Rutherford County Schools
Listed by NCES as Rutherford County (district ID 4703690)
Public school district · Rutherford County · Tennessee · NCES district ID 4703690
Rutherford County Schools spent $10,708 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23, below the middle: 71% of the other Tennessee districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 spent more (median $11,310). Its 50 schools enrolled 51,734 students in 2024-25; 46.4% of its revenue came from the state. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $11,309 per student, up 5.6% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year). Its four-year graduation rate for the class of 2023 was 94% (Tennessee: 87.3%).
NCES F-33 finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23 · Census Bureau school finances 2023-24 · NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 · method
Spending per student among Tennessee's largest districts
Current spending per student excludes construction and debt. Among the 10 districts shown, Rutherford County Schools ranks 8.
Where the money came from
$597,615,000 in revenue: 46.4% state, 43.8% local and 9.8% federal. Total spending including $192,850,000 of capital outlay was $748,680,000, or $14,765 per student; the figure above leaves capital out.
- State$277,295,000 46%
- Local$261,719,000 44%
- Federal$58,601,000 10%
Source: NCES F-33 school district finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23: current expenditures for elementary and secondary education divided by fall membership; the state median covers 124 districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022. Revenue by source (TOTALREV, TFEDREV, TSTREV, TLOCREV).
Enrollment rose from 2022-23 to 2023-24
50,707 students in 2022-23, 51,595 students in 2023-24, counted across the schools that reported each year.
Teachers and students per teacher
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 50,707 | 3238.3 | 15.7 |
| 2023-24 | 51,595 | 3352.9 | 15.4 |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data membership and staff files, 2022-23, 2023-24; sums over the schools reporting each year.
$214,948,000 in teacher salaries in fiscal year 2022-23, $4,239 per student
Rutherford County Schools booked $214,948,000 of teacher salaries in its 2022-23 finance report and counted 3,238 full-time teachers in its Common Core of Data district staff file for 2022-23 (the school files behind the staffing figures on this page count teachers separately, so the two can differ), or $66,377 of salary spending per teacher. That is more than 89 in 100 Tennessee districts with a figure (state median $57,379, 141 districts). It is spending, not what a teacher is paid: the salary lines and the teacher count come from different files, so the result can differ widely from the average salary the district publishes (its salary schedule gives pay); benefits are left out, and states book salaries differently, so compare districts within one state. For pay, the National Education Association put the average Tennessee teacher salary at $53,619 in 2021-22 (NCES Digest table 211.60).
| Program | Teacher salaries | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Regular programs | $182,718,000 | 85.0% |
| Special education | $18,702,000 | 8.7% |
| Vocational | $11,691,000 | 5.4% |
| Other programs | $1,837,000 | 0.9% |
Teacher salaries per student, fiscal years 2018-19 to 2022-23
The district's teacher salary bill divided by its fall enrollment each year: $3,525 in 2018-19, $3,665 in 2019-20, $3,954 in 2020-21, $4,006 in 2021-22, $4,239 in 2022-23.
Source: NCES F-33 school district finance survey, fiscal years 2019 to 2023: teacher salaries in regular, special, vocational and other programs (Z35 to Z38) and fall membership (V33); NCES Common Core of Data LEA staff file 2022-23, teachers (full-time equivalent).
State test results, 2021-22
In 2021-22, the students tested in Rutherford County Schools scored proficient or above: 40% in reading and 44% in math, against 35% in reading and 35% in math across Tennessee. Each state writes its own test and sets its own proficiency bar, so compare these within Tennessee, not across states. Where a state published results by grade only, the grades tested are combined, weighted by the students tested in each.
| Subject | This district | Tennessee | Students tested |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading and language arts | 40% | 35% | 21,881 |
| Math | 44% | 35% | 21,874 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results 2021-22, all students, from ED Data Express (the Data Rescue Project archive; ED has no 2022-23 result for this district): ED shows district results as ranges (for example 20-24%) to protect small groups.
Graduation rate, class of 2023
94% of the 4,221 students in Rutherford County Schools' class of 2023 graduated within four years, against 87.3% across Tennessee. The four-year rate follows the students who started ninth grade in fall 2019, adjusted for those who moved in or out, and counts those who earned a regular diploma by 2023. Every state computes it the same way under federal law, though each sets its own diploma requirements.
| This district | Tennessee | |
|---|---|---|
| Four-year graduation rate | 94% | 87.3% |
| Students in the class | 4,221 | 71,510 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates 2022-23, all students, from ED Data Express: ED shows district rates as ranges (for example 90-94%) and leaves out small classes.
25 elementary schools, 18,940 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rock Springs Elementary | 1,193 | 16.2 | not reported | Eligible, no program |
| Stewarts Creek Elementary School | 1,173 | 15.8 | not reported | Not Title I |
| LaVergne Lake Elementary School | 1,025 | 12.7 | not reported | Schoolwide program |
| Brown's Chapel Elementary School | 1,002 | 17.3 | not reported | Eligible, no program |
| Rockvale Elementary | 982 | 15.5 | not reported | Not Title I |
| Barfield Elementary | 969 | 17.0 | not reported | Not Title I |
| Blackman Elementary School | 954 | 18.1 | not reported | Not Title I |
| Rocky Fork Elementary School | 905 | 16.4 | not reported | Eligible, no program |
| John Colemon Elementary | 861 | 14.6 | not reported | Schoolwide program |
| Cedar Grove Elementary | 856 | 12.5 | not reported | Schoolwide program |
| Stewartsboro Elementary | 854 | 15.4 | not reported | Eligible, no program |
| Roy L Waldron Elementary | 832 | 15.2 | not reported | Schoolwide program |
The other 13 elementary schools
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thurman Francis Arts Academy/Magnet School for the Arts | 732 | 15.6 | not reported | Not Title I |
| David Youree Elementary | 705 | 15.0 | not reported | Schoolwide program |
| Plainview Elementary School | 673 | 17.0 | not reported | Not Title I |
| Wilson Elementary School | 666 | 16.0 | not reported | Not Title I |
| Christiana Elementary | 659 | 14.2 | not reported | Not Title I |
| Smyrna Elementary | 646 | 13.5 | not reported | Schoolwide program |
| Lascassas Elementary | 630 | 15.2 | not reported | Not Title I |
| Walter Hill Elementary | 615 | 13.9 | not reported | Eligible, no program |
| Smyrna Primary | 562 | 15.3 | not reported | Schoolwide program |
| Buchanan Elementary | 475 | 16.4 | not reported | Eligible, no program |
| McFadden School Of Excellence | 386 | 18.5 | not reported | Not Title I |
| Kittrell Elementary | 345 | 12.1 | not reported | Schoolwide program |
| Homer Pittard Campus School | 240 | 14.7 | not reported | Not Title I |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
11 middle schools, 12,603 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackman Middle School | 1,727 | 17.6 | not reported | Not Title I |
| Rockvale Middle School | 1,567 | 18.0 | not reported | Not Title I |
| Oakland Middle School | 1,224 | 15.3 | not reported | Eligible, no program |
| Siegel Middle School | 1,196 | 17.5 | not reported | Not Title I |
| Rock Springs Middle School | 1,152 | 15.4 | not reported | Eligible, no program |
| LaVergne Middle School | 1,117 | 14.0 | not reported | Schoolwide program |
| Christiana Middle School | 1,048 | 16.1 | not reported | Not Title I |
| Stewarts Creek Middle School | 1,045 | 16.2 | not reported | Not Title I |
| Smyrna Middle School | 899 | 12.1 | not reported | Schoolwide program |
| Rocky Fork Middle School | 873 | 14.4 | not reported | Eligible, no program |
| Whitworth-Buchanan Middle School | 755 | 13.9 | not reported | Eligible, no program |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
12 high schools, 18,794 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stewarts Creek High School | 2,474 | 17.9 | not reported | Not Title I |
| Blackman High School | 2,301 | 17.7 | not reported | Not Title I |
| Riverdale High School | 2,275 | 13.4 | not reported | Eligible, no program |
| Smyrna High School | 2,266 | 17.4 | not reported | Eligible, no program |
| Rockvale High School | 2,126 | 18.1 | not reported | Not Title I |
| Lavergne High School | 2,116 | 17.8 | not reported | Schoolwide program |
| Siegel High School | 1,910 | 15.4 | not reported | Not Title I |
| Oakland High School | 1,872 | 14.4 | not reported | Eligible, no program |
| Central Magnet School | 1,222 | 16.9 | not reported | Not Title I |
| Holloway High School | 122 | 7.4 | not reported | Schoolwide program |
| Daniel McKee Alternative School | 63 | 5.5 | not reported | Eligible, no program |
| Smyrna West Alternative School | 47 | 5.6 | not reported | Eligible, no program |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
2 other schools, 1,397 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eagleville School | 1,013 | 14.1 | not reported | Not Title I |
| Rutherford County Virtual School | 384 | 25.5 | All free (CEP) | Not Title I |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
Contact Rutherford County Schools
- Website: rcschools.net
- Phone: (615) 904-3790
- Office: 2240 Southpark BLVD, Murfreesboro, TN 37128
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, local education agency directory 2024-25. Enrollment, boundaries and school assignment are the district's to confirm.
What to look at next about Rutherford County Schools
- Tennessee districts by spending per studentRutherford County Schools ranks 88 of 124 Tennessee districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 on current spending per student in fiscal year 2022-23 ($10,708).#88 of 124
- Every school district in TennesseeRutherford County Schools is the number 4 by size of 148 Tennessee districts, with 50,707 students in fall 2022 (F-33).#4 of 148
- Knox County SchoolsThe next larger Tennessee district: 60,609 students in fall 2022, $11,187 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$11,187
- Hamilton County SchoolsThe next smaller Tennessee district: 45,902 students in fall 2022, $14,785 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$14,785
- Compare Rutherford County Schools with Knox County SchoolsEnrollment, spending, revenue sources and schools, side by side.
- Stewarts Creek High School, its largest high school2,474 students in 2024-25, 17.9 per teacher.2,474
- Teacher salary spending across TennesseeRutherford County Schools spent $66,377 in salaries per full-time teacher in fiscal year 2022-23 (state median $57,379); spending, not a salary.$66,377
- Find the school district for an addressA home's district decides which public schools it can enroll in.
Source: NCES F-33 finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23 (spending per student and fall 2022 membership; ranks among the state's districts that reported them); NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 (schools).
Questions about Rutherford County Schools
How many schools and students are in Rutherford County Schools?
50 schools were open in 2024-25 (25 elementary, 11 middle, 12 high, 2 other), enrolling 51,734 students, according to the NCES Common Core of Data.How much does Rutherford County Schools spend per student?
$10,708 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), which leaves out construction and debt; the Tennessee median for districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 is $11,310 and the U.S. figure is $16,260. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $11,309 per student, up 5.6% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year).Where does Rutherford County Schools' money come from?
$597,615,000 in revenue in fiscal year 2022-23: 46.4% state, 43.8% local and 9.8% federal (NCES F-33).How many children in Rutherford County Schools live in poverty?
The Census Bureau estimates that 6,090 of the 53,010 children aged 5 to 17 living within the district's boundaries in 2024, 11.5%, were in families in poverty (Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates). It is a model-based estimate for everyone living in the district, not a count of its students; the free-meal shares in the school tables are counts of enrolled students.How much does Rutherford County Schools spend on teacher salaries?
$214,948,000 in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), or $4,239 per student. Divided by the 3,238 full-time teachers in the NCES Common Core of Data for 2022-23 that is $66,377 per teacher, more than 89 in 100 Tennessee districts (state median $57,379). That is spending, not what a teacher is paid: the salary lines and the teacher count come from different files, and the result can differ widely from the average salary a district publishes. The district's salary schedule gives pay. For pay, the National Education Association put the average Tennessee teacher salary at $53,619 in 2021-22 (NCES Digest table 211.60).How do students in Rutherford County Schools do on state tests?
In 2021-22, the students tested in Rutherford County Schools scored proficient or above: 40% in reading and 44% in math, against 35% in reading and 35% in math across Tennessee. Tennessee's own test sets what proficient means, so results compare within the state, not across states. Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results, 2021-22.What is the graduation rate in Rutherford County Schools?
94% of the 4,221 students in Rutherford County Schools' class of 2023 graduated within four years, against 87.3% across Tennessee. The four-year rate follows the students who started ninth grade in fall 2019, adjusted for those who moved in or out. Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates, 2022-23.What is Rutherford County Schools' NCES district ID?
4703690. Each of its schools' 12-digit NCES IDs begins with these seven digits.
Reading these figures: how to choose a school district, what Title I means and what an absenteeism rate means. They are for information and are not a substitute for the school's or district's own records.
Sources
Every federal file behind this record
- NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25: directory, membership, staff and lunch files. nces.ed.gov
- NCES Common Core of Data, 2021-22 school characteristics: Title I status. nces.ed.gov
- Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021-22: AP courses, gifted programs, counselors, discipline. civilrightsdata.ed.gov
- EDFacts, 2022-23: chronic absenteeism. ed.gov
- EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates, 2022-23: the class of 2023 for the district and its state (ED Data Express). eddataexpress.ed.gov
- EDFacts state assessment results, 2021-22: reading and math proficiency for the district and its state (ED Data Express). eddataexpress.ed.gov
- NCES Digest of Education Statistics, table 211.60 (2021-22): the state's average teacher salary, from the National Education Association. nces.ed.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024: children aged 5 to 17 and those in families in poverty, by school district. census.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2023-24: per pupil current spending for 2023-24 and 2022-23. census.gov
- NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, fiscal year 2022-23: district spending and revenue. nces.ed.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau geocoder and TIGER school districts: the district boundary used by the district finder. census.gov
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances Per pupil current spending by school system · FY 2023-24
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey Revenue and expenditures by district · FY 2022-23
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School directory, membership, staff and lunch files · 2024-25