Four high schools in Hamilton County are in the top 40 best high schools in Tennessee in the Niche ratings of 2021 Best Schools in America, and the district’s schools dominated area rankings of public schools.
Niche is a website that ranks schools, companies and neighborhoods across the U.S. The website gives letter grades to schools based on academics, food, administration, college prep offerings, health and safety, clubs and activities, and more. Niche calculates the grades by gathering data and reviews, analyzing the categories and considering user insights.
The Chattanooga High School Center for Creative Arts is ranked in the top 20 public high schools in Tennessee, coming in at No. 17 in the Niche review. Close behind CCA in the high school division is the Chattanooga School for the Arts & Sciences Upper at No. 24, STEM School Chattanooga at No. 33 and Signal Mountain High School at No. 37.
The high school rankings compared the public high schools in Tennessee. The scores were due to the high ratings of each school’s outstanding teachers, college prep offerings, diversity, health and safety, and academics.
Chattanooga High Center for Creative Arts also performed well in the top middle school rankings in the state, coming in at No. 18. Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences also ranked among the state’s best middle schools at No. 30.
Chattanooga High Center for Creative Arts was rated the No. 7 magnet school in Tennessee. Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences Upper School came in at No. 9 in the state’s best magnets, followed by STEM School Chattanooga at No. 10.
Locally, Hamilton County Schools dominated school rankings for the area that included surrounding counties in Tennessee and North Georgia. Chattanooga High School Center for Creative Arts was the top high school in the area, with Hamilton County taking the top four spots and six of the top 10.
Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences was listed at No. 2, STEM School Chattanooga No. 3 and Signal Mountain Middle/High at No. 4. East Hamilton School at No. 7 and Collegiate High at Chattanooga State at No. 9. CCA, CSAS, Signal Mountain Middle/High, and Chattanooga School for the Liberal Arts were the top four middle schools. They were joined in the top 10 by Normal Park Museum Magnet School at No. 7 and East Hamilton Middle School at No. 9Loftis Middle (13) and Hunter Middle (16) were in the Top 20.
Hamilton County Schools also dominated the top 25 for elementary schools.
Apison Elementary was the No. 2 rated elementary school in the area. CSLA, No. 4, Normal Park Museum Magnet, No. 6 Wallace A Smith, No. 7, Thrasher Elementary, No. 8, Lookout Mountain Elementary, No. 9, and Nolan Elementary, No. 10. Westview Elementary No. 11, McConnell Elementary No. 15, Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences No. 21, and North Hamilton Elementary No. 25.