Original Research by School Decision on Cumberland County High School
Cumberland County High School sits in Crossville, the county seat of Cumberland County, Tennessee. The school serves grades nine through twelve as a regular public high school and is part of the Cumberland County district. It is the only high school operating under the district’s umbrella, and the comparison data places it relative to other districts within the county, though with a cohort of just one district, that comparison offers limited practical context.
The student body of nearly a thousand is predominantly white, with a Hispanic population making up roughly one in twelve students, and smaller shares of Black, Asian, and multiracial students. The school is large enough to offer the typical range of a comprehensive high school, though class sizes appear to have a meaningful spread across the four grades. No data was available for the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, nor for the rate of students with Individualized Education Programs or English learner status. A parent or resident interested in those dimensions of the school’s population should ask the school directly for a clearer picture of its economic diversity and special education and language support services.
State testing data was not included in the available information, which means there is no public proficiency evidence to assess academic performance in core subjects like English language arts, math, or science. The graduation rate was also absent from the record. Without these measures, it is not possible to evaluate the school’s academic standing or how it performs relative to other high schools in the region. A parent should look for the most recent state report card for Tennessee to fill in those gaps before making enrollment decisions.
The school’s environment reflects its setting in Crossville, a highway crossroads town shaped by Interstate 40 and U.S. Routes 70 and 127. The city markets itself as the golf capital of Tennessee, with a dozen courses, and is home to the Cumberland County Playhouse, a professional theater that draws visitors regionally. The downtown is anchored by a courthouse square with historic stone buildings, a Palace Theatre, and a museum. The high school itself sits on a separated campus along a major road corridor, not integrated into the downtown walkable core. This is a car-dependent community overall, and the school commute will typically require driving.
The housing context shows a local market that is moderately less expensive than the state average, with typical home values below Tennessee’s benchmark. Rents are also softer relative to what the national picture suggests, and the difference between a monthly rent and an estimated mortgage payment is narrow enough that homeownership may be within reach for many families. The broader economic context shows a national unemployment rate in the low single digits and a thirty-year mortgage rate near its recent range, which gives a neutral backdrop for families considering a move.
No program offerings or course access data was reported for the school, so there is no documentation of Advanced Placement, dual enrollment, career and technical education pathways, or specialized academies. A parent with a student interested in those options should call the school to learn what is actually available. The district brief found little in the way of recent parent-relevant changes, so the district appears stable, at least from what is publicly reported.
For a family considering this school, the picture has real gaps. The strongest area of known information is the community and housing context, which suggests a modest, affordable place to live. On academics, the lack of test scores, graduation rate, and program details means a parent cannot judge whether this school is high-performing or intensive in its offerings. The student body is homogeneous but not entirely so. This is a school that serves as the central high school for a sprawling rural county, and it likely draws students from a wide area around Crossville. Without more data, the best a family can do is visit, talk to staff, and request the school’s most recent state report card and course catalog.
See more original research from School Decision →