Summary:
Zip code 37821 in Newport, Tennessee is home to five elementary schools serving approximately 2,179 students in grades PK-8 (or K-8), split between Newport City Schools and Cocke County Schools. The strongest overall academic performer is Newport Grammar School, averaging 53.8% proficiency across math, ELA, science, and social studies — well above the state average of 45.5%. Its social studies scores are exceptional, especially in grades 7 and 8. However, its math proficiency of 37.3% trails the state, and it declined in every subject from the prior year.
Among the Cocke County Schools, Bridgeport Elementary School stands out with the best state ranking (403rd) and the highest math proficiency in the zip code at 51.4%. Centerview Elementary School has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (7.4%) and solid science scores. Edgemont Elementary School is the most improved, jumping from the 23rd to 47th percentile in state rankings. At the other end, Northwest Elementary School is the highest-need school, with the lowest proficiency rates (18-26% across subjects), the highest chronic absenteeism (30.7%), yet the highest per-student spending at $14,500.
Two patterns stand out. First, middle-grade performance is a systemic weakness: even strong schools see math proficiency drop sharply between 3rd and 6th grade, and 8th-grade ELA is critically low in three of the five schools. Second, attendance tracks achievement closely — the two schools with the lowest absenteeism are the top county performers, while the two with the highest absenteeism lag furthest behind. Notably, all county schools improved in nearly every subject this year, making the decline at otherwise-strong Newport Grammar School a concern worth watching.
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