Schools in Zip Code 37412

Zip code 37412 in Chattanooga, Tennessee contains four public schools—East Ridge Elementary School, Spring Creek Elementary School, East Ridge Middle School, and East Ridge High School—serving approximately 3,115 students in grades PK–12, all within the Hamilton County Schools district. While the district itself ranks in the middle of Tennessee school systems, every school in this zip code lands in the bottom quintile statewide, with state percentile rankings between 7th and 16th. This gap suggests the area faces concentrated challenges compared to the rest of Hamilton County.

Among the two elementary schools, Spring Creek Elementary School is the clear bright spot. It has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate in the area at 14.0%, better than both district and state averages, and posts the strongest elementary proficiency rates with 27.5% math and 22.8% ELA. East Ridge Elementary School, by contrast, is the largest school but ranks in the 7th percentile, with math proficiency dropping from 26.7% to 18.7% in one year. At the middle school level, East Ridge Middle School shows a puzzling split: overall math proficiency is just 13.9%, yet its Algebra I proficiency is an impressive 69.2%, more than double the district rate. East Ridge High School has the highest spending per student at $18,264, but its graduation rate of 87.3% lags the district, and its dropout rate of 12.0% is nearly double the state average.

Chronic absenteeism is a major concern, particularly at East Ridge High School where 31.9% of students are chronically absent and only Spring Creek Elementary School beats district and state averages. Math is a consistent weakness across all four schools, with proficiency rates 15–30 points below state averages in nearly every subject. The standout takeaway is that advanced students appear to be thriving—including 81% Geometry proficiency at East Ridge High School—even as general proficiency remains low. For parents, Spring Creek Elementary School offers the most positive overall picture, while East Ridge High School shows the most urgent need for improvement in attendance, graduation, and academic support.