Charter schools ENROLLMENT HAS GROWN 550% IN tENNESSEE SINCE 2010, AND THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES ARE ON CHARTER SCHOOL WAITLISTS.

What Are Public Charter Schools?

Charter schools are free public schools that open to all students and operate independently from the school district through a charter or contract.

  • The Tennessee General Assembly approved the Tennessee Public Charter Schools Act in 2002, which created the legal framework to establish and operate a public charter school in the state as “alternative means within the public school system for ensuring accomplishment of the necessary outcomes of education.”

  • The charter sets specific accountability metrics agreed to by the charter school operators and state or local education officials.

  • Charter school leaders have additional flexibility to establish learning programs and coursework that help support students’ academic growth and achievement.


Charter Schools Work

Data shows how charter schools are supporting student growth in Nashville:

• Every historically disadvantaged student group enrolled in Nashville’s public charter schools has made progress since 2021 in both math and reading.

• Charter schools had double-digit one-year gains in proficiency: 11 percentage points in both math and English-Language Arts.

• More Nashville charter school students are reading on grade level today than before the pandemic

Learn more about how public charter schools are working in Nashville.

New Evidence of Charter School Success in Tennessee:

  • According to a recent study from the Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) at Stanford University, the typical charter school student from 20215 to 2019 had reading and math gains that outpaced their peers. In Tennessee, those academic gains are the equivalent of over a month and a half of extra learning.

  • The CREDO study found that students at charter schools across Tennessee are 34 days ahead in reading and 39 days ahead in math.

  • Since 2003, when the first charter schools opened in Tennessee, charter schools have gained popularity among parents who are interested in exploring education options. Today, there are 115 charter schools serving more than 44,000 students in Tennessee. Since 2010, charter school enrollment has grown 550% across the state.

Fast facts

  • 114: There are 114 public charter schools in Tennessee serving 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: There are 7 charter school authorizing entities in Tennessee: Hamilton County, Knox County, Metro Nashville, Rutherford County, Shelby County, the Achievement School District, and the State Board of Education.

  • 21: Tennessee’s first charter schools opened 20 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.

  • 40%: In the 2018-19 school year, 40% of charter schools were identified as Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS) Level 5 “Most Effective,” as compared to 29% of non-charter public schools in the same school districts. 

  • 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.

  • 28%: When analyzing the student demographics of charter and non-charter public schools in the same Tennessee school districts, charter schools enrolled, on average, 28% more minorities and 16% more economically disadvantaged students.

RESEARCH & REPORTS