Best High Schools in Zip Code 38553

ZIP code 38553 is home to just one high school: Clarkrange High School, a small rural school in Clarkrange, Tennessee, serving grades 9 through 12 with 231 students. As the only high school in the area, it serves as the sole option for families in this part of Fentress County and is part of Fentress County Schools.

Clarkrange High School is a strong performer overall, ranking 116th out of 400 Tennessee high schools for 2025–2026, putting it in the 71st percentile with a 4-star rating. Its graduation rate is excellent at 98.4%, well above the state average of 90.5%, and its chronic absenteeism rate of 17.7% is slightly better than both the district and state averages. Academically, the school shines in Algebra II and English II, where proficiency rates exceed state averages by nearly 10 and 4 points, respectively. However, it lags notably in Biology I and Geometry, with proficiency rates 13.7 and 8.4 points below the state. The school’s 11th-grade Algebra II performance is especially impressive, sitting 14.9 points above the state average.

One of the most interesting findings is that Clarkrange High School significantly outperforms its district’s overall rating. While the school holds a 4-star rating, Fentress County Schools itself is rated just 1 star and ranks in the 22nd percentile among Tennessee districts, suggesting the high school is a bright spot compared to other schools in the district. Because Clarkrange is the only high school in the district, its graduation, dropout, and test score data exactly match district-level high school figures. The school’s small enrollment also leads to large year-to-year test score swings, such as Algebra I proficiency jumping from 10.9% to 29.6% in one year. While data on free/reduced lunch eligibility and student-to-teacher ratio are missing, the reported per-student spending of $15,979 is notable. Overall, Clarkrange High School offers a solid education with strong graduation outcomes and upper-level math and English success, though families should be aware of its challenges in science and geometry as well as the volatility that comes with a small student body.