Summary:
ZIP code 37618 contains one high school: Sullivan East High School in Bluff City, Tennessee, serving grades 9–12 with 816 students. The school is part of Sullivan County Schools, which ranks 63rd out of 141 districts in Tennessee. With no other high schools in the ZIP code, this analysis focuses on how Sullivan East compares to district and state averages.
Sullivan East demonstrates clear strengths in graduation and dropout outcomes. Its 94.9% graduation rate exceeds both the district (91.6%) and state (90.5%), while its 4.0% dropout rate is lower than the district (6.3%) and state (6.7%). However, chronic absenteeism is a red flag at 26.4%, significantly above the district (20.8%) and state (18.3%). Academically, the school trails Tennessee averages in every tested subject. The largest gaps are in Biology I (-18.2 points), Algebra I (-16.7 points), and Algebra II (-13.9 points). English II is the relative bright spot at 55.9% proficient, just 2.2 points below the state average. Per-student spending is $14,237, yet this investment has not translated into above-average proficiency.
Trends are mixed. Six of seven tested subjects improved from 2024-2025 to 2025-2026, with English II jumping 11 points and US History and Geometry also showing solid gains. Algebra I, however, declined sharply from 21.2% to 15.6%, widening an already large gap. Grade-level data show notable internal disparities, such as 11th-grade Algebra II proficiency at just 5.9% and 10th-grade Biology I at 11.5%, suggesting course-taking patterns and readiness may play a role. The school has remained stable in the bottom half of Tennessee's rankings, hovering around the 32nd to 35th percentile with a 2-star rating over the past three years. Free/reduced lunch data and student-teacher ratios were not reported, limiting socioeconomic analysis. Overall, Sullivan East excels at graduating students but faces significant challenges in math, science, and attendance.
Thank you for your feedback!