Carter County

The Carter County school district in Tennessee consists of 16 schools, including a mix of elementary, middle, high, and alternative schools. The district as a whole is ranked 88 out of 139 districts in the state and is rated 2 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

A few schools stand out in the district. Valley Forge Elementary consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in the state, with a 4-star rating and very high proficiency rates in math and English language arts. Cloudland High School also performs well, ranking 114 out of 374 high schools in the state and earning a 4-star rating with strong proficiency rates across subject areas. Additionally, Little Milligan, a small elementary school, ranks in the top 20% of Tennessee elementary schools and has excellent academic performance, especially in English language arts.

However, the data also reveals significant performance gaps within the Carter County district. While some schools excel, others struggle significantly, with low proficiency rates, particularly in math and English language arts. This inconsistency raises questions about equity and access to quality education within the district, as schools with higher percentages of minority and economically disadvantaged students tend to have lower academic performance. The data also highlights the critical importance of a strong foundation in the early years of education, as proficiency rates tend to be higher in the early grades and then decline in the upper grades.