Best Public Schools in Zip Code 37854

Zip code 37854, serving the Rockwood, TN area, contains 4 public schools (2 elementary, 1 middle, 1 high) with a combined enrollment of 1,349 students, split across Roane County Schools and Cumberland County Schools. All four schools rank below the state median (around the 33rd percentile on average), and academic proficiency consistently trails Tennessee state averages in math, ELA, and science by roughly 7–9 points. While no school earns more than 2 stars despite both districts being 3-star rated, there are notable bright spots and clear differences among the schools.

Rockwood Middle School is the clearest success story, improving its state rank from the 29th to 44th percentile in one year with double-digit gains in ELA (+11.3 points) and social studies (+9.1 points), though it still trails district and state averages. Pine View Elementary School has the lowest chronic absenteeism (11.4%) and posted the largest math jump (+13.9 points), but its science and social studies scores declined. Rockwood High School stands out for an excellent 96.8% graduation rate and 1.6% dropout rate, yet its end-of-course proficiency is very low (Algebra I at 14.7%, English I at 19.4%). Ridge View Elementary School, the largest school, spends the least per student ($13,364) and outperforms Pine View in science while showing strong 4th-grade results.

Spending does not clearly drive results, as Pine View spends the most ($15,129 per student) but has weak science scores, while Ridge View spends the least yet keeps pace in math and ELA. A recurring 8th-grade slump appears at both Rockwood Middle and Pine View, suggesting a middle-school transition challenge. Chronic absenteeism is a concern at Rockwood High (20.6%, above the state average of 18.3%), while Pine View is well below. Families should note that Pine View, despite sharing the same ZIP code, is in a different district than the other three schools, meaning boundaries and policies may differ. Overall, the area shows low academic proficiency but meaningful improvement at Rockwood Middle, a strong math gain at Pine View, and excellent graduation outcomes at Rockwood High.