Polk County High School

Summary:

Polk County High School is a public high school located in Benton, Tennessee, serving 443 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Polk County School District, which is ranked 99 out of 139 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Polk County High School stands out for its significantly higher percentage of white students (94.81%) compared to the state average and nearby schools like McMinn High School, Bradley Central High School, and Cleveland High. The school's academic performance has been mixed, with strong results in some subjects like Biology I and US History, but struggles in others like Algebra I and English I. Notably, Polk County High School has performed well for low socioeconomic status students but has struggled with the performance of special education students.

Compared to nearby schools, Polk County High School has a higher student-teacher ratio and spends more per student, which may contribute to its resources and facilities. However, some neighboring schools, such as Copper Basin High School and Walker Valley High School, have consistently higher academic rankings and better test scores in various subject areas. The lack of racial diversity at Polk County High School may also have implications for the school's culture and learning environment, which could be an area for further exploration and improvement.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 7200 Highway 411 North
       Benton, TN  37307


(423) 299-0078

District: Polk County

SchoolDigger Rank:
147th of 392 Tennessee High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $13,491 Help


Feeder schools for Polk County High School:

Elementary:    Benton Elementary
    South Polk Elementary
Middle:    Chilhowee Middle School

Student/teacher ratio:  14.4 Help
Number of students:  443

Racial breakdown:

White:
94.8%
Hispanic:
3.2%
Two or more races:
0.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  57.6% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Polk County High School ranks better than 62.5% of high schools in Tennessee. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 53.23. (See more...)
Help
The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Polk County High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Help
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.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Polk County High School is $13,491.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Polk County High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Polk County High School 147th of 392 Tennessee public high schools. (See Polk County High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
White students:


Polk County:

SchoolDigger ranks Polk County 91st of 140 Tennessee school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Polk County High School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Polk County High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2010 32.36 220th 267 17.6%
2011 17.14 254th 273 7.0%
2012 50.60 165th 269 38.7%
2013 51.92 168th 285 41.1%
2014 38.97 218th 296 26.4%
2015 55.01 162nd 300 46.0%
2016 57.18 129th 351 63.2%
2017 38.87 167th 273 38.8%
2018 45.16 166th 341 51.3%
2019 34.66 230th 342 32.7%
2021 56.44 106th 347 69.5%
2022 65.35 81st 358 77.4%
2023 54.59 141st 384 63.3%
2024 53.23 147th 392 62.5%
See the entire list of Tennessee High School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Polk County High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 30.78 116th 159 27.0%
2021 47.62 48th 125 61.6%
2023 32.37 100th 154 35.1%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Polk County High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 55.12 82nd 308 73.4%
2019 34.53 205th 302 32.1%
2021 48.38 135th 317 57.4%
2022 73.64 35th 322 89.1%
2023 76.49 24th 330 92.7%
2024 56.14 108th 337 68.0%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Polk County High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 27.92 262nd 337 22.3%
2021 50.49 142nd 340 58.2%
2022 66.89 69th 350 80.3%
2023 56.77 130th 366 64.5%
2024 53.97 143rd 365 60.8%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Polk County High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 43.79 161st 329 51.1%
2021 59.33 90th 332 72.9%
2022 59.51 98th 349 71.9%
2023 51.57 144th 359 59.9%
2024 48.52 166th 366 54.6%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Polk County High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.79 195th 307 36.5%
2019 27.68 246th 301 18.3%
2021 48.98 123rd 306 59.8%
2022 55.64 103rd 312 67.0%
2023 43.98 165th 325 49.2%
2024 40.39 179th 326 45.1%
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.

Polk County High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: Tennessee Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Polk County High School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2002 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 512 512
2003 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 512 512
2004 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 526 526
2005 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 577 577
2006 600 0 1 0 1 n/a n/a 0 602
2007 601 0 2 3 0 n/a n/a 0 606
2008 582 3 2 3 1 n/a n/a 0 591
2009 603 4 0 4 1 n/a n/a 0 612
2010 582 4 2 4 3 n/a n/a 0 595
2011 585 4 0 9 3 0 0 0 601
2012 592 3 0 10 2 0 0 0 607
2013 587 3 2 9 1 0 2 0 604
2014 578 2 1 8 0 0 3 0 592
2015 565 3 2 5 0 0 2 0 577
2016 568 2 2 6 1 0 3 0 582
2017 551 1 2 8 1 0 2 0 565
2018 549 1 1 14 1 0 1 0 567
2019 519 2 0 15 1 0 3 0 540
2020 472 1 0 9 0 0 3 0 485
2021 449 3 0 11 0 0 1 0 464
2022 430 3 0 9 1 0 3 0 446
2023 420 3 0 14 2 0 4 0 443

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 Polk County High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2002 512 n/a n/a n/a
2003 512 n/a n/a n/a
2004 526 n/a n/a n/a
2005 577 n/a n/a n/a
2006 602 32.5 18.5 n/a
2007 606 41.5 14.6 41.7
2008 591 39.0 15.2 42.8
2009 612 34.5 17.7 39.1
2010 595 36.5 16.3 48.7
2011 601 37.2 16.1 49.3
2012 607 39.5 15.3 56.7
2013 604 39.0 15.4 56.6
2014 592 38.0 15.5 59.5
2015 577 39.0 14.7 56.5
2016 582 36.0 16.1 57.6
2017 565 37.0 15.2 n/a
2018 567 35.0 16.2 n/a
2019 540 33.0 16.3 n/a
2020 485 32.0 15.1 n/a
2021 464 29.7 15.6 n/a
2022 446 34.0 13.1 n/a
2023 443 30.5 14.4 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 Polk County High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2002 512 n/a n/a n/a
2003 512 n/a n/a n/a
2004 526 n/a n/a n/a
2005 577 n/a n/a n/a
2006 602 32.5 18.5 n/a
2007 606 41.5 14.6 41.7
2008 591 39.0 15.2 42.8
2009 612 34.5 17.7 39.1
2010 595 36.5 16.3 48.7
2011 601 37.2 16.1 49.3
2012 607 39.5 15.3 56.7
2013 604 39.0 15.4 56.6
2014 592 38.0 15.5 59.5
2015 577 39.0 14.7 56.5
2016 582 36.0 16.1 57.6
2017 565 37.0 15.2 n/a
2018 567 35.0 16.2 n/a
2019 540 33.0 16.3 n/a
2020 485 32.0 15.1 n/a
2021 464 29.7 15.6 n/a
2022 446 34.0 13.1 n/a
2023 443 30.5 14.4 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.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Polk County High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $367 (3.9%) $8,481 (89.1%) $9,522
2020 $541 (5.3%) $8,928 (88.3%) $10,114
2021 $889 (8.3%) $9,248 (86.6%) $10,682
2022 $1,749 (13.5%) $10,406 (80.6%) $12,908
2023 $1,840 (13.6%) $10,977 (81.4%) $13,491

Data source: Tennessee Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Polk County High 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.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 230th of 342 High schoolsRanks 141st of 384 High schools
 30.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
9th Grade Algebra I (Polk County High School)17.621
 3.4%
   9th Grade Algebra I (Polk County)19.426.4
 7%
   9th Grade Algebra I (Tennessee)21.817.8
 4%
9th Grade English I (Polk County High School)13.233.3
 20.1%
   9th Grade English I (Polk County)16.835
 18.2%
   9th Grade English I (Tennessee)33.336
 2.7%
10th Grade English II (Polk County High School)34.249
 14.8%
   10th Grade English II (Polk County)38.546.8
 8.3%
   10th Grade English II (Tennessee)4450.7
 6.7%
10th Grade Geometry (Polk County High School)26.731.3
 4.6%
   10th Grade Geometry (Polk County)21.728.9
 7.2%
   10th Grade Geometry (Tennessee)28.223.8
 4.4%
11th Grade Algebra II (Polk County High School)23.518.3
 5.2%
   11th Grade Algebra II (Polk County)19.115.2
 3.9%
   11th Grade Algebra II (Tennessee)17.716.8
 0.9%
11th Grade US History (Polk County High School)21.441.9
 20.5%
   11th Grade US History (Polk County)27.338.7
 11.4%
   11th Grade US History (Tennessee)29.639.7
 10.1%
All Grades Algebra I (Polk County High School)16.618.4
 1.8%
   All Grades Algebra I (Polk County)18.222.8
 4.6%
   All Grades Algebra I (Tennessee)27.423.2
 4.2%
All Grades Algebra II (Polk County High School)23.919.3
 4.6%
   All Grades Algebra II (Polk County)2315.7
 7.3%
   All Grades Algebra II (Tennessee)27.425.6
 1.8%
All Grades US History (Polk County High School)22.941.3
 18.4%
   All Grades US History (Polk County)28.638.2
 9.6%
   All Grades US History (Tennessee)28.638.5
 9.9%
All Grades English I (Polk County High School)12.932.2
 19.3%
   All Grades English I (Polk County)16.434.1
 17.7%
   All Grades English I (Tennessee)32.735.4
 2.7%
All Grades English II (Polk County High School)34.548.6
 14.1%
   All Grades English II (Polk County)38.645.9
 7.3%
   All Grades English II (Tennessee)42.749.4
 6.7%
All Grades Geometry (Polk County High School)24.830.1
 5.3%
   All Grades Geometry (Polk County)22.427.2
 4.8%
   All Grades Geometry (Tennessee)33.928.6
 5.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students540443
 18%
African American23
 50%
American Indian12
 100%
Asian00
Hispanic1514
 6.7%
Pacific Islander00
White519420
 19.1%
Two or More Races34
 33.3%


Schools Near Polk County High School









Frequently Asked Questions about Polk County High School

Students at Polk County High School are 95% White, 3% Hispanic.

Polk County High School ranks 147th of 392 Tennessee high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 443 students attended Polk County High School.

Polk County High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Benton Elementary
Elementary : South Polk Elementary
Middle : Chilhowee Middle School


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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.





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