Public education in Tennessee
| K-12 education in Tennessee | |
 | |
| Education facts | |
| State superintendent: Lizzette Gonzalez Reynolds | |
| Number of students: 1,001,916 | |
| Number of teachers: 64,105 | |
| Teacher/pupil ratio: 1:15.6 | |
| Number of school districts: 141 | |
| Number of schools: 1,843 | |
| Graduation rate: 91% | |
| Per-pupil spending: $9,896 | |
| See also | |
| Tennessee Department of Education • List of school districts in Tennessee • Tennessee • School boards portal | |
 | |
Public education in the United States Public education in Tennessee Glossary of education terms | |
| Note: The statistics on this page are mainly from government sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics. Figures given were the most recent as of June 2015. | |
The Tennessee public school system (prekindergarten through grade 12) operates within districts governed by locally elected school boards and superintendents. In 2022, Tennessee had 1,001,916 students enrolled in a total of 1,843 schools in 141 school districts. There were 64,105 teachers in the public schools, or roughly one teacher for every 16 students, compared to the national average of 1:16. In 2020, Tennessee spent on average $9,896 per pupil.[1] The state's graduation rate was 91 percent in the 2018-2019 school year.[2]
General information
- See also: General comparison table for education statistics in the 50 states and Education spending per pupil in all 50 states
The following chart shows how Tennessee compares to the national level for the most recent years for which data is available.
| Public education in Tennessee | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Schools | Districts | Students | Teachers | Teacher to pupil ratio | Per pupil spending* | |
| Tennessee | 1,843 | 141 | 1,001,916 | 64,105 | 1:15.6 | $9,896 | |
| United States | 90,323 | 13,194 | 47,755,383 | 2,783,705 | 1:16 | $13,494 | |
| *Per pupil spending data reflects information reported for fiscal year 2020. Sources: Education statistics in the United States | |||||||
Academic performance
The sections below do not contain the most recently published data on this subject. If you would like to help our coverage grow, consider donating to Ballotpedia.
| Education terms |
|---|
 |
| For more information on education policy terms, see this article. |
|
NAEP scores
- See also: NAEP scores by state
The National Center for Education Statistics provides state-by-state data on student achievement levels in mathematics and reading in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The table below presents the percentage of fourth- and eighth-grade students that scored at or above proficient in reading and math during school year 2012-2013. Compared to three neighboring states (Alabama, Kentucky, and Mississippi), Tennessee had the second highest share of fourth- and eighth-grade students who scored at or above proficient in both math and reading.[3]
| Percent of students scoring at or above proficient, 2012-2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Math - Grade 4 | Math - Grade 8 | Reading - Grade 4 | Reading - Grade 8 | |
| Tennessee | 40% | 28% | 34% | 33% |
| Alabama | 38% | 20% | 31% | 25% |
| Kentucky | 41% | 30% | 36% | 38% |
| Mississippi | 26% | 21% | 21% | 20% |
| United States | 41% | 34% | 34% | 34% |
| Source: United States Department of Education, ED Data Express, "State Tables" | ||||
Graduation, ACT and SAT scores
The following table shows the graduation rates and average composite ACT and SAT scores for Tennessee and surrounding states during the 2012-2013 school year. All statements made in this section refer to that school year.[3][4][5]
In the United States, public schools reported graduation rates that averaged to about 81.4 percent. About 54 percent of all students in the country took the ACT, while 50 percent reported taking the SAT. The average national composite scores for those tests were 20.9 out of a possible 36 for the ACT, and 1498 out of a possible 2400 for the SAT.[6]
Tennessee schools reported a graduation rate of 86.3 percent during the 2012-2013 school year, highest among its neighboring states.
In Tennessee, more students took the ACT than the SAT in 2013, earning an average ACT score of 19.5.
| Comparison table for graduation rates and test scores, 2012-2013 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Graduation rate, 2013 | Average ACT composite, 2013 | Average SAT composite, 2013 | ||||
| Percent | Quintile ranking** | Score | Participation rate | Score | Participation rate | ||
| Tennessee | 86.3% | Second | 19.5 | 100% | 1709 | 8% | |
| Alabama | 80.0% | Fourth | 20.4 | 78% | 1608 | 7% | |
| Kentucky | 86.1% | Second | 19.6 | 100% | 1741 | 5% | |
| Mississippi | 75.5% | Fifth | 18.9 | 95% | 1673 | 3% | |
| United States | 81.4% | 20.9 | 54% | 1498 | 50% | ||
| **Graduation rates for states in the first quintile ranked in the top 20 percent nationally. Similarly, graduation rates for states in the fifth quintile ranked in the bottom 20 percent nationally. Sources: United States Department of Education, "ED Data Express" ACT.org, "2013 ACT National and State Scores" The Commonwealth Foundation, "SAT scores by state, 2013" | |||||||
Dropout rate
- See also: Public high school dropout rates by state for a full comparison of dropout rates by group in all states
The high school event dropout rate indicates the proportion of students who were enrolled at some time during the school year and were expected to be enrolled in grades nine through 12 in the following school year but were not enrolled by October 1 of the following school year. Students who have graduated, transferred to another school, died, moved to another country, or who are out of school due to illness are not considered dropouts. The average public high school event dropout rate for the United States remained constant at 3.3 percent for both school year 2010–2011 and school year 2011–2012. The event dropout rate for Tennessee was higher than the national average at 3.6 percent in the 2010-2011 school year and 3.7 percent in the 2011-2012 school year.[7]
Educational choice options
- See also: School choice in Tennessee
School choice options in Tennessee included charter schools, intra-district and inter-district open enrollment policies and online learning programs. In addition, about 7.96 percent of school-age children in the state attended private schools in the 2011-2012 academic year, and an estimated 2.67 percent were homeschooled in 2012-2013.
Developments
Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue (2020)
On June 30, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, which concerned whether the government can exclude religious institutions from student-aid programs. The case related to Article X, Section 6 of the Montana Constitution, also known as Montana’s Blaine Amendment.[8]
In its 5-4 opinion, the court held that the application of Article X, Section 6 violated the free exercise clause of the U.S. Constitution. The majority held Article X, Section 6 barred religious schools and parents who wished to send their children to those schools from receiving public benefits because of the religious character of the school.[9]
The case addressed the tension between the free exercise and Establishment clauses of the U.S. Constitution—where one guarantees the right of individuals' free exercise of religion and the other guarantees that the state won't establish a religion—and the intersections of state constitutions with state law and with the U.S. Constitution.
Tennessee is not one of the states with a Blaine Amendment.
Education funding and expenditures
- See also: Tennessee state budget and finances
Source: National Association of State Budget Officers
According to the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO), states spent an average of 19.8 percent of their total budgets on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. In addition, the United States Census Bureau found that approximately 45.6 percent of the country's school system revenue came from state sources, while about 45.3 percent came from local sources. The remaining portion of school system revenue came from federal sources.[10][11]
Tennessee spent approximately 17.8 percent of its budget on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. School system revenue came primarily from state funds. Tennessee reported the second lowest spending on public education as a percentage of its total budget compared to its neighboring states.
| Comparison of financial figures for school systems, fiscal year 2013 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Percentage of budget | Per pupil spending | Revenue sources | ||||
| Percent federal funds | Percent state funds | Percent local funds | |||||
| Tennessee | 17.8% | $8,208 | 13.1% | 46.1% | 40.8% | ||
| Alabama | 20.4% | $8,755 | 11.3% | 54.5% | 34.2% | ||
| Kentucky | 19.6% | $9,316 | 12% | 54.9% | 33.1% | ||
| Mississippi | 16.4% | $8,130 | 16% | 49.9% | 34.1% | ||
| United States | 19.8% | $10,700 | 9.1% | 45.6% | 45.3% | ||
| Sources: NASBO, "State Expenditure Report" (Table 8). U.S. Census Bureau, "Public Education Finances: 2013, Economic Reimbursable Surveys Division Reports" (Table 5 and Table 8). | |||||||
Revenue breakdowns
- See also: Public school system revenues in the U.S. to compare all states.
According to the United States Census Bureau, public school system revenues totaled approximately $598 billion in fiscal year 2013.[11]
In Tennessee, the primary source of school system revenue was state funding during fiscal year 2013, at $4.1 billion. Tennessee reported the highest total public education revenue of any of its neighboring states.
| Revenues by source, fiscal year 2013 (amounts in thousands) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Federal revenue | State revenue | Local revenue | Total revenue |
| Tennessee | $1,165,801 | $4,097,627 | $3,622,027 | $8,885,455 |
| Alabama | $811,739 | $3,898,347 | $2,443,158 | $7,153,244 |
| Kentucky | $867,735 | $3,960,822 | $2,386,459 | $7,215,016 |
| Mississippi | $707,522 | $2,213,501 | $1,511,995 | $4,433,018 |
| United States | $54,367,305 | $272,916,892 | $270,645,402 | $597,929,599 |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "Public Education Finances: 2013, Economic Reimbursable Surveys Division Reports" (Table 1) | ||||
Expenditure breakdowns
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, public school system expenditures totaled approximately $602 billion in fiscal year 2012.[12]
Public education expenditures in Tennessee totaled approximately $9.3 billion in fiscal year 2012. Tennessee reported the highest total public education expenditures of any of its neighboring states.
| Expenditures by type, fiscal year 2012 (amounts in thousands) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | General expenditures | Capital outlay | Other | Total expenditures |
| Tennessee | $8,351,056 | $664,129 | $280,056 | $9,295,241 |
| Alabama | $6,386,517 | $582,174 | $260,609 | $7,229,299 |
| Kentucky | $6,360,799 | $770,828 | $263,084 | $7,394,709 |
| Mississippi | $3,972,787 | $402,465 | $97,791 | $4,341,018 |
| United States | $527,096,473 | $48,773,386 | $25,897,123 | $601,766,981 |
| Source: National Center for Education Statistics, "Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education: School Year 2011–12 (Fiscal Year 2012)" (Table 5) | ||||
Personnel salaries
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average national salary for classroom teachers in public elementary and secondary schools declined by 1.3 percent from the 1999-2000 school year to the 2012-2013 school year. During the same period in Tennessee, the average salary decreased by 2.7 percent.[14]
| Estimated average salaries for teachers (in constant dollars**) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-2000 | 2009-2010 | 2011-2012 | 2012-2013 | Percent difference | |
| Tennessee | $49,645 | $49,412 | $47,866 | $48,289 | -2.7% |
| Alabama | $50,139 | $50,779 | $48,802 | $47,949 | -4.4% |
| Kentucky | $49,717 | $52,884 | $50,558 | $50,326 | 1.2% |
| Mississippi | $43,535 | $48,722 | $42,339 | $41,994 | -3.5% |
| United States | $57,133 | $58,925 | $56,340 | $56,383 | -1.3% |
| **"Constant dollars based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), prepared by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, adjusted to a school-year basis. The CPI does not account for differences in inflation rates from state to state." | |||||
Organizations
State agencies
- See also: Tennessee Department of Education
The "core values" of the Tennessee Department of Education are as follows:[15]
| “ | The department is focused on the ambitious goal of ensuring that Tennessee is the state with the fastest improving student achievement. In doing so, we commit ourselves to the following core values.
Excellence: We hold ourselves and our colleagues to high standards for our daily work and for reaching our goals. We actively seek and give feedback in an effort to advance outcomes for ourselves and the students we serve. We believe in the importance of continuous improvement, and we constantly strive for a higher level of performance in all of our work. Optimism: We believe in the potential of all Tennessee students to reach high levels of academic achievement. We believe that, in collaboration with our colleagues across the state, we can and will build a system that helps our students meet their potential. We operate with a strong sense of possibility that we can accomplish difficult tasks, and we foster innovation in ourselves and others. Judgment: We aspire to make wise decisions. Therefore, we seek input from a diverse set of perspectives and think critically about the impact of our choices. We use accurate data to set goals, analyze results, and to make changes based on evidence. Courage: We are unwaveringly student-centered in our decision making, prioritizing the needs of students over the comfort of adults. We align our words and our actions to the core belief that all students can achieve at a high level when we provide the opportunities that they deserve. We make hard decisions to improve the academic achievement and life prospects of Tennessee students. Teamwork: We believe that excellent teams, composed of high-performing team members, can have an enormous impact on student achievement. We value the diverse experiences and commitment to service that each team member brings. We strive to communicate effectively within teams and across teams, ensuring that we are successful in helping all Tennessee students reach their potential.[16] |
” |
The Department of Education is led by the Commissioner of Education. The Commissioner of Education is appointed by the governor. Candice McQueen was appointed to the position in 2014.[17]
The Tennessee State Board of Education is the governing body of the state's public education system. The board is composed of nine members (one from each of the state's congressional districts plus a student member). Members are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Tennessee General Assembly. All members serve five-year terms, with the exception of the student member, who serves a one-year term.[18]
Unions
In 2012 the Fordham Institute and Education Reform Now assessed the power and influence of state teacher unions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Their rankings were based on 37 different variables in five broad areas: resources and membership, involvement in politics, scope of bargaining, state policies and perceived influence. Tennessee ranked 41st overall for union power and influence, or "weak," which was in the fourth of five tiers.[19]
The main union related to the Tennessee school system is the Tennessee Education Association (TEA), an affiliate of the National Education Association (NEA). For the 2003 tax period NCAE had: $10.20 million in total revenue, $9.51 million in total expenses and $11.94 million in total assets.[20]
List of local Tennessee school unions:[21]
- Tennessee Education Association
- Memphis Education Association
- Metropolitan Nashville Education Association
- Shelby County Education Association
- Knox County Education Association
- Sumner County Education Association
- Hamblen County Education Association
- Tullahoma City Educational Association
- Marshall County Education Association
- AFT Jellico
Government sector lobbying
- See also: Tennessee government sector lobbying
The main education government sector lobbying organization is the Tennessee School Boards Association.
Transparency
Tennessee's official, statewide spending transparency database can be accessed here.
Studies and reports
Quality Counts 2014
- See also: Education Week survey
Education Week, a publication that reports on many education issues throughout the country, began using an evaluation system in 1997 to grade each state on various elements of education performance. This system, called Quality Counts, uses official data on performance from each state to generate report cards for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The report card in 2014 uses six different categories:
- Chance for success
- K-12 achievement
- Standards, assessments and accountability
- The teaching profession
- School finance
- Transitions and alignment
Each of these six categories had a number of other elements that received individual scores. Those scores were then averaged and used to determine the final score in each category. Every state received two types of scores for each of the six major categories: A numerical score out of 100 and a letter grade based on that score. Education Week used the score for the first category, "chance for success," as the value for ranking each state and the District of Columbia. The average grade received in the entire country was 77.3, or a C+ average. The country's highest average score was in the category of "standards, assessments and accountability" at 85.3, or a B average. The lowest average score was in "K-12 achievement", at 70.2, or a C- average.
Tennessee received a score of 73.9, or a C average in the "chance for success" category. This was below the national average. The state's highest score was in "transitions and alignment" at 92.9, or an A average. The lowest score was in "school finance" at 64.5, or a D average. Tennessee had the second lowest score for the "school finance" category in the country. The chart below displays the scores of Tennessee and its surrounding states.[22]
Note: Click on a column heading to sort the data.
| Public education report cards, 2014 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Chance for success | K-12 achievement | Standards, assessments and accountability | The teaching profession | School finance | Transitions and alignment |
| Tennessee | 73.9 (C) | 68.8 (D+) | 90.0 (A-) | 80.3 (B-) | 64.5 (D) | 92.9 (A) |
| Alabama | 72.0 (C-) | 62.2 (D-) | 92.2 (A-) | 74.8 (C) | 71.1 (C-) | 85.7 (B) |
| Kentucky | 74.4 (C) | 70.3 (C-) | 90.2 (A-) | 82.1 (B-) | 71.7 (C-) | 92.9 (A) |
| Mississippi | 68.9 (D+) | 57.1 (F) | 92.8 (A) | 66.5 (D) | 64.9 (D) | 75.0 (C) |
| United States | 77.3 (C+) | 70.2 (C-) | 85.3 (B) | 72.5 (C) | 75.5 (C) | 81.1 (B-) |
| Source: Education Week, "Quality Counts 2014" A full discussion of how these numbers were generated can be found here. | ||||||
State Budget Solutions education study
State Budget Solutions examined national trends in education from 2009 to 2011, including state-by-state analysis of education spending, graduation rates and average ACT scores. The study showed that the states that spent the most did not have the highest average ACT test scores, nor did they have the highest average graduation rates. A summary of the study is available here. The full report can be accessed here.
School districts
- See also: School board elections portal
District types
School districts in Tennessee are categorized by geographic boundaries. A municipal school district serves students in a particular city and a county school district operates schools within an entire county.[23]
School board composition
Tennessee school board members are generally elected by residents of the school district, although some school board members are appointed to fill vacancies until the next election for the seat is held. Tennessee school board elections typically follow one of these three methods, or a mixture thereof:[24]
- At-large: All voters residing in the school district may vote for any candidates running, regardless of geographic location.
- Trustee area: Only voters residing in a specific geographic area within the school district may vote on certain candidates, who must also reside in that specific geographic area.
- Trustee area at-large: All voters residing in the school district may vote for any candidates running, but candidates must reside in specific geographic areas within the school district.
School board membership ranges from three members to 12 members. Board members serve four-year terms, which are often staggered every two years.[24]
Term limits
Tennessee does not impose statewide term limits on school board members. However, terms limits on school board members can still be imposed on the local level.[24]
Elections
- See also: Tennessee school board elections, 2024
The table below contains links to all school board elections covered by Ballotpedia in 2024 in this state. This list may not include all school districts with elections in 2024. Ballotpedia's coverage includes all school districts in the 100 largest cities by population and the 200 largest school districts by student enrollment.
Editor's note: Some school districts choose to cancel the primary election, or both the primary and general election, if the number of candidates who filed does not meet a certain threshold. The table below does not reflect which primary or general elections were canceled. Please click through to each school district's page for more information.
| 2024 Tennessee School Board Elections | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Primary | General Election | General Runoff Election | Regular term length | Seats up for election | Total board seats | 2017-2018 enrollment |
| Clarksville-Montgomery County School System | 3/5/2024 | 8/1/2024 | N/A | 4 | 3 | 7 | 34,841 |
| Hamilton County School District | 3/5/2024 | 8/1/2024 | N/A | 4 | 6 | 11 | 44,822 |
| Knox County School District | 3/5/2024 | 8/1/2024 | N/A | 4 | 4 | 9 | 60,802 |
| Memphis-Shelby County Schools | N/A | 8/1/2024 | N/A | 4 | 5 | 9 | 109,591 |
| Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools | 3/5/2024 | 8/1/2024 | N/A | 4 | 5 | 9 | 84,728 |
| Rutherford County Schools | 3/5/2024 | 8/1/2024 | N/A | 4 | 4 | 7 | 45,292 |
| Williamson County Schools | 3/5/2024 | 8/1/2024 | N/A | 4 | 6 | 12 | 39,322 |
Path to the ballot
To qualify for the ballot as a school board candidate in Tennessee, a person must be:[24]
- A citizen of the state
- 18 years of age or older
- A resident of the school district
- A high school graduate or holder of a G.E.D.
- A registered voter in the county
A candidate must submit a qualifying petition with signatures from at least 25 residents of the district to the county elections office. Candidates must also provide copies of their high school diplomas or equivalency degrees to qualify for election. The filing deadline for local candidates is the third Thursday in the third calendar month prior to the election.[24]
Campaign finance
State law requires candidates to appoint political treasurers and file campaign financial disclosure statements with the state's Registry of Election Finance. Candidates must file detailed reports for each reporting period where contributions exceeded $1,000. A shortened version of the financial disclosure statement is available when contributions do not exceed $1,000 for a reporting period. Local candidates can receive contributions up to $1,500 per individual and $7,400 per political action committee during a particular election.[24]
Recent legislation
The following is a list of recent education bills that have been introduced in or passed by the Tennessee state legislature. To learn more about each of these bills, click the bill title. This information is provided by BillTrack50 and LegiScan.
- Note: Due to the nature of the sorting process used to generate this list, some results may not be relevant to the topic. If no bills are displayed below, no legislation pertaining to this topic has been introduced in the legislature recently.
Education ballot measures
- See also: Education on the ballot and List of Tennessee ballot measures
Ballotpedia has tracked no ballot measures relating to education matters in Tennessee.
In the news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Tennessee education policy. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- Historical public education information in Texas
- Tennessee state budget and finances
- Tennessee Department of Education
- List of school districts in Tennessee
- School choice in Tennessee
- Charter schools in Tennessee
- Tennessee
- Education Policy in the U.S.
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ United States Census Bureau, "U.S. School System Current Spending Per Pupil by Region: Fiscal Year 2020," May 18, 2022
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Fast Facts: High school graduation rates," accessed September 28, 2022
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 United States Department of Education, ED Data Express, "State Tables," accessed May 13, 2014
- ↑ ACT, "2012 ACT National and State Scores," accessed May 13, 2014
- ↑ Commonwealth Foundation, "SAT Scores by State 2013," October 10, 2013
- ↑ StudyPoints, "What's a good SAT score or ACT score?" accessed June 7, 2015
- ↑ United States Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, "Common Core of Data (CCD), State Dropout and Graduation Rate Data File, School Year 2010-11, Provision Version 1a and School Year 2011-12, Preliminary Version 1a," accessed May 13, 2014
- ↑ Supreme Court of the United States, Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue: "Petition for a writ of certiorari," accessed July 3, 2019
- ↑ Supreme Court of the United States, Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, decided June 30, 2020
- ↑ NASBO, "State Expenditure Report," accessed July 2, 2015
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 U.S. Census Bureau, "Public Education Finances: 2013, Economic Reimbursable Surveys Division Reports," accessed July 2, 2015
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education: School Year 2011–12 (Fiscal Year 2012)," accessed July 2, 2015
- ↑ Maciver Institute, "REPORT: How much are teachers really paid?" accessed October 29, 2014
- ↑ United States Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, "Table 211.60. Estimated average annual salary of teachers in public elementary and secondary schools, by state: Selected years, 1969-70 through 2012-13," accessed May 13, 2014
- ↑ Tennessee Department of Education, "Core Values," accessed June 5, 2014
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Tennessee Department of Education, "About the Commissioner," accessed June 5, 2014
- ↑ Tennessee State Board of Education, "Biographical Summaries," accessed June 5, 2014
- ↑ Thomas E Fordham Institute, " How Strong Are U.S. Teacher Unions? A State-By-State Comparison," October 29, 2012
- ↑ Center for Union Facts, "Tennessee Education Association," accessed May 1, 2010
- ↑ Center for Union Facts, "Tennessee teachers unions," accessed May 1, 2010
- ↑ Education Week "Quality Counts 2014," accessed February 19, 2015
- ↑ Tennessee Department of Education, "School Districts," accessed July 10, 2014
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 24.4 24.5 Tennessee School Boards Association, "School Board Candidacy," accessed July 9, 2014
