📊 What this ranking measures
Rankings are based on academic achievement — the share of students scoring proficient or above on state reading and math assessments (TCAP 2025–26), ranked against other districts in the same state — not on spending, district size, or staffing. See full methodology →
Top 25 Districts Tennessee
Sorted by rating — highest first
| # | District | City | Rating | State Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Collierville Schools | Collierville | 10/10 Excellent | 99th |
| #2 | Williamson County School District | Arrington | 10/10 Excellent | 99th |
| #3 | Germantown Municipal School District | Germantown | 10/10 Excellent | 98th |
| #4 | Johnson City School District | Johnson City | 10/10 Excellent | 95th |
| #5 | Gibson County School District | Kenton | 10/10 Excellent | 93th |
| #6 | Wilson County School District | Auburntown | 10/10 Excellent | 93th |
| #7 | Kingsport City School District | Kingsport | 10/10 Excellent | 91th |
| #8 | Sumner County School District | Bethpage | 10/10 Excellent | 91th |
| #9 | Trousdale County School District | Dixon Springs | 10/10 Excellent | 90th |
| #10 | Alcoa City School District | Alcoa | 9/10 Excellent | 89th |
| #11 | White County School District | Quebeck | 9/10 Excellent | 89th |
| #12 | Oak Ridge City School District | Oak Ridge | 9/10 Excellent | 88th |
| #13 | Elizabethton City School District | Milligan College | 9/10 Excellent | 87th |
| #14 | Rutherford County School District | Christiana | 9/10 Excellent | 85th |
| #15 | Bartlett City School District | Ellendale | 9/10 Excellent | 84th |
| #16 | Weakley County School District | Dresden | 9/10 Excellent | 84th |
| #17 | Chester County School District | Enville | 9/10 Excellent | 82th |
| #18 | Loudon County School District | Greenback | 9/10 Excellent | 81th |
| #19 | Dyer County School District | Bogota | 9/10 Excellent | 80th |
| #20 | Washington County School District | Johnson City | 8/10 Good | 79th |
| #21 | Putnam County School District | Cookeville | 8/10 Good | 78th |
| #22 | Henry County School District | Buchanan | 8/10 Good | 77th |
| #23 | Stewart County School District | Big Rock | 8/10 Good | 77th |
| #24 | Greene County School District | Afton | 8/10 Good | 76th |
| #25 | Lawrence County School District | Ethridge | 8/10 Good | 75th |
Best School Districts in Tennessee (2026)
This ranking covers 113 rated public school districts in Tennessee, scored using TCAP 2025–26 state assessment data. Each district's reading and math proficiency rates are averaged, then ranked against other districts in the same state to produce a 1–10 score.
A district's score reflects how its students perform on state assessments relative to same-state peers — it is not a direct measure of teaching quality, school culture, or individual student outcomes. Always visit schools, talk to local families, and contact districts directly before making decisions. Learn how ratings are calculated →
Tennessee School Districts at a Glance
- 140 of the 141 regular school districts operating in Tennessee have a published rating on this site.
- 44 districts score 8/10 or higher, the top three rating bands.
- Ratings come from TCAP 2025–26, and every district is ranked against other districts in Tennessee only — never against districts in another state, because the tests differ.
- The highest-rated district is Collierville Schools in Collierville, rated 10/10.
- Almost every district in Tennessee is unified, meaning one district runs kindergarten through 12th grade for an address.
How to Use This List
Click any district name to see its zip code page and confirm your exact assignment with the district office. Boundaries don't always follow city or neighborhood lines — the zip code search gives you the most accurate result.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best school district in Tennessee? ▼
Based on state reading and math assessment proficiency (TCAP 2025–26), the top-rated district is Collierville Schools in Collierville, rated 10/10 (Excellent).
How are these rankings calculated? ▼
Rankings use the share of students scoring proficient or above on state reading and math assessments (TCAP 2025–26), ranked against other districts in the same state, then converted to a 1–10 scale. Full methodology here.
Are ratings based on test scores? ▼
Yes. Ratings are based directly on state reading and math assessment proficiency rates, not on enrollment, spending, or school count. They are a starting point for research, not a final verdict on school quality.
How many school districts are in Tennessee? ▼
Tennessee has 141 regular school districts operating in the 2024–25 school year, according to the NCES Common Core of Data. 140 of them have enough state assessment data to carry a rating on this site.
What test are Tennessee school district ratings based on? ▼
TCAP 2025–26. The rating is the share of students scoring proficient or above in reading and math, converted to a percentile against other districts in Tennessee and then to a 1–10 scale. Spending, staffing and district size are not part of it.
How many districts in Tennessee are rated 8 out of 10 or higher? ▼
44 of the 140 rated districts in Tennessee score 8/10 or above. Because the scale is a within-state percentile, a high rating means the district outperforms most other districts in Tennessee, not the country.
Does one district cover all grades in Tennessee? ▼
In Tennessee nearly every district is unified, so the same district runs elementary, middle and high school for an address. A few states split those into separate districts; Tennessee is not one of them.