For the 2025 school year, there are 15 public schools serving 4,630 students in Carter County School District. This district's average testing ranking is 3/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public schools in Tennessee.
Public Schools in Carter County School District have an average math proficiency score of 21% (versus the Tennessee public school average of 31%), and reading proficiency score of 33% (versus the 37% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 8% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the Tennessee public school average of 43% (majority Black).
Overview
This School District
This State (TN)
# Schools
15 Schools
1,925 Schools
# Students
4,630 Students
1,010,424 Students
# Teachers
338 Teachers
66,546 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
14:1
14:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Carter County School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 147 school districts in Tennessee (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 84% has decreased from 91% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#105 out of 147 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
21%
31%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
33%
37%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
35%
40%
Graduation Rate
84%
90%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.15
0.61
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
% Asian
n/a
2%
% Hispanic
4%
15%
% Black
1%
21%
% White
92%
57%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
3%
5%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $12,591 is higher than the state median of $11,979. The school district revenue/student has grown by 5% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $11,851 is higher than the state median of $11,478. The school district spending/student has grown by 5% over four school years.
Total Revenue
$58 MM
$12,104 MM
Spending
$55 MM
$11,597 MM
Revenue / Student
$12,591
$11,979
Spending / Student
$11,851
$11,478
Best Carter County School District Public Schools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Valley Forge Elementary School
(Math: 35-39% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
1485 Riverview Dr
Elizabethton, TN 37643
(423) 547-4085
Elizabethton, TN 37643
(423) 547-4085
Grades: PK-5
| 214 students
Rank: #22.
Happy Valley Elementary School
(Math: 35-39% | Reading: 40-44%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
1840 Milligan Hwy
Johnson City, TN 37601
(423) 547-4028
Johnson City, TN 37601
(423) 547-4028
Grades: PK-4
| 541 students
Rank: #33.
Cloudland Elementary School
(Math: 30-34% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
8540 Highway 19 East
Roan Mountain, TN 37687
(423) 772-5310
Roan Mountain, TN 37687
(423) 772-5310
Grades: PK-6
| 267 students
Rank: #44.
Little Milligan
(Math: 30-34% | Reading: 30-34%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
4226 Hwy 321
Butler, TN 37640
(423) 768-4400
Butler, TN 37640
(423) 768-4400
Grades: PK-5
| 89 students
Rank: #55.
Hampton Elementary School
(Math: 30% | Reading: 32%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
408 Hwy 321
Hampton, TN 37658
(423) 725-5220
Hampton, TN 37658
(423) 725-5220
Grades: PK-8
| 622 students
Rank: #66.
Cloudland High School
(Math: 10-14% | Reading: 40-44%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
476 Cloudland Dr
Roan Mountain, TN 37687
(423) 772-5300
Roan Mountain, TN 37687
(423) 772-5300
Grades: 7-12
| 245 students
Rank: #77.
Happy Valley Middle School
(Math: 28% | Reading: 30%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
163 Warpath Ln
Elizabethton, TN 37643
(423) 547-4070
Elizabethton, TN 37643
(423) 547-4070
Grades: 5-8
| 361 students
Rank: #88.
Happy Valley High School
(Math: 14% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
121 Warpath Ln
Elizabethton, TN 37643
(423) 547-4094
Elizabethton, TN 37643
(423) 547-4094
Grades: 9-12
| 450 students
Rank: #99.
Unaka High School
(Math: 12% | Reading: 30-34%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
119 Robinson Ln
Elizabethton, TN 37643
(423) 474-4100
Elizabethton, TN 37643
(423) 474-4100
Grades: 9-12
| 309 students
Rank: #1010.
Hunter Elementary School
(Math: 18% | Reading: 28%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
145 Hope St
Elizabethton, TN 37643
(423) 547-4074
Elizabethton, TN 37643
(423) 547-4074
Grades: K-8
| 519 students
Rank: #1111.
Carter County Online Academy
(Math: 6-9% | Reading: 30-39%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
139 Keenburg Rd
Elizabethton, TN 37643
(423) 547-2407
Elizabethton, TN 37643
(423) 547-2407
Grades: 4-12
| 83 students
Rank: #1212.
Hampton High School
(Math: 12% | Reading: 31%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
766 1st St
Hampton, TN 37658
(423) 725-5200
Hampton, TN 37658
(423) 725-5200
Grades: 9-12
| 395 students
Rank: #1313.
Unaka Elementary School
(Math: 10-14% | Reading: 25-29%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
120 Unaka Dr
Elizabethton, TN 37643
(423) 474-4110
Elizabethton, TN 37643
(423) 474-4110
Grades: PK-8
| 213 students
Rank: #1414.
Central Elementary School
(Math: 10-14% | Reading: 20-24%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
252 Taylor Rd
Johnson City, TN 37601
(423) 547-4045
Johnson City, TN 37601
(423) 547-4045
Grades: PK-8
| 261 students
Rank: n/an/a
Siam Learning Center
Alternative School
139 Keenburg Rd
Elizabethton, TN 37643
(423) 547-4050
Elizabethton, TN 37643
(423) 547-4050
Grades: 5-12
| 61 students
Frequently Asked Questions
How many schools belong to Carter County School District?
Carter County School District manages 15 public schools serving 4,630 students.
What is the rank of Carter County School District?
Carter County School District is ranked #104 out of 147 school districts in Tennessee (bottom 50%) based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data for the 2021-2022 school year.
What is the racial composition of students in Carter County School District?
92% of Carter County School District students are White, 4% of students are Hispanic, 3% of students are Two or more races, and 1% of students are Black.
What is the student/teacher ratio of Carter County School District?
Carter County School District has a student/teacher ratio of 14:1, which is lower than the Tennessee state average of 15:1.
What is Carter County School District's spending/student ratio?
The school district's spending/student of $11,851 is higher than the state median of $11,478. The school district spending/student has grown by 5% over four school years.
Recent Articles

Parents’ Guide to Special Education
Special education law is not easy to decipher, with several regulations that govern special education services for disabled students. In this article, learn about the core components of the laws, rights, and individual education plans that can help create the best public school environment for your child.

Surveillance Cameras: Violation of Rights or Improved Security?
A school district in Virginia has given the green light to schools that want to install surveillance cameras in common areas like cafeterias and hallways. We’ll look at whether this is a violation of student privacy or the best way to keep order in schools.

Teachers in 19 States Allowed to Physically Punish Students
As of 2014, nineteen states still allow corporal punishment – spanking and paddling the most common choices – in their public schools. However, some argue that not only are these punishments physically harmful, they also are disproportionately administered to students of color. As a result, House democrats have taken up the issue in a new bill that would ban all forms of corporal punishment nationwide.