Tennessee Education Statistics 2026: Schools, Enrollment & Spending
Tennessee reported 1,863 public schools, 968,263 students in first-month K–12 membership, and 64,135 classroom teachers in its latest completed annual statistical report.
The 2026 profile combines fiscal year 2023–24 system statistics, 2024–25 graduation and accountability results, 2025–26 TISA funding rates, and 2025–26 TCAP movements. Reporting periods are identified separately because enrollment, attendance, finance, and assessment data do not use one common year.
Tennessee Education Snapshot
The figures use the latest official reporting period available for each indicator.
Enrollment Across Tennessee Grade Levels
Average Daily Membership measures the average number of students enrolled across the state reporting periods used by Tennessee.
Average Daily Membership by Grade
Kindergarten through grade 12, FY2023–24
Grade-level ADM ranged from 71,428 students in grade 11 to 78,078 students in grade 3. The complete enrollment measures remain available in the table that follows.
Grade-level distribution
- Grade 3 recorded the highest ADM at 78,078.
- Grade 11 recorded the lowest ADM at 71,428.
- The difference between the highest and lowest grade totals was 6,650 students.
Tennessee Schools, Enrollment, Staffing, Finance & Outcomes
The statewide indicator table separates school-year, fiscal-year, and cohort-based statistics.
| Category | Indicator | Value | Unit | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schools | Public schools | 1,863 | Schools | FY2023–24 |
| Schools | Elementary schools | 912 | Schools | FY2023–24 |
| Schools | Middle schools | 293 | Schools | FY2023–24 |
| Schools | High schools | 295 | Schools | FY2023–24 |
| Schools | K–12 and other grade configurations | 286 | Schools | FY2023–24 |
| Schools | Alternative schools | 26 | Schools | FY2023–24 |
| Enrollment | First-month K–12 membership | 968,263 | Students | FY2023–24 |
| Enrollment | Average Daily Membership | 965,038 | Students | FY2023–24 |
| Attendance | Average Daily Attendance | 911,520 | Students | FY2023–24 |
| Student groups | English learner students | >83,000 | Students | 2024–25 |
| Student groups | Districts serving English learners | 144 | Districts | 2024–25 |
| Student groups | Students receiving special education services, ages 3–21 | 140,022 | Students | FY2023–24 |
| Staffing | Classroom teachers | 64,135 | Employees | FY2023–24 |
| Staffing | Instructional personnel | 82,414 | Employees | FY2023–24 |
| Staffing | All board of education employees | 194,881 | Employees | FY2023–24 |
| Staffing | Guidance counselors | 2,794 | Employees | FY2023–24 |
| Staffing | School nurses | 1,734 | Employees | FY2023–24 |
| Finance | Total revenue receipts | $14.693B | Nominal dollars | FY2023–24 |
| Finance | Total current expenditures | $13.420B | Nominal dollars | FY2023–24 |
| Finance | Operating expenditure per pupil | $13,866 | Per ADA pupil | FY2023–24 |
| Finance | TISA base funding | $7,295 | Per ADM | 2025–26 |
| Finance | TISA outcomes funding pool | $80M | State funding | 2025–26 |
| Finance | Fast-growth and infrastructure pool | $60M | State funding | 2025–26 |
| Finance | Restricted educator salary funding | $125M | State funding | 2025–26 |
| Completion | State graduation rate | 92.3% | Cohort rate | 2024–25 |
| Completion | Graduates | 69,124 | Students | 2024–25 |
| Readiness | ACT participation | 99% | Graduating cohort | Class of 2025 |
| Readiness | Average ACT composite | 19.3 | Scale score | Class of 2025 |
| Readiness | Students scoring 21 or higher on ACT | 37.2% | Graduating cohort | Class of 2025 |
| Accountability | Reward schools | 459 | Schools | 2024–25 |
| Accountability | Exemplary districts | 14 | Districts | 2024–25 |
| Accountability | In Need of Improvement districts | 8 | Districts | 2024–25 |
| School grades | Schools receiving an A | 355 | Schools | 2024–25 |
| School grades | Schools receiving a B | 483 | Schools | 2024–25 |
Scale and measurement
- First-month membership exceeded statewide ADM by 3,225 students.
- The employee total includes teachers, administrators, student support personnel, transportation staff, food-service staff, and other district employees.
- TISA base funding and operating expenditure per pupil use different calculations and cannot be treated as the same measure.
Enrollment, School Structure & Attendance
Tennessee reports point-in-time membership, Average Daily Membership, and Average Daily Attendance as separate measures.
Enrollment by Grade and Measurement
| Grade | First Month | ADM | ADA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | 72,256 | 72,502 | 66,561 |
| Grade 1 | 74,994 | 75,191 | 69,488 |
| Grade 2 | 75,133 | 75,203 | 69,825 |
| Grade 3 | 77,898 | 78,078 | 72,753 |
| Grade 4 | 74,140 | 74,320 | 69,329 |
| Grade 5 | 74,402 | 74,573 | 69,502 |
| Grade 6 | 75,028 | 74,907 | 69,985 |
| Grade 7 | 74,638 | 74,422 | 69,150 |
| Grade 8 | 73,944 | 73,645 | 68,416 |
| Grade 9 | 75,540 | 74,840 | 69,808 |
| Grade 10 | 74,571 | 73,564 | 68,304 |
| Grade 11 | 72,878 | 71,428 | 66,201 |
| Grade 12 | 72,841 | 72,365 | 66,309 |
| Special education Grade N | N/A | N/A | 15,890 |
| Official total | 968,263 | 965,038 | 911,520 |
Enrollment movement across measures
- First-month membership is a point-in-time count, while ADM averages enrollment across multiple reporting periods.
- ADA measures students present and is lower than ADM in every listed K–12 grade.
- Special education Grade N appears as a separate ADA category and is included in the official ADA total.
Public Schools by Type
| School Type | Schools | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Elementary | 912 | 49.0% |
| Middle | 293 | 15.7% |
| High | 295 | 15.8% |
| K–12 and other | 286 | 15.4% |
| Vocational | 14 | 0.8% |
| Special education | 10 | 0.5% |
| Adult high | 27 | 1.4% |
| Alternative | 26 | 1.4% |
| Total | 1,863 | 100.0% |
How Tennessee Funds Public Schools
TISA combines a base amount with student weights, direct allocations, outcomes funding, and growth provisions.
TISA Funding Components for 2025–26
| Component | Rate | Amount | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base funding | 100% | $7,295.00 | Each ADM |
| Economically disadvantaged weight | 25% | $1,823.75 | Eligible ADM |
| Concentrated poverty weight | 5% | $364.75 | Eligible ADM |
| Small district weight | 5% | $364.75 | Eligible ADM |
| Sparse district weight | 5% | $364.75 | Eligible ADM |
| Unique Learning Needs Level 1 | 15% | $1,094.25 | Eligible ADM |
| Unique Learning Needs Level 2 | 20% | $1,459.00 | Eligible ADM |
| Unique Learning Needs Level 3 | 40% | $2,918.00 | Eligible ADM |
| Unique Learning Needs Level 4 | 60% | $4,377.00 | Eligible ADM |
| Unique Learning Needs Level 5 | 70% | $5,106.50 | Eligible ADM |
| Unique Learning Needs Level 6 | 75% | $5,471.25 | Eligible ADM |
| Unique Learning Needs Level 7 | 80% | $5,836.00 | Eligible ADM |
| Unique Learning Needs Level 8 | 100% | $7,295.00 | Eligible ADM |
| Unique Learning Needs Level 9 | 125% | $9,118.75 | Eligible ADM |
| Unique Learning Needs Level 10 | 150% | $10,942.50 | Eligible ADM |
| K–3 literacy direct funding | Fixed | $500.00 | K–3 ADM |
| Rising fourth-grade literacy support | Fixed | $500.00 | Eligible student |
| Charter school direct funding | Fixed | $500.47 | Charter ADM |
| ACT initial test | Fixed | $43.00 | Test opportunity |
| ACT initial test and retake | Fixed | $86.00 | Two opportunities |
| CTE high-cost allocation | Fixed | $600.71 | CTE ADM |
| CTE high-cost pool | Pool | $2.0M | State pool |
| Outcomes funding | Pool | $80.0M | State pool |
| Fast-growth and infrastructure | Pool | $60.0M | State pool |
| Infrastructure maximum | Cap | $5.0M | Annual allocation |
| Existing educator salary restriction | Set-aside | $125.0M | Included in base |
Funding layers within TISA
- A student may generate base funding plus more than one qualifying weight.
- The 2025–26 base amount increased by $220, or about 3.1%, from $7,075 in 2024–25.
- Fast-growth funding applies when current allocation growth exceeds 1.25% compared with the prior year.
- Infrastructure eligibility requires non-virtual ADM growth above 2% in each of three consecutive years.
Career and Technical Education Direct Funding Matrix
| CTE Level | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | $5,000 | $5,050 | $5,150 | $5,300 |
| Level 2 | $5,200 | $5,250 | $5,350 | $5,500 |
| Level 3 | $5,400 | $5,450 | $5,550 | $5,700 |
Tennessee Education Revenue and Current Spending
Revenue components use total revenue receipts, while expenditure shares use total current expenditures.
Revenue by Source
FY2023–24 revenue receipts
State and local sources supplied 83.6% of reported revenue receipts. Federal revenue represented 12.0%.
Revenue mix
- State revenue was the largest source at $7.209 billion.
- Local revenue totaled $5.069 billion.
Current Spending by Function
FY2023–24 current expenditures
Instruction accounted for 56.8% of current expenditures. The remaining current spending covered student services, instructional support, administration, facilities, and other operations.
Current expenditure mix
- Instruction totaled $7.620 billion.
- Instructional staff support was the largest listed support category at $1.179 billion.
Revenue and Current Expenditure Categories
| Finance Type | Category | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | State | $7.209B | 49.1% |
| Revenue | County, city, and special district | $5.069B | 34.5% |
| Revenue | Federal | $1.758B | 12.0% |
| Revenue | Other revenue | $656.6M | 4.5% |
| Revenue | Total revenue receipts | $14.693B | 100.0% |
| Current expenditure | Instruction | $7.620B | 56.8% |
| Current expenditure | Student support | $776.6M | 5.8% |
| Current expenditure | Instructional staff support | $1.179B | 8.8% |
| Current expenditure | Administration | $1.332B | 9.9% |
| Current expenditure | Operations and maintenance | $1.151B | 8.6% |
| Current expenditure | Other current spending | $1.360B | 10.1% |
| Current expenditure | Total current expenditures | $13.420B | 100.0% |
Revenue and spending basis
- State revenue supplied nearly half of total revenue receipts, while local sources supplied about one-third.
- The four reported revenue components differ from the official total by one dollar because the source values are displayed as published.
- Current expenditure shares exclude separate capital, debt-service, community-service, and early-childhood reporting lines.
Teachers, Personnel and Salaries
Classroom teacher counts are narrower than instructional personnel and total district employment.
| Position or Group | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Elementary classroom teachers | 41,868 | Employees |
| Secondary classroom teachers | 14,596 | Employees |
| Special education classroom teachers | 7,671 | Employees |
| All classroom teachers | 64,135 | Employees |
| Principals | 1,899 | Employees |
| Assistant principals | 2,466 | Employees |
| Instructional coaches | 1,868 | Employees |
| Interventionists | 1,498 | Employees |
| Librarians | 1,497 | Employees |
| Guidance counselors | 2,794 | Employees |
| School nurses | 1,734 | Employees |
| School resource officers | 1,063 | Employees |
| Instructional personnel | 82,414 | Employees |
| All board of education employees | 194,881 | Employees |
| Average classroom teacher salary | $60,784 | Annual salary |
| Average instructional personnel salary | $64,013 | Annual salary |
| Average licensed educator salary | $64,634 | Annual salary |
| Average principal salary | $101,855 | Annual salary |
| Average superintendent salary | $142,647 | Annual salary |
Staffing composition
- Elementary teachers represented about two-thirds of the reported classroom teacher workforce.
- Instructional personnel exceeded the classroom teacher count because the category also includes other licensed instructional roles.
- Statewide average salaries do not show district salary schedules, experience levels, supplements, or regional labor costs.
Completion, Readiness and 2025–26 Assessment Movement
Graduation and ACT figures describe the 2025 graduating class. TCAP entries report percentage-point changes rather than full proficiency rates.
| Area | Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graduation | State graduation rate | 92.3% | 2024–25 |
| Graduation | Graduates | 69,124 | 2024–25 |
| Graduation | Annual increase in graduates | 1,892 | 2024–25 |
| Graduation | Districts with graduation rates of 95% or higher | 82 | 2024–25 |
| Graduation | Students with disabilities graduation rate | 84.0% | 2024–25 |
| ACT | Statewide participation | 99.0% | Class of 2025 |
| ACT | Average composite score | 19.3 | Class of 2025 |
| ACT | Share scoring 21 or higher | 37.2% | Class of 2025 |
| Accountability | Reward schools | 459 | 2024–25 |
| Accountability | Annual change in Reward schools | +22% | 2024–25 |
| Accountability | Exemplary districts | 14 | 2024–25 |
| School grades | Schools receiving an A | 355 | 2024–25 |
| School grades | Schools receiving a B | 483 | 2024–25 |
| TCAP ELA | Grade 3 annual proficiency change | +3.2 pp | 2025–26 |
| TCAP ELA | Grade 8 annual proficiency change | +2.7 pp | 2025–26 |
| TCAP ELA | English II annual proficiency change | +3.8 pp | 2025–26 |
| TCAP mathematics | Grade 4 annual proficiency change | +3.6 pp | 2025–26 |
| TCAP mathematics | Geometry annual proficiency change | +5.6 pp | 2025–26 |
| TCAP social studies | Statewide proficiency change since 2019 | +11.4 pp | 2019 to 2025–26 |
| TCAP social studies | Grade 6 annual proficiency change | +3.4 pp | 2025–26 |
| TCAP social studies | Grade 7 annual proficiency change | +3.0 pp | 2025–26 |
| TCAP social studies | U.S. History annual proficiency change | +3.8 pp | 2025–26 |
Recent academic movement
- Third-grade ELA proficiency reached its highest reported level since at least 2017.
- Geometry posted the largest annual mathematics increase listed in the statewide release at 5.6 percentage points.
- The 2025–26 statewide release did not include science proficiency because Tennessee was completing a science standard-setting process.
What the Tennessee Data Shows
The main differences concern measurement, funding layers, student needs, and district operating conditions.
Enrollment Measures Serve Different Uses
First-month membership records a point-in-time count. ADM averages enrollment and is used in TISA calculations. ADA measures student presence and supports attendance-based analysis.
Base Funding Is Not Total Spending
The TISA base amount is one part of a weighted allocation model. It excludes some student weights, direct allocations, local revenue, federal revenue, capital activity, and other district spending.
District Costs Do Not Move Uniformly
Enrollment scale, transportation geography, student service needs, staffing markets, facility age, local revenue capacity, and construction activity can produce different district spending levels.
Growth Provisions Target Defined Thresholds
TISA fast-growth and infrastructure allocations apply only when districts meet formula thresholds. General population growth does not automatically produce an infrastructure allocation.
Student Groups Affect Service Demand
More than 83,000 English learners and 140,022 students ages 3–21 receiving special education services create instructional, language-access, staffing, and program requirements across the state.
Academic Indicators Use Separate Definitions
Graduation rates, ACT scores, school grades, Reward designations, achievement levels, and growth levels measure different parts of school performance and should not be treated as interchangeable rankings.
Data Sources and Measurement
Tennessee Department of Education Annual Statistical Report. The latest completed report used here covers fiscal year 2023–24.
Tennessee Department of Education 2025–26 TISA Guide, last updated June 30, 2025.
Tennessee school and district designations for 2024–25 and the official Tennessee State Report Card release.
Tennessee Department of Education 2024–25 graduation release and ACT results for the graduating class of 2025.
Tennessee Department of Education statewide TCAP release dated June 24, 2026. Reported changes are percentage-point movements in proficiency.
Tennessee Department of Education English Learners program data, school year 2024–25.
School counts, employment counts, ADM, ADA, revenues, expenditures, and salaries are presented as published. Revenue and current expenditure shares were calculated from official component totals and rounded to one decimal place. The reported revenue components differ from the official total by one dollar due to source-level rounding. “pp” means percentage points.
The operating expenditure per pupil figure uses Average Daily Attendance and excludes student body education, adult education, and prekindergarten as specified in the annual report. First-month membership, ADM, ADA, cohort graduation, ACT participation, and assessment proficiency are separate measures with separate populations and reporting calendars.
The 2026 title identifies the publication edition, not a single source year. FY2023–24 finance and system data, 2024–25 outcome data, and 2025–26 funding and assessment data are labeled separately. The $7,295 TISA base amount is not total spending per student. TCAP changes show movement in proficiency rates and do not establish that funding, staffing, or any single program produced the change.