 out of 141 in Tennessee — comprising Hardy Elementary School (PK-5, 444 students), STEM School Chattanooga (9-12, 296 students), and Hamilton County Collegiate High at Chattanooga State (9-12, 141 students), for a total of 881 reported students. This small ZIP code is a study in extremes: it contains two of Tennessee's top high schools and one of the state's lowest-performing elementary schools.
Hamilton County Collegiate High at Chattanooga State is the top academic performer, ranked #9 out of 400 high schools (98th percentile, 5 stars) with 90.2% Algebra II proficiency and a 98.4% graduation rate — all while spending the least of the three at $12,567 per student. STEM School Chattanooga is right behind, ranked #19 out of 400 (95th percentile, 5 stars), with standout subject scores like 83.1% Geometry and 87.3% English II, a very low 9.5% chronic absenteeism rate, and a matching 98.4% graduation rate. Both high schools are located at 4501 Amnicola Highway, creating a shared high-school hub on the Chattanooga State campus.
Hardy Elementary School, by contrast, ranks #1017 out of 1019 elementary schools, with single-digit proficiency across all subjects (7.3% Math, 6.5% ELA, 6.0% Science), a 26.2% chronic absenteeism rate, and the highest per-student spending in the ZIP at $21,366 — about 70% more than Collegiate High spends. This disconnect shows that funding alone does not guarantee outcomes. With no middle schools in 37406, students leaving Hardy after 5th grade must transition to schools outside the ZIP, adding yet another hurdle for a school community already in urgent need of support.
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