The Best Schools in Knoxville for 2025
Knox County continues to stand out as one of Tennessee’s strongest public school districts. The 2025 U.S. News and World Report rankings highlight multiple Knoxville schools among the top performers in the state. These rankings evaluate academic achievement, equity, and student success across grade levels. This guide summarizes the best elementary, middle, and high schools in Knoxville based on the newest statewide data.
Overview of Knox County Schools
Knox County Schools is the third largest district in Tennessee and one of the top 100 largest in the United States. The district includes 94 schools that collectively serve approximately 60,000 students. Knox County was recently recognized as an Advancing District by the Tennessee Department of Education. This is one of the state’s highest designations and reflects significant improvement from its previous ranking in the bottom five percent.
Best Elementary Schools in Knoxville
Of the district’s 55 elementary schools, 49 received rankings from U.S. News. Sequoyah Elementary leads the district.
Top-ranked elementary school in Knox County: Sequoyah Elementary
Ranked number 25 in Tennessee
Approximately 500 students
Student to faculty ratio of 17 to 1
Additional highly ranked elementary schools include
- Blue Grass Elementary, ranked number 65
- Farragut Intermediate, ranked number 70
- Rocky Hill Elementary, ranked number 81
- Bearden Elementary, ranked number 87
These schools scored well in early academic performance, literacy and mathematics readiness, and consistency across student groups.
Best Middle Schools in Knoxville
Seventeen of the district’s 21 middle schools received rankings.
Top ranked middle school in Knox County: Farragut Middle School
Ranked number 17 in Tennessee
Approximately 1,400 students
Student to faculty ratio of 18 to 1
Other highly ranked middle schools include
- West Valley Middle School, ranked number 45
- Hardin Valley Middle School, ranked number 121
- Gresham Middle School, ranked number 237
- Bearden Middle School, ranked number 239
Middle school rankings are measured by reading and math proficiency, student growth, and performance equity across demographics.
Best High Schools in Knoxville
Five of Knox County’s high schools ranked among the top 100 in Tennessee.
Top ranked high school in Knox County: L and N STEM Academy
Ranked number 6 in Tennessee
Recognized for engineering, science, and technology focused programming
Other high performing high schools include
- Farragut High School, ranked number 13
- Bearden High School, ranked number 38
- West High School, ranked number 39
- Hardin Valley Academy, ranked number 57
These rankings reflect strong academic preparation, college readiness, participation in advanced coursework, and graduation outcomes.
Tennessee’s Education Landscape
Tennessee ranks number 37 out of the 50 states on U.S. News education metrics. Several of the state’s magnet high schools rank among the top 40 in the nation.