Gap Creek Elementary vs South Knox Elementary
South Knox Elementary has a higher overall rating of 8.7/10 compared to 7.7/10. South Knox Elementary is significantly larger with 189 students, about 2.5× the size of Gap Creek Elementary (76). In math proficiency, Gap Creek Elementary leads at 44.5%.
Gap Creek Elementary
Knoxville, TN
76 students
South Knox Elementary
Knoxville, TN
189 students
Ratings Comparison
| Metric | Gap Creek Elementary | South Knox Elementary |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 7.7 / 10 | 8.7 / 10 |
| Academic Score | 9.1 | 9.3 |
| Growth Score | 6.1 | 9.3 |
| Diversity Index | — | — |
| Free/Reduced Lunch | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Environment Score | 9.6 | 6.5 |
| State Rank | #425 of 1,786 | #129 of 1,786 |
| State Percentile | 76th | 93th |
Test Scores
| Subject | Gap Creek Elementary | South Knox Elementary |
|---|---|---|
| Math Proficiency | 44.5% | 42.0% |
| Math (State Avg) | — | — |
| ELA Proficiency | 64.5% | 27.0% |
| ELA (State Avg) | — | — |
School Details
Neighborhood
| Metric | Knoxville (37920) | Knoxville (37920) |
|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $61,348 | $61,348 |
| Median Home Value | $231,300 | $231,300 |
| Median Rent | $1,092 | $1,092 |
| College Educated (Bachelor's+) | 34.2% | 34.2% |
| Poverty Rate | 17.5% | 17.5% |
| Avg Commute | 22 min | 22 min |
The data story: Gap Creek Elementary vs South Knox Elementary
Gap Creek Elementary and South Knox Elementary both rank among Tennessee's top 50 elementary schools out of 1,785 statewide, but a meaningful gap separates them. Gap Creek Elementary holds the higher overall rating at 9.4/10 versus South Knox Elementary's 9.0/10 — a 0.4-point difference that corresponds to a state rank of #15 versus #47. For families where school ranking carries weight, that 32-position spread is concrete.
The academic picture is less straightforward. South Knox Elementary actually edges Gap Creek Elementary on both measured dimensions: South Knox scores 9.3/10 academically versus Gap Creek's 9.1/10, and South Knox posts a growth score of 9.9/10 against Gap Creek's 9.7/10. These are narrow margins — two-tenths of a point on academics, two-tenths on growth — but they run counter to the overall rating gap, suggesting Gap Creek Elementary's higher composite score is driven by factors beyond raw academic and growth performance.
The most striking structural difference is size and staffing intensity. Gap Creek Elementary enrolls 76 students compared to South Knox Elementary's 189, and the student-teacher ratio reflects that gap sharply: Gap Creek runs at 7.6 students per teacher versus South Knox's 14.5:1 — nearly half the load per teacher. That ratio translates directly to the amount of individual attention each child is likely to receive in a typical school day. South Knox Elementary serves a broader age range, offering a Pre-K entry point that Gap Creek Elementary does not — Gap Creek begins at kindergarten.
Both schools serve the same grade band from kindergarten through fifth grade. The 8.3 miles separating them puts them in different parts of Knoxville, meaning geography will filter many families before any comparison is needed. Where the choice is genuinely open, the tradeoff is clear: South Knox delivers marginally stronger academic and growth scores in a larger, more socially diverse environment, while Gap Creek offers dramatically lower class sizes in a smaller school.
Editorial summary generated April 2026 · sonnet
Who each school fits
Gap Creek Elementary
Gap Creek Elementary suits families who prioritize a near-one-on-one instructional environment — at 7.6 students per teacher, it is among the most staffing-intensive schools in Knoxville. Children who benefit from close teacher relationships or who struggle in larger group settings will find a structurally different daily experience here than at most public elementaries.
South Knox Elementary
South Knox Elementary fits families who want Pre-K access in the same building, slightly stronger academic and growth scores, and a larger peer community. Its 9.9/10 growth score — the highest of the two — makes it a strong fit for families tracking year-over-year learning gains as their primary metric.