Best High Schools in Zip Code 37887

Zip code 37887 (Wartburg, Tennessee) is served by two high schools—Central High School and Morgan County Career and Technical Center—both part of Morgan County Schools and serving grades 9 through 12. Central High is the larger comprehensive school with 367 students, while the CTE center is a small specialized program with just 42 students. The district itself ranks 132 out of 141 Tennessee districts (6th percentile) with a 0-star rating, indicating the broader academic context is low-performing relative to the state.

Central High is the only school in this zip code with detailed academic data, and it shows a mixed picture. Its state ranking improved from 313th (1 star) in 2024–2025 to 278th (2 stars) in 2025–2026, and it outperformed the district average in Algebra II, Biology I, and Geometry. The graduation rate is solid at 93.8%, with a very low dropout rate of 1.0%. However, chronic absenteeism is a serious concern at 19.9%—nearly triple the district average of 6.9% and above the state's 18.3%. By contrast, Morgan County Career and Technical Center spends $45,446 per student—about four times Central's $11,524—and has a 96.0% graduation rate, but it has no state ranking, no test scores, and no attendance data, making meaningful comparison impossible.

Central High has posted strong year-over-year gains in English II, Geometry, and Biology I, yet it remains well below state averages in almost every tested subject, with the largest gaps in Algebra I (19.3 points below), English I (17.9 points below), and US History (17.4 points below). The standout bright spot is 10th-grade Algebra II, where Central reached 56% proficiency, close to the state's 63.9%. While the CTE center's high spending likely reflects fixed costs for specialized facilities, its lack of outcome data means families cannot judge whether that investment produces stronger results. Overall, Central High is improving but still has significant academic ground to cover, while the CTE center offers a specialized option whose performance remains largely unmeasured.