Public + private high schools, every state.
681
high schools (public + private)
498
public (132 districts)
183
private (NCES PSS)
73,030
public grade‑12 students (seniors, latest year)

TN public HS enrollment trend

Across the 192,781 students enrolled in TN brick-and-mortar public high schools in 2021, the state grew +1.3% by 2024 (195,235 students, +2,454 net). That's the demographic tide every individual school is fighting or riding.

Charter share of public HS enrollment (latest year): 4.9% (9,589 of 195,235 students). Virtual / nonclassroom-based schools excluded.

🗺️ State context · NAEP 2024

How does TN compare nationally?

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the only test given the same way to students in every state — making it the benchmark for state-to-state academic comparison. Below, this state's 8th-grade averages and where it sits on the 50-state distribution.

8th-grade math
271
-2 vs national avg (273)
8th-grade reading
256
-4 vs national avg (260)
national avg TN Math → Reading → 260 290 245 275

Each dot is one state's 2024 NAEP 8th-grade averages. TN is highlighted in gold. Dashed lines mark national averages — being upper-right of both = above national in both subjects. Source: NAEP State Snapshot Reports. NAEP doesn't produce per-school scores — this is state-level context.

Where the students are

Top 10 cities by public-HS enrollment

Memphis 47 HS 24,677
Nashville 22 HS 11,359
Clarksville 9 HS 10,170
Knoxville 11 HS 9,505
Chattanooga 12 HS 5,980
Murfreesboro 4 HS 5,497
Cleveland 4 HS 4,865
Antioch 4 HS 4,641
Gallatin 4 HS 3,828
Hendersonville 3 HS 3,126

School-size distribution

Public, classroom-based · grades 9–12, latest year

Fastest-growing high schools
public, classroom-based · grade 9–12 · 2021→2024
Trezevant High
Memphis-Shelby County Schools
456→883 +93.6%
Jackson Central Merry High School
Madison County
277→507 +83.0%
Liberty Creek High School
Sumner County
607→993 +63.6%
Career Magnet Academy
Knox County
256→359 +40.2%
Craigmont High
Memphis-Shelby County Schools
702→968 +37.9%
Memphis Academy Of Science Engineering Middle/High
Memphis-Shelby County Schools
309→416 +34.6%
Kirkwood High
Montgomery County
1,009→1,293 +28.1%
The Excel Center
Memphis-Shelby County Schools
359→457 +27.3%
Compass Community School Midtown Campus
Memphis-Shelby County Schools
293→373 +27.3%
Riverdale High School
Rutherford County
1,814→2,275 +25.4%
Fastest-shrinking high schools
public, classroom-based · grade 9–12 · 2021→2024
Heritage High School
Blount County
1,333→911 -31.7%
West Carroll Junior/Senior High School
West Carroll Sp Dist
284→198 -30.3%
Carver College and Career Academy
Memphis-Shelby County Schools
480→341 -29.0%
Sevier County High School
Sevier County
1,284→950 -26.0%
Arlington High
Arlington
2,202→1,674 -24.0%
City University School Of Liberal Arts
Memphis-Shelby County Schools
230→179 -22.2%
Rossview High
Montgomery County
1,957→1,529 -21.9%
Waverly Central High School
Humphreys County
554→439 -20.8%
KIPP Memphis Collegiate High School
Memphis-Shelby County Schools
435→346 -20.5%
Whitwell High School
Marion County
371→298 -19.7%

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