Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 93 schools in district

Dr. Paul L. Kelley Volunteer Academy

535 Chickamauga Avenue AVE, Knoxville, TN 37917Knox County →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
95
Students
Total enrolled
72%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
↓ 17% vs nat'l
$11,040
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 23% vs nat'l
6.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 55% vs nat'l
36/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 29% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 95 students in grades 09–12 in Knoxville, Tennessee.
23% below average funding
District spends $11,040 per pupil, 23% less than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 36th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Dr. Paul L. Kelley Volunteer Academy is a small high in Knoxville, Tennessee, serving grades 09–12 with 95 students. The district invests $11,040 per student — 23% below the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 6.9:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. A neighborhood opportunity score of 36/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Dr. Paul L. Kelley Volunteer Academy

95
Total Students
6.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
—
Free Lunch
14
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution52 male · 43 female
55%
45%
Male 55%Female 45%
Student Composition
61%
11%
21%
Asian1%
White61%
Hispanic / Latino11%
Black21%
Multiracial4%
Native American2%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 470222002249

Academic Outcomes at Dr. Paul L. Kelley Volunteer Academy

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
70-74
Below avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
72%
State avg
92%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
36
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 36th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 11th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 37917

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$11,040Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$11,040
State avg
$16,278
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$4,858
Student Support$2,098
Administration$1,325
Operations$1,656
Other$1,104
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $11,040 spent per student, an estimated $4,891 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
36%
50%
State government
35.5%
Local (property tax)
49.9%
Federal programs
14.6%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 6.9:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 72% graduation rate — below the national average of 87%
  • Below-average funding — $11,040/student, 23% less than the national average
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (36/100) — national median is 50
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Hardin Valley ElementaryCedar Bluff ElementaryKarns ElementaryFarragut Intermediate
+6 more
↓
Middle
Farragut Middle SchoolBearden Middle SchoolWest Valley Middle SchoolHalls Middle School
+5 more
↓
High School
Hardin Valley AcademyFarragut High SchoolBearden High SchoolWest High School
+7 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyKnox County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictKnox County →
Phone: (865)525-0069
NCES ID: 470222002249
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Knoxville seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing smaller class sizes and more individualized teacher access. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Knox County
High
Hardin Valley Academy
2,112 students · 09–12
● 34 opp
High
Farragut High School
2,096 students · 09–12
● 58 opp
High
Bearden High School
1,997 students · 09–12
● 39 opp
High
West High School
1,478 students · 09–12
● 39 opp
Elem
Hardin Valley Elementary
1,415 students · PK–05
● 34 opp
High
Karns High School
1,394 students · 09–12
● 36 opp
High
Powell High School
1,347 students · 09–12
Mid
Farragut Middle School
1,328 students · 06–08
● 58 opp
District School Rankings
Location
535 Chickamauga Avenue AVE, Knoxville, TN 37917
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.