Summary:
The city of Benton, Tennessee is home to 4 schools that serve students from elementary through high school, including 1 alternative school. The schools in this area display a mix of high-performing and struggling academic outcomes, with notable disparities in student demographics and funding levels.
Polk County High School stands out as the top-performing school, ranking 162 out of 374 Tennessee high schools and earning a 3-star rating. The school outperforms state and county averages in several subject areas, including Biology I, US History, and English II. In contrast, Benton Elementary and Chilhowee Middle School have lower 2-star ratings, with Chilhowee Middle School struggling in English Language Arts compared to state and county benchmarks. The Polk Innovative Learning Academy, an alternative school, consistently underperforms across all subject areas.
Notably, all four schools in Benton, Tennessee have a highly homogeneous racial makeup, with white students comprising between 93.79% and 94.81% of the student population. This lack of diversity may impact the educational experiences and opportunities for students. Additionally, the significant difference in spending per student between the alternative school ($7,065) and the other schools ($10,682 to $10,883) suggests that funding disparities may be a contributing factor to the performance gaps observed across the district.
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