Ridgedale Alternative School

Summary:

Ridgedale Alternative School is a small public high school serving grades 6-12 in Knoxville, Tennessee, part of the Knox County school district. With just 70 students, Ridgedale has a significantly different racial makeup and academic performance compared to nearby high schools like Central High School, Karns High School, and Bearden High School.

Over the past three years, Ridgedale has seen a decrease in white students (from 71.11% to 37.14%) and an increase in African American students (from 22.22% to 41.43%), in contrast to the higher percentage of white students at nearby schools. Academically, Ridgedale's proficiency rates are significantly lower than the Knox County and Tennessee averages across all subject areas and grade levels. For example, in 6th grade ELA, Ridgedale's proficiency rate was only 6.7% compared to 38% for Knox County and 35.9% for the state.

Despite Ridgedale's high per-student spending of $20,712 in 2020-2021 (compared to $8,563 to $12,269 at nearby high schools), the school's academic performance has been declining over the past three years. The low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 2.3 to 3.6, may be a contributing factor, but further investigation would be needed to identify the root causes of Ridgedale's academic challenges and develop targeted interventions to improve student outcomes.

Detail:

Public 6-12

4600 Ridgedale RD
Knoxville, TN 37921

(865) 909-9099

District: Knox County

Student/teacher ratio: 3.1

Number of students: 75

Racial breakdown:

White:

53.3%

African American:

26.7%

Two or more races:

10.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 81%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Ridgedale Alternative School is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 3.8. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (53.3%), African American (26.7%), two or more races (10.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Ridgedale Alternative School is 3.1, which is the lowest among 19 high schools in the Knox County School District! (See more...)

Compare Ridgedale Alternative School employs 23.5 full-time teachers.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Ridgedale Alternative School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Knox County:

SchoolDigger ranks Knox County 80^th of 140 Tennessee school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Ridgedale Alternative School

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Rank History for all students at Ridgedale Alternative School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	3.80	594^th	594	0.0%

See the entire list of Tennessee High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Ridgedale Alternative School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	8.26	512^th	514	0.4%

See the entire list of Best Tennessee High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Male students at Ridgedale Alternative School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	6.52	537^th	540	0.6%

See the entire list of Best Tennessee High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Ridgedale Alternative School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	3.65	500^th	500	0.0%

See the entire list of Best Tennessee High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Tennessee Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Tennessee Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Ridgedale Alternative School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	413	39	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	453
1989	439	48	n/a	3	n/a	n/a	n/a	0	490
1990	439	48	4	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	491
1991	460	52	4	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	516
1992	476	54	4	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	534
1993	460	51	7	3	2	n/a	n/a	0	523
1994	436	45	5	5	2	n/a	n/a	0	493
1995	442	47	6	6	1	n/a	n/a	0	502
1996	442	47	6	6	1	n/a	n/a	0	502
1997	396	55	7	7	2	n/a	n/a	-14	453
1998	396	60	7	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	467
1999	386	64	3	7	3	n/a	n/a	-1	462
2000	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	394	394
2001	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	400	400
2002	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	410	410
2003	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	410	410
2004	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	391	391
2005	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	400	400
2006	29	14	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	44
2007	46	15	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	62
2008	38	12	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	52
2009	38	17	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	55
2010	50	24	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	76
2011	48	32	0	4	0	0	1	0	85
2012	73	27	0	6	1	0	2	0	109
2013	53	25	0	3	2	0	1	0	84
2014	54	33	0	3	1	0	0	0	91
2015	59	24	0	5	0	0	2	0	90
2016	41	31	1	1	0	0	5	0	79
2017	43	27	1	3	0	0	2	0	76
2018	45	24	1	2	0	1	6	0	79
2019	44	19	2	2	0	1	5	0	73
2020	52	19	3	2	0	0	10	0	86
2021	32	10	0	1	0	0	2	0	45
2022	34	19	2	2	0	0	3	0	60
2023	26	29	2	6	0	0	7	0	70
2024	40	20	1	6	0	0	8	0	75

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Ridgedale Alternative School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	453	17.0	26.6	n/a
1989	490	17.0	28.8	n/a
1990	491	17.0	28.8	n/a
1991	516	23.0	22.4	n/a
1992	534	23.0	23.2	n/a
1993	523	23.0	22.7	n/a
1994	493	26.0	19.0	n/a
1995	502	26.0	19.3	n/a
1996	502	26.0	19.3	n/a
1997	453	n/a	0.0	n/a
1998	467	n/a	0.0	n/a
1999	462	n/a	0.0	n/a
2000	394	n/a	0.0	n/a
2001	400	n/a	0.0	n/a
2002	410	n/a	n/a	n/a
2003	410	n/a	n/a	n/a
2004	391	n/a	n/a	n/a
2005	400	n/a	n/a	n/a
2006	44	17.4	2.5	n/a
2007	62	19.3	3.2	71
2008	52	25.6	2.0	94.2
2009	55	24.5	2.2	92.7
2010	76	17.9	4.2	80.3
2011	85	25.7	3.3	96.5
2012	109	26.9	4.0	77.1
2013	84	24.9	3.3	79.8
2014	91	27.5	3.3	85.7
2015	90	29.0	3.1	94.4
2016	79	24.0	3.2	81
2017	76	22.0	3.4	n/a
2018	79	22.5	3.5	n/a
2019	73	22.8	3.2	n/a
2020	86	22.9	3.7	n/a
2021	45	19.0	2.3	n/a
2022	60	19.3	3.1	n/a
2023	70	19.1	3.6	n/a
2024	75	23.5	3.1	n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Ridgedale Alternative School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	453	17.0	26.6	n/a
1989	490	17.0	28.8	n/a
1990	491	17.0	28.8	n/a
1991	516	23.0	22.4	n/a
1992	534	23.0	23.2	n/a
1993	523	23.0	22.7	n/a
1994	493	26.0	19.0	n/a
1995	502	26.0	19.3	n/a
1996	502	26.0	19.3	n/a
1997	453	n/a	0.0	n/a
1998	467	n/a	0.0	n/a
1999	462	n/a	0.0	n/a
2000	394	n/a	0.0	n/a
2001	400	n/a	0.0	n/a
2002	410	n/a	n/a	n/a
2003	410	n/a	n/a	n/a
2004	391	n/a	n/a	n/a
2005	400	n/a	n/a	n/a
2006	44	17.4	2.5	n/a
2007	62	19.3	3.2	71
2008	52	25.6	2.0	94.2
2009	55	24.5	2.2	92.7
2010	76	17.9	4.2	80.3
2011	85	25.7	3.3	96.5
2012	109	26.9	4.0	77.1
2013	84	24.9	3.3	79.8
2014	91	27.5	3.3	85.7
2015	90	29.0	3.1	94.4
2016	79	24.0	3.2	81
2017	76	22.0	3.4	n/a
2018	79	22.5	3.5	n/a
2019	73	22.8	3.2	n/a
2020	86	22.9	3.7	n/a
2021	45	19.0	2.3	n/a
2022	60	19.3	3.1	n/a
2023	70	19.1	3.6	n/a
2024	75	23.5	3.1	n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Ridgedale Alternative School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	73	70	4.1%
African American	19	29	52.6%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	2	2
Hispanic	2	6	200%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	44	26	40.9%
Two or More Races	5	7	40%

Schools Near Ridgedale Alternative School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				TNReady Algebra I (2024)		TNReady Algebra II (2024)				TNReady Biology I (2024)				TNReady US History (2024)			TNReady English I (2024)			TNReady English II (2024)			TNReady Geometry (2024)				TNReady Social Studies (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	TNReady Algebra I 9th Grade	TNReady Algebra I All Grades	TNReady Algebra II 10th Grade	TNReady Algebra II 11th Grade	TNReady Algebra II 12th Grade	TNReady Algebra II All Grades	TNReady Biology I 9th Grade	TNReady Biology I 10th Grade	TNReady Biology I 11th Grade	TNReady Biology I All Grades	TNReady US History 11th Grade	TNReady US History 12th Grade	TNReady US History All Grades	TNReady English I 9th Grade	TNReady English I 10th Grade	TNReady English I All Grades	TNReady English II 10th Grade	TNReady English II 12th Grade	TNReady English II All Grades	TNReady Geometry 9th Grade	TNReady Geometry 10th Grade	TNReady Geometry 11th Grade	TNReady Geometry All Grades	TNReady Social Studies 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Ridgedale Alternative School	Public	6-12	4600 Ridgedale RD	Knoxville	37921	Knox County	Knox County	No	No	No	Yes	(865) 909-9099	75	24	3.1		40 (53.3%)	20 (26.7%)	6 (8.0%)	1 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (10.7%)								(n/a)																								5.3
Powell High School	Public	9-12	2136 West Emory RD	Powell	37849	Knox County	Knox County	No	No	No	No	(865) 938-2171	1,292	80	16.1		868 (67.2%)	111 (8.6%)	223 (17.3%)	23 (1.8%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	65 (5.0%)	47.5	186^th of 392 public high schools	52.6%		37.4	230^th of 384 public high schools	40.1%	44	14.0	13.0	72.6	12.5		25.0		67.6	34.6	42.3	49.4		49.2	35.2		35.1	45.8	40.0	44.9	89.1	23.7	11.8	32.7		$10,262	$862	$9,045
West High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	3300 Sutherland AVE	Knoxville	37919	Knox County	Knox County	No	Yes	No	No	(865) 594-4477	1,509	88	17.0		876 (58.1%)	312 (20.7%)	196 (13.0%)	34 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (0.3%)	86 (5.7%)	57	134^th of 392 public high schools	65.8%		58.5	123^rd of 384 public high schools	68.0%	11	6.3	5.9	76.5	9.0		35.1	77.4	85.1		77.8				43.3		43.2	65.4		63.6	89.1	17.8		44.3		$10,319	$855	$9,104
Bearden High School	Public	9-12	8352 Kingston PIKE	Knoxville	37919	Knox County	Knox County	No	No	No	No	(865) 539-7800	2,008	114	17.5		1,421 (70.8%)	172 (8.6%)	247 (12.3%)	61 (3.0%)	2 (0.1%)	3 (0.1%)	102 (5.1%)	65.9	92^nd of 392 public high schools	76.5%		65.3	80^th of 384 public high schools	79.2%	12	13.8	13.0	77.3	28.3	7.7	42.9	93.7	66.7	59.2	70.7				43.4		42.7	60.2		58.1	87.2	29.8		43.8		$9,834	$892	$8,653
Dr. Paul L. Kelley Volunteer Academy	Public	9-12	535 Chickamauga Avenue AVE	Knoxville	37917	Knox County	Knox County	No	No	No	Yes	(865) 525-0069	72	10	7.2		39 (54.2%)	20 (27.8%)	10 (13.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (4.2%)								(n/a)																									$20,206	$786	$19,147
Lincoln Park Technology and Trade Center	Public	9-12	535 Chicamauga AVE	Knoxville	37917	Knox County	Knox County	No	No	No	No	(865) 689-1454	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Karns High School	Public	9-12	2710 Byington Solway RD	Knoxville	37931	Knox County	Knox County	No	No	No	No	(865) 539-8670	1,341	90	14.9		906 (67.6%)	111 (8.3%)	235 (17.5%)	10 (0.7%)	6 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	72 (5.4%)	37.7	232^nd of 392 public high schools	40.8%		45.9	179^th of 384 public high schools	53.4%	53	7.2	6.4	64.7	10.7		19.0		50.2	20.0	48.0	16.7		16.7	33.0		33.0	39.4		38.8	89.4	20.1		27.9		$10,424	$868	$9,153
Fulton High School	Public	9-12	2509 North Broadway	Knoxville	37917	Knox County	Knox County	No	No	No	Yes	(865) 594-1240	927	74	12.6		217 (23.4%)	289 (31.2%)	355 (38.3%)	3 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	62 (6.7%)	10.7	362^nd of 392 public high schools	7.7%		14.3	340^th of 384 public high schools	11.5%	22			35.7					17.6	18.2	19.3	5.1			15.1	8.3	14.6	19.8		17.2		6.1		7.5		$14,009	$1,963	$11,581
L N STEM Academy	Public, Magnet	9-12	401 Henley ST	Knoxville	37902	Knox County	Knox County	No	Yes	No	No	(865) 329-8440	581	33	17.4		457 (78.7%)	28 (4.8%)	39 (6.7%)	27 (4.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (5.2%)	91.8	14^th of 392 public high schools	96.4%		88.4	14^th of 384 public high schools	96.4%		29.7	28.9	88.1	56.9		73.7			71.4	85.9				78.9		78.9	94.2		94.2	93.5	54.5		75.0		$10,301	$795	$9,198
Central High School	Public	9-12	5321 Jacksboro PIKE	Knoxville	37918	Knox County	Knox County	No	No	No	No	(865) 689-1400	1,296	86	15.0		707 (54.6%)	223 (17.2%)	257 (19.8%)	16 (1.2%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	91 (7.0%)	32.4	266^th of 392 public high schools	32.1%		34.9	248^th of 384 public high schools	35.4%	18			54.4	12.4		23.4		63.3	37.5	53.3	26.5	7.1	25.1	26.8		26.6	42.0		38.4	73.5	8.5		18.6		$10,711	$832	$9,351

Frequently Asked Questions about Ridgedale Alternative School

How many students attend Ridgedale Alternative School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 75 students attended Ridgedale Alternative School.

What is the racial makeup of Ridgedale Alternative School?

Students at Ridgedale Alternative School are 53% White, 27% African American, 11% Two or more races, 8% Hispanic, 1% Asian.

What district is Ridgedale Alternative School in?

Knox County

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Tennessee Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.