TENNESSEE’s CHARTER schools STATISTICS
115
There are 115 public charter schools in Tennessee serving more than 44,000 students.
5
Tennessee’s charter schools are located in five school districts: Hamilton County, Knox County, Metro Nashville, Rutherford County, and Shelby County.
7
Currently, there are 7 districts that have approved charter schools in Tennessee: Hamilton County, Jackson Madison, Knox County, Metro Nashville, Rutherford County, Shelby County, and the Charter Commission.
21
Tennessee’s first charter schools opened 21 years ago. In 2003, one charter school opened in Nashville and three were opened in Memphis.
550%
Charter school enrollment in Tennessee has grown 550% since 2010, up from 5,000 students to over 44,000 today.
2%
The average high school graduation rate for Tennessee charter schools is 2% higher than the average high school graduation rate at traditional public schools.
11pts
Public charter schools continue to sustain strong growth on Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) proficiency compared to peers with a growth rate of 11 points in ELA and 12 points in Math scores from 2021 to 2024 for grades 3-8.
According to a recent study from Stanford University's Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO), students at charter schools across Tennessee receive the equivalent of over a month and a half of extra teaching in reading and math.
A report from the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI), released in October 2024, concludes that increased public school choice lifts school quality and that cities improve in closing the achievement gap when even a small share of their students attend public charter schools.
Tennessee public Education Statistics
971,741
Tennessee PreK-12 Students in the 2023-24 Academic Year
1,905
Tennessee Public Schools across 148 School Districts
58,811
Tennessee Classroom Teachers and 4,134 Instructional Leaders