Summary:
ZIP code 37871 is served by two very different high schools: Carter High School, a traditional public school in Knox County Schools serving grades 9–12, and Jefferson Virtual Academy, a virtual public school in Jefferson County Schools serving grades 5–12. Carter High School is much larger with 749 students, while Jefferson Virtual Academy enrolls just 55 students, making it a small, flexible alternative.
Academically, Jefferson Virtual Academy stands out with excellent recent TNReady scores, exceeding state averages in every subject, especially science at 68.8% proficiency compared to 46.9% statewide. It also posts a 92.9% graduation rate, well above Carter’s 86.8%. However, these impressive numbers come with a major caveat: with only 55 students, proficiency rates swing dramatically from year to year. Carter High School, by contrast, shows a more traditional profile with some bright spots like 57.0% proficiency in English II and 63.4% in 10th-grade Biology I, but it lags the state in most subjects and ranks in the 38th percentile overall. Both schools struggle with chronic absenteeism, with Carter at 28.5% and Jefferson Virtual Academy at 24.5%, compared to the state’s 18.3%.
Perhaps the most striking finding is the spending difference: Carter High School spends $14,475 per student—67% more than Jefferson Virtual Academy’s $8,637—yet Carter shows lower graduation rates, higher dropout rates, and worse attendance. This suggests spending alone does not drive outcomes. For parents, the choice is between a larger, traditional school with mixed performance and a small virtual school that performs well but is statistically volatile. Carter’s data also reveal a clear need for stronger 9th-grade support, particularly in Algebra and English I, where proficiency drops dramatically compared to later grades.
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