Jefferson County

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Dandridge, Tennessee - 12 schools

An equity score of 22/100 ranks Jefferson County #126 of 140 districts in Tennessee (state average 38). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $10,101 per pupil, Jefferson County ranks #106 of 141 Tennessee districts by per-pupil spending (Tennessee districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

6,995
Total Enrollment
12
Schools
$10,101
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Jefferson County operates 12 public schools serving 6,995 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Tennessee. The school portfolio breaks down into 9 combined, 2 middle, 1 high schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Jefferson County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $10,101 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 141 Tennessee districts by per-pupil spending. See how Tennessee compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 27.8% local, 49.6% state, and 22.6% federal, a balanced mix across local, state, and federal sources, spreading budget risk across funding cycles rather than concentrating it in one. The district's equity score is 22/100, ranked #126 of 140 in Tennessee against a state average of 38, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 2 of 12 schools offering Advanced Placement (35 AP courses district-wide), a 369:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 21.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 80.8% White, 12.3% Hispanic or Latino, 1.1% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Jefferson Elementary, with a diversity index of 45.1/100.

Its largest campus is Jefferson Co High School, enrolling 1,965 students (28% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Jefferson Virtual Academy, at 55 students, a 36x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Jefferson Co High School accounts for 28.1% of all Jefferson County student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Jefferson 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

Jefferson County school enrollment varies 36× across entities

Jefferson County school enrollment ranges from 55 students (lowest) to 1,965 students (highest), a spread of 1,910 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme enrollment heterogeneity, the district operates both small specialty programs and large comprehensive campuses inside a single budgeting unit. 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

Jefferson County student-counselor ratio is 369:1 — 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

Jefferson County chronic absenteeism rate is 21.3% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

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 Variation between sub-units within Jefferson County is typically wider than the Jefferson County-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Where does the funding come from?

22.6%
Federal
49.6%
State
27.8%
Local

Funding Equity

22
Equity Score
126 / 140
State Rank
38
State Average

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

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 12 schools in Jefferson County.

White 80.8%
Hispanic or Latino 12.3%
African American 1.1%
Asian 0.7%
Multiracial 4.8%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 32.2/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Jefferson County's schools, below the Tennessee average of 38.3.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Jefferson Elementary 45.1
  2. 2 White Pine Elementary 44.3
  3. 3 Mount Horeb Elementary School 41.5
  4. 4 Jefferson Middle School 38.4
  5. 5 Jefferson Virtual Academy 33.2

Programs & Resources

2 / 12
Schools with AP
35 AP courses total
369:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
21.3%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Jefferson County

School Enrollment
Jefferson Co High School
1,965
White Pine Elementary
705
Mount Horeb Elementary School
616
Maury Middle School
582
Dandridge Elementary
543
Jefferson Middle School
528
Rush Strong Elementary
518
Jefferson Elementary
467
Piedmont Elementary
367
Talbott Elementary
300
New Market Elementary
272
Jefferson Virtual Academy
55

How Jefferson County Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Tennessee districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Lawrence County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Cumberland County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Warren County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Roane County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Anderson County Similar size Similar spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Jefferson County's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

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 · $13,650/pupil
Compare vs Jefferson County →
Davidson County
80,651 students · 161 schools · $15,421/pupil
Compare vs Jefferson County →
Knox County
60,609 students · 93 schools · $10,538/pupil
Compare vs Jefferson County →
Rutherford County
50,707 students · 51 schools · $10,141/pupil
Compare vs Jefferson County →
Hamilton County
45,902 students · 81 schools · $12,002/pupil
Compare vs Jefferson County →

Compare Jefferson 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 Jefferson County?

Jefferson County has 12 schools, including 1 high, 9 combined, 2 middle. Total enrollment is 6,995 students.

How much does Jefferson County spend per student?

Jefferson County spends $10,101 per student. The district has an equity score of 22/100, ranking #126 in Tennessee.

What is the demographic composition of Jefferson County?

Jefferson County students are 80.8% White, 12.3% Hispanic or Latino, 1.1% African American, 0.7% Asian, averaged across 12 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Jefferson County?

Jefferson County has an equity score of 22/100, ranking #126 out of 140 districts in Tennessee.