Admin April 24, 2024
U.S. News & World Report released its 2024 best public high schools rankings for the nation Tuesday, with several schools in Tennessee high on the list.
U.S. News considered 25,000 public high schools across all 50 states and the District of Columbia for this year’s list. The list includes traditional, charter and magnet schools, along with those focused on science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM.
The rankings were compiled in coordination with RTI, a nonprofit global social science research firm. It considered measures like college readiness, college curriculum, state assessments, underserved student performance and graduation rate.
“The 2024 Best High Schools rankings offer a starting point for parents to understand a school’s academic performance, whether it’s a prospective school or one that their child is already attending,” U.S. News managing editor of education LaMont Jones said in a news release. “Accessible data on our high schools can empower families across the country as they navigate today’s educational environment and plan for the future.”
Find the full national rankings, along with lists by state and of traditional, charter, magnet and STEM schools, at usnews.com/education/best-high-schools.
Here’s how the rankings break down for Tennessee.
See last year’s rankings: Three Nashville-area high schools made the top 100
Overall top 10 public high schools in Tennessee
The top 10 public high schools in Tennessee represent a mixture of traditional, magnet and charter schools across the state’s West, Middle and East regions. Enrollment sizes range widely from a few hundred to a few thousand. All 10 also ranked in the top 1,000 nationwide.
While magnet schools are public, they offer special programs and classes that may not be available in other public schools. They also have an application process and may have academic or other requirements for students who wish to enroll.
Six of the state’s top 10 high schools are magnets, and three are magnets with academic requirements to enroll.
- #1: Central Magnet High School, Murfreesboro, Tennessee (#19 nationally)**
- #2: Hume Fogg Magnet High School, Nashville, Tennessee (#48 nationally)**
- #3: Martin Luther King Jr. High School, Nashville, Tennessee (#154 nationally)**
- #4: Brentwood High School, Brentwood, Tennessee (#211 nationally)
- #5: Ravenwood High School, Brentwood, Tennessee (#336 nationally)
- #6: Valor Flagship High School, Nashville, Tennessee (#385 nationally)***
- #7: Franklin High School, Franklin, Tennessee (#412 nationally)
- #8: Chatt High Center for Creative Arts, Chattanooga, Tennessee (#574 nationally)*
- #9: L&N STEM Academy, Knoxville, Tennessee (#601 nationally)*
- #10: Science Hill High School, Johnson City, Tennessee (#864 nationally)*
*Denotes a public magnet high school with no academic requirements to enroll
**Denotes a public magnet high school with academic requirements to enroll
***Denotes a public charter high school
Note: While L&N STEM Academy does not have academic requirements for enrollment, it does require auditions.
Best colleges rankings: How Vanderbilt University, other Tennessee universities ranked
Top 10 traditional public high schools in Tennessee
Here’s a look at the state’s top traditional public high schools, meaning they are not a charter, magnet or STEM school:
- Brentwood High School, Brentwood, Tennessee (#4 overall in Tennessee, #211 nationally)
- Ravenwood High School, Brentwood, Tennessee (#5 overall in Tennessee, #336 nationally)
- Franklin High School, Franklin, Tennessee (#7 overall in Tennessee, #412 nationally)
- Maryville High School, Maryville, Tennessee (#11 overall in Tennessee, #872 nationally)
- Fred J. Page High School, Franklin, Tennessee (#12 overall in Tennessee, #911 nationally)
- Nolensville High School, Nolensville, Tennessee (#13 overall in Tennessee, #1,054 nationally)
- Farragut High School, Knoxville, Tennessee (#14 overall in Tennessee, #1,317 nationally)
- Independence High School, Thompson’s Station, Tennessee (#16 overall in Tennessee, #1,390 nationally)
- South Gibson County High School, Medina, Tennessee (#17 overall in Tennessee, #1,478 nationally)
- Greeneville High School, Greeneville, Tennessee (#18 overall in Tennessee, #1,628 nationally)
Note: U.S. News & World Report erroneously listed Franklin High School as a magnet school. It is a traditional public school. This list accounts for that discrepancy.
Top 10 magnet high schools in Tennessee
Here’s a look at the state’s top public magnet high schools:
- Central Magnet High School, Murfreesboro, Tennessee (#1 overall in Tennessee, #19 nationally)
- Hume Fogg Magnet High School, Nashville, Tennessee (#2 overall in Tennessee, #48 nationally)
- Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet School, Nashville, Tennessee (#3 overall in Tennessee, #154 nationally)
- Chatt High Center for Creative Arts, Chattanooga, Tennessee (#8 overall in Tennessee, #574 nationally)
- L&N STEM Academy, Knoxville, Tennessee (#9 overall in Tennessee, #601 nationally)
- Science Hill High School, Johnson City, Tennessee (#10 overall in Tennessee, #864 nationally)
- White Station High School, Memphis, Tennessee (#15 overall in Tennessee, #1,323 nationally)
- East High School, Memphis, Tennessee (#25 overall in Tennessee, #2,178 nationally)
- Madison Academic Magnet High School, Jackson, Tennessee (#36 overall in Tennessee, #2,883 nationally)
- Signal Mountain Middle/High School, Signal Mountain, Tennessee (338 overall in Tennessee, #3,008 nationally)
Note: U.S. News & World Report erroneously listed Franklin High School as a magnet school. It is a traditional public school. This list accounts for that discrepancy.
Top 10 public charter high schools in Tennessee
Here are Tennessee’s top public charter high schools:
- Valor Flagship Academy, Nashville, Tennessee (#6 overall in Tennessee, #385 nationally)
- Memphis Rise Academy, Memphis, Tennessee (#42 overall in Tennessee, #3,130 nationally)
- Republic High School, Nashville, Tennessee (#43 overall in Tennessee, #3,247 nationally)
- KIPP Nashville Collegiate High School, Nashville, Tennessee (#51 overall in Tennessee, #3,755 nationally)
- Crosstown High School, Memphis, Tennessee (#59 overall in Tennessee, #4,207 nationally)
- Intrepid College Preparatory Charter School, Nashville, Tennessee (#111 overall in Tennessee, #7,184 nationally)
- LEAD Southeast Nashville, Nashville, Tennessee (#115 overall in Tennessee, #7,354 nationally)
- LEAD Academy, Nashville, Tennessee (#154 overall in Tennessee, #9,243 nationally)
- Power Center Academy High School, Memphis, Tennessee (#165 overall in Tennessee, #9,682 nationally)
- Soulsville Charter School, Memphis, Tennessee (#168 overall in Tennessee, #9,813 nationally)
