Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 37863

Zip code 37863 in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee is served by two public middle-level schools within the Sevier County Schools district: Pigeon Forge Junior High School (grades 7-9, 495 students) and Pigeon Forge Intermediate School (grades 4-6, 375 students). The district itself ranks in the bottom third of Tennessee school districts, sitting at the 34th percentile with a 2-star rating, which provides important context for understanding the challenges these schools face.

Pigeon Forge Intermediate School is the stronger academic performer, outperforming the junior high in every core subject. In 2025-2026, the intermediate school posted proficiency rates of 37.5% in math, 30.9% in English language arts, 40.8% in science, and 43.0% in social studies, compared to the junior high's 29.3%, 25.1%, 29.0%, and 36.2%. The intermediate school also has a lower chronic absenteeism rate at 16.8%, which is below the state average of 18.3%, while the junior high's rate stands at 23.3%. Additionally, the intermediate school is improving across all subjects, with notable gains in social studies (+8.5 points) and science (+4.0 points). The junior high, by contrast, is declining in math, science, and social studies, and its state ranking fell from the 40th percentile to the 27th percentile, dropping to a 1-star rating.

There are a few bright spots worth noting for the junior high. Its Geometry proficiency jumped from 33.3% to 71.4% in one year, the highest single proficiency figure in the data set, though it still trails district and state averages for 9th-grade geometry. The junior high also improved in ELA, Algebra I, and English I. Per-student spending differs notably between the two schools, with the intermediate school spending $16,453 per student compared to $13,256 at the junior high. The junior high's high chronic absenteeism and declining test scores point to a school in need of targeted intervention, while the intermediate school appears to be a genuine bright spot within a district that faces systemic academic challenges.