Summary:
Zip code 37909 in Knoxville, Tennessee is served by Knox County Schools and contains just two public schools—Bearden Middle School (grades 6-8) and Pond Gap Elementary School (grades PK-5)—with no high schools or alternative schools in the immediate area.
These two schools sit on opposite ends of the performance spectrum. Bearden Middle School is a clear standout, earning a 4-star rating and ranking in the 72nd percentile of Tennessee middle schools (169 of 594). Its Algebra I proficiency is an exceptional 88.2%, far above the state's 32.3%, and it also beats state averages in science and social studies. However, grade-level math is a concern: Bearden's overall math proficiency (35.5%) trails the district, and proficiency among 8th graders taking standard grade-level math is just 23.3%. Pond Gap Elementary School, by contrast, is a 1-star school ranked in the bottom 12% of Tennessee elementary schools (899 of 1,019). Proficiency rates in math (24.3%), ELA (20.6%), and science (25.3%) all lag far behind state averages, and the achievement gap widens as students progress—by 5th grade, just 14% are proficient in science.
Chronic absenteeism is an issue at both schools, but especially at Pond Gap, where 26.7% of students are chronically absent, well above the district (19.4%) and state (18.3%) rates. Interestingly, Pond Gap spends significantly more per student ($17,417) than Bearden Middle ($12,022), yet academic outcomes are much lower. Pond Gap is making progress—it improved its star rating from 0 to 1 this year—but remains far below where it needs to be. Families should also note that there are no high schools in this zip code, so all students will eventually transition to schools outside 37909 for grades 9-12.
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