Bedford County

Shelbyville, Tennessee — 15 schools

9,047
Total Enrollment
15
Schools
$10,343
Per-Pupil Spending
Other, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Bedford County operates 15 public schools serving 9,047 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Tennessee. The school portfolio breaks down into 9 other, 3 high, 3 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 8,517 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Bedford County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $10,343 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 19.1% local, 59.8% state, and 21.1% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $55,956 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 39/100, ranked #65 of 140 in Tennessee against a state average of 38 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 3 of 15 schools offering Advanced Placement (38 AP courses district-wide), a 457.4:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 31.2% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 57.5% White, 29.5% Hispanic or Latino, 6.0% African American across the district's schools.

Shelbyville Central High School accounts for 18.8% of all Bedford County student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Bedford County-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Bedford County school enrollment varies 21× across entities

Bedford County school enrollment ranges from 77 students (lowest) to 1,604 students (highest), a spread of 1,527 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Bedford County student-counselor ratio is 457:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment — districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Bedford County chronic absenteeism rate is 31.2% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason — illness, family obligations, or disengagement Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

21.1%
Federal
59.8%
State
19.1%
Local

Funding Equity

39
Equity Score
65 / 140
State Rank
38
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Bedford County county, where this district is located.

$796
Studio/mo
$928
1 BR/mo
$1,017
2 BR/mo
$1,414
3 BR/mo
$1,641
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$55,956
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 15 schools in Bedford County.

White 57.5%
Hispanic or Latino 29.5%
African American 6.0%
Asian 0.6%
Multiracial 6.1%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

3 / 15
Schools with AP
38 AP courses total
457.4:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
31.2%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Bedford County

School Enrollment
Shelbyville Central High School
1,604
Harris Middle School
977
Community Elementary School
650
Learning Way Elementary
638
Liberty Elementary
631
Cascade Elementary
621
Community High School
545
Cascade High School
539
Thomas Magnet School
436
Eakin Elementary
399
Community Middle School
365
Cascade Middle School
360
South Side Elementary
352
East Side Elementary
323
Bedford County Virtual School
77

Nearby Districts in Tennessee

Top districts in the same state — compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Memphis-Shelby County Schools
109,797 students · 222 schools · $15,292/pupil
Compare vs Bedford County →
Davidson County
80,651 students · 161 schools · $17,219/pupil
Compare vs Bedford County →
Knox County
60,609 students · 93 schools · $11,040/pupil
Compare vs Bedford County →
Rutherford County
50,707 students · 51 schools · $11,822/pupil
Compare vs Bedford County →
Hamilton County
45,902 students · 81 schools · $12,591/pupil
Compare vs Bedford County →

Compare Bedford County

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Memphis-Shelby County Schools →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Bedford County?

Bedford County has 15 schools, including 3 high, 3 middle, 9 other. Total enrollment is 9,047 students.

How much does Bedford County spend per student?

Bedford County spends $10,343 per student. The district has an equity score of 39/100, ranking #65 in Tennessee.

What is the average teacher salary in Bedford County?

The average teacher salary in Bedford County is $55,956 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Bedford County?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Bedford County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Bedford County?

Bedford County students are 57.5% White, 29.5% Hispanic or Latino, 6.0% African American, 0.6% Asian, averaged across 15 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Bedford County?

Bedford County has an equity score of 39/100, ranking #65 out of 140 districts in Tennessee. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

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