Sullivan County, TN - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on Sullivan County

Sullivan County Schools serves the full grade span from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade across a wide, unconsolidated county in northeastern Tennessee. The district operates a large number of elementary schools feeding a middle school structure that leads to several comprehensive high schools, plus an alternative school, an innovation academy, and a virtual learning academy. The enrollment is substantial and predominantly white, and the setting is a mix of small towns and rural areas rather than a single dense city. State testing data, drawn from the most recent available year of Tennessee's TNReady assessments, gives a clear picture of where the district's academic standing falls.

The overall proficiency rate across tested subjects—math, English language arts, science, and social studies—for students in grades three through eight places Sullivan County in the bottom quartile among Sullivan County's districts. The ELA proficiency rate in particular is soft, and math proficiency also trails the midpoint. Science and social studies proficiency rates are somewhat stronger but still below the county district average. A parent considering this district will want to look into whether the school their child would attend has particular strengths, because the district-level average hides variation among its many buildings, and the district itself is large enough that individual schools may diverge meaningfully from the overall figure. The graduation rate was not available in the data, so it cannot be assessed here; this may be a gap worth verifying directly with the district.

Chronic absenteeism, reported at a rate that places Sullivan County above the midpoint among the two county districts, is a concern. A substantial share of students miss enough school to be counted as chronically absent, which is associated with lower academic progress and disengagement. The district's spending per pupil falls in the lower range of the two districts, which may matter for families comparing class sizes, program breadth, or facility conditions.

The student body is overwhelmingly white, with small shares of Hispanic, multiracial, Black, Asian, Native American, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students. Free and reduced-price lunch data was not available in the source material, nor were counts of students with disabilities or English learners, so the economic and support-need profile of the district is unclear from the data. Families with children who have individualized education plans or who are learning English should ask the district directly about services and staffing.

A publicly reported change that has major implications for every family in the district: Sullivan County Schools approved a shift to a four-day school week beginning in the 2025-2026 school year. News sources reporting this change cite difficulty recruiting and retaining teachers, along with budget pressures, as the driving factors. A four-day schedule alters the weekly rhythm for child care, after-school activities, and instructional time. How the district handles the length of the school day, what programming is offered on the non-attendance day, and what supports are available for working parents are questions any prospective family will need to answer directly with the school system.

Housing values across the district's zip codes range from modest to moderate, with the weighted average below the national benchmark and slightly below the state benchmark. Rents have risen at a notable clip recently, and the estimated rent-to-income ratio is manageable for a typical household, but the mortgage-versus-rent calculation currently tilts toward renting. The area includes communities such as Blountville, Bluff City, Bristol, Kingsport, Piney Flats, and Fall Branch, each with its own housing market character and commute patterns.

The district's 17 schools give families choices, including Innovation Academy, which may offer an alternative approach, and the virtual learning academy for families seeking an online option. The substitute website link was not available in the data pulls, so families should go directly to the Sullivan County Schools website for school-specific programming, bell schedules under the four-day week, and enrollment details. For a family weighing this district, the core academic picture is mixed with clear weaknesses in tested proficiency, a high rate of chronic absenteeism, and a major structural change in the school week that will reshape daily life.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

8,082

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 3%

Black 1%

White 94%

Asian 0%

Two+ 2%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

35%

48%

Gr 4

32%

54%

Gr 5

27%

38%

Gr 6

18%

44%

Gr 7

26%

33%

Gr 8

14%

30%

Gr 38

25%

41%

Math

Gr 3

23%

50%

Gr 4

35%

56%

Gr 5

34%

55%

Gr 6

23%

48%

Gr 7

24%

36%

Gr 8

15%

30%

Gr 38

25%

46%

Science

Gr 3

41%

55%

Gr 4

38%

57%

Gr 5

29%

44%

Gr 6

22%

48%

Gr 7

28%

42%

Gr 8

27%

42%

Gr 38

30%

48%

Social studies

Gr 6

22%

50%

Gr 7

31%

48%

Gr 8

26%

41%

Gr 38

26%

46%

Schools in this District

17 schools are officially reported under this district.

Bluff City Elementary

Central Heights Elementary

Sullivan East High School

Emmett Elementary

Holston Elementary

Indian Springs Elementary

Mary Hughes School

Miller Perry Elementary

Rock Springs Elementary

Sullivan Gardens Elementary

Ketron Elementary School

Innovation Academy

Sullivan East Middle School

Sullivan County Virtual Learning Academy

Sullivan Central Middle School

Sullivan Heights Middle School

West Ridge High School

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

1 grade reported

42%

Grades 3-8

English Language Arts

1 grade reported

38%

Grades 3-8

Science

1 grade reported

44%

Grades 3-8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

42%

Grades 3-8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$275,561

Year-over-year change+0.2%

Range across 12 ZIP codes$168K to $386K

vs. state typical0.82x

vs. national typical0.75x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (12 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
37620	Bristol	$231K	-2.0%	30.3%
37618	Bluff City	$280K	+2.0%	20.0%
37617	Blountville	$311K	+0.9%	16.6%
37660	Kingsport	$228K	-0.5%	10.6%
37686	Piney Flats	$386K	+2.7%	8.8%
37664	Kingsport	$280K	+0.4%	5.9%
37663	Kingsport	$312K	-0.6%	5.8%
37656	Fall Branch	$283K	+3.5%	0.7%
37694	Watauga	$249K	+7.8%	0.7%
37857	Rogersville	$229K	+3.9%	0.4%
37659	Jonesborough	$336K	+0.8%	0.3%
37665	Kingsport	$168K	+4.0%	0.0%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,362/mo

Year-over-year change+8.0%

Range across 4 ZIP codes$1,323 to $1,571/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (4 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
37620	Bristol	$1,344	+8.8%	30.3%
37660	Kingsport	$1,323	+5.5%	10.6%
37664	Kingsport	$1,511	+8.6%	5.9%
37659	Jonesborough	$1,571	—	0.3%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,390/mo

Home price / national median income3.3x

Annual rent / national median income19.5%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$29/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$334,075 (+0.3% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.