Oak Ridge School District has again been ranked as the number one school district in Tennessee by Niche K-12. Oak Ridge was also ranked number one in 2017. Niche gives Oak Ridge Schools an overall rating of A+, making it the best rated district among their top 25 safe school districts in Tennessee.  The 2019 Best Schools rankings are based on rigorous analysis of academic and student life data from the U.S. Department of Education along with test scores, college data, and ratings collected from millions of Niche users including 100 million reviews and survey responses to help readers understand what a place is really like.  Their data team uses advanced algorithms and statistical techniques to compare, score, and connect millions of data points to thoroughly analyze U.S. schools and neighborhoods. They take this complex data and simplify it into comparable rankings, grades, and profiles for schools and neighborhoods. The table below shows factors considered in ranking K-12 schools across the nation. For more information about this rating system, see the Niche K12 website at this link: https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-school-districts/s/tennessee. In addition to this honor, Oak Ridge High School is ranked in the top ten high schools in Tennessee, coming in at number eight, trailing to several prestigious magnet high schools in Tennessee. Find the individual school ratings at this link: https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-public-schools/s/tennessee

Factors Considered

Factor Description Weight
Academics Grade Based on state assessment proficiency, SAT/ACT scores, and survey responses on academics from students and parents. 50.0%
Teachers Grade Based on teacher salary, teacher absenteeism, state test results, and survey responses on teachers from students and parents. 15.0%
Culture & Diversity Grade Based on racial and economic diversity and survey responses on school culture and diversity from students and parents. 10.0%
Parent/Student Surveys on Overall Experience Niche survey responses scored on a 1-5 scale regarding the overall experience of students and parents in the district. 10.0%
Health & Safety Grade Based on chronic student absenteeism, suspensions/expulsions, and survey responses on the school environment from students and parents. 5.0%
Resources & Facilities Grade Based on expenses per student, staffing, and survey responses on facilities from students and parents. 5.0%
Clubs & Activities Grade Based on expenses per student and survey responses on clubs and activities from students and parents. 2.5%
Sports Grade Based on the number of sports, participation, and survey responses on athletics and athletic facilities from students and parents. 2.5%