The top reported proficiency rate is 26% in Science. The lowest is 19% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Montessori Elementary at Highland Park
Chattanooga’s Highland Park neighborhood is home to a public charter elementary school that uses the Montessori method. The school serves students from prekindergarten through fifth grade and operates as a regular public school within the Hamilton County school system. It is a school of choice, meaning families apply for admission rather than being assigned by neighborhood boundaries.
The student body is diverse. The largest share of students are Black, followed by white students and Hispanic students. A much smaller number of students identify as two or more races, Asian, or American Indian or Alaska Native. The school enrolls just over three hundred students, with the largest groups in kindergarten, first grade, and second grade. The fifth-grade class is very small, which may reflect the school’s grade span and family decisions about where to continue after elementary school. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals, receive special education services, or are classified as English learners was not available in the sources reviewed. A parent who wants to understand the school’s support for these students would want to ask the school directly.
Montessori Elementary at Highland Park, like all Tennessee public schools, participates in the state’s TNReady assessments. On the most recent tests, the school’s proficiency rates were well below the state average in math, English language arts, and science. About one in five students scored proficient or above in math and in English language arts, and about one in four did so in science. These are low attainment numbers. A parent comparing this school to others in Hamilton County will find that the county’s district-level comparison could not be computed because there was only one school in the comparison set, so any national or countywide framing is limited here. The school’s participation rates on the tests were very high, meaning the results reflect nearly all students in the tested grades and are not skewed by opt-outs.
The school is a public charter school, which gives it operational flexibility from the district while remaining publicly funded and tuition-free. As a Montessori school, it uses a child-directed, mixed-age classroom approach that emphasizes hands-on learning and student choice. This pedagogical approach is a central part of the school’s identity, and it will appeal to families who want an alternative to traditional, teacher-led instruction. For families who are new to Montessori, it is worth visiting the school to see whether the learning environment matches their expectations.
Beyond the school’s walls, the Highland Park neighborhood is part of Chattanooga, a mid-sized city that has undergone a well-documented downtown revival. The city’s economy is diversified across automotive manufacturing, healthcare, insurance, tourism, and corporate operations. The Tennessee Valley Authority and the city-owned utility EPB are major institutional employers. Downtown Chattanooga is walkable and has a riverfront park system, a pedestrian bridge, and cultural attractions such as the Tennessee Aquarium. However, much of the city outside the downtown core is car-dependent, and Highland Park is a residential neighborhood that requires driving for most errands.
Housing in the area around the school is moderately priced relative to state and national benchmarks. Home values have seen gradual appreciation, and rents have risen modestly. The broader Hamilton County district recently made two notable changes. It opened a new East Brainerd Elementary School in 2023, replacing a building destroyed by a tornado and relieving overcrowding in that fast-growing corridor. The district also shifted to a structured literacy approach based on the science of reading, starting with kindergarten through second grade in the 2022–2023 school year and expanding to more grades. This means the district’s early reading instruction is now phonics-based, a change that may affect the school’s Montessori curriculum, which has its own specific approach to literacy.
For a family considering this school, the most important facts are these. The academic proficiency rates on state tests are low. The school offers a distinct Montessori program in a diverse, mid-sized urban setting. It is a charter school that families must choose. The school’s small size and grade span mean it is a neighborhood-scale elementary school, not a regional magnet. A parent should visit, ask about the school’s literacy curriculum in light of the district’s new phonics requirement, and inquire about the level of support for students with disabilities and English learners, since those data were not available here.
See more original research from School Decision →