Knox County operates 91 public schools serving 60,609 students, placing it among the larger districts in Tennessee. The school portfolio breaks down into 43 other, 17 high, 17 middle, 14 elementary schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 59,181 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Knox County County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,040 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 49.9% local, 35.6% state, and 14.6% 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 $66,306 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 21/100, ranked #126 of 140 in Tennessee against a state average of 38 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.
Academic infrastructure includes 15 of 91 schools offering Advanced Placement (246 AP courses district-wide), a 386.8:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 34.8% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 59.1% White, 16.9% African American, 15.2% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools.
Knox County school enrollment varies 49× across entities
Knox County school enrollment ranges from 42 students (lowest) to 2,073 students (highest), a spread of 2,031 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.
Knox County student-counselor ratio is 387:1 — 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.
Knox County chronic absenteeism rate is 34.8% — 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.
Knox County has 91 schools, including 17 high, 17 middle, 14 elementary, 43 other. Total enrollment is 60,609 students.
How much does Knox County spend per student?
Knox County spends $11,040 per student. The district has an equity score of 21/100, ranking #126 in Tennessee.
What is the average teacher salary in Knox County?
The average teacher salary in Knox County is $66,306 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.
What is the average rent near Knox County?
The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Knox County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.
What is the demographic composition of Knox County?
Knox County students are 59.1% White, 16.9% African American, 15.2% Hispanic or Latino, 1.8% Asian, averaged across 91 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Knox County?
Knox County has an equity score of 21/100, ranking #126 out of 140 districts in Tennessee. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.