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B

Polk County School District

Public school districtGrades PK–12Regional · 3 towns

Serves Benton, Copperhill and Ducktown.

Benton’s School Grade B better than 57% of Tennessee school districts

Students
2,160
Schools
7
Spent per student
$12,686
TN $13,059
Debt
$10.4M
fiscal 2024
The gist

What stands out about Polk County School District

  • Its letter, B: results better than 57% of Tennessee districts
  • Debt of $10.4M, about $4,816 per student
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

B: better than 57% of the 147 Tennessee school districts we grade. Each town’s School Grade weighs its districts by the students they test; spending and class size are shown but don’t count.

Test scoresReading and math close to the state, 2021–22
B
GraduationFour-year graduation close to the state, class of 2023
C+
The towns it serves, and their School Grades
BBenton 1,476Copperhill 458Ducktown 441

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Benton. Grade by grade →

PK–5Benton ElementaryThis district
6–8Chilhowee Middle SchoolThis district
9–122 high schoolsThis district

Test scores vs. TN

2021–22 · class of 2023
Math proficiency34%
State average 31.1% · 1,337 students tested
Reading / language arts36%
State average 36.8% · 1,222 students tested
Graduation rate (4-year)85–89%
State average 87.3% · 160 in the class

97% of students in the tested grades sat the 2022 tests.

Reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute); the newest year for each measure.

Where the money goes

fiscal 2024
$12,686 per student · 3% below TN
Spending
Classroom instruction 58%Support & administration 35%Other 7%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 21%State 63%Federal 17%

Fiscal 2022–24 includes federal pandemic relief (ESSER).

U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.

Enrollment over time
2,184’20
2,147’21
2,148’22
2,131’23
2,160’24

About steady since 2020–21.

Students
White 95%Hispanic 3%Black 1%Two or more races <1%Asian <1%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%

Schools in the district

7 public schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with Tennessee’s other public schools.

Benton Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Benton
A−
421 students
South Polk Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Old Fort
A−
347 students
Copper Basin Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–6 · Copperhill
B
321 students
Polk Innovative Learning Academy
Other · Grades K–12 · Benton
C
147 students
Chilhowee Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Benton
B+
293 students
Copper Basin High School
High · Grades 7–12 · Copperhill
B
231 students
Polk County High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Benton
B−
400 students

Nearby districts

Compare spending and schools next door.

Fannin County School DistrictMcCaysville
$17,505per student

District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES school directory 2024–25 and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau’s school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: state results reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute). The letters are our own summary, graded within Tennessee.