Summary:
In zip code 38574, there is exactly one high school: Monterey High School, which serves grades 7 through 12 in the town of Monterey within Putnam County. With 526 students, this combined middle/high school is the only option in the area, so the data tells the full story of the community's public high school experience. The school is part of Putnam County Schools and spends approximately $13,505 per student.
Monterey High School has several clear strengths. Eighth-grade mathematics proficiency is a standout at 58.2%, well above the state's 38.3%, and 8th-grade Algebra I proficiency reaches 90.0%. Geometry is also strong at 54.8%, beating both the district and state, and overall science proficiency of 53.6% outpaces Tennessee's 46.9%. Attendance is another positive: chronic absenteeism is just 12.5%, much better than the district's 17.3% and state's 18.3%, while the dropout rate ties the district at a low 1.9%. However, the school struggles in English Language Arts, with all-grades ELA at 38.1% versus the state's 40.6% and English I only at 23.0% against a 37.3% state average. Biology I is a major concern at 32.6%, far behind the district's 52.4%. The graduation rate is 84.8%, below the district's 92.8% and the state's 90.5%.
The school's state ranking has declined from the 62nd percentile in 2023–2024 to the 48th percentile in 2025–2026. Large year-to-year swings in test scores—such as Geometry jumping from 18.0% to 54.8% and Algebra II falling from 54.7% to 31.2%—point to small cohort sizes and significant variability from one grade to the next. Parents should know that while Monterey shows genuine strengths in middle-grade math, Geometry, and science, its inconsistent performance in reading and biology, coupled with a below-average graduation rate, makes it a school with both bright spots and challenges. The low dropout rate and strong attendance suggest that students stay engaged, but academic preparedness, especially in English and biology, remains an area for development.
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