Sumner 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.

Gallatin, Tennessee - 52 schools

An equity score of 22/100 ranks Sumner County #125 of 140 districts in Tennessee (state average 38). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $10,286 per pupil, Sumner County ranks #95 of 141 Tennessee districts by per-pupil spending (Tennessee districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

30,732
Total Enrollment
52
Schools
$10,286
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Sumner County operates 52 public schools serving 30,732 students, placing it among the larger districts in Tennessee. The school portfolio breaks down into 20 combined, 11 high, 11 middle, 10 elementary schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage across a sizeable portfolio 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 Sumner County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $10,286 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 42.0% local, 45.2% state, and 12.8% 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 #125 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 8 of 52 schools offering Advanced Placement (72 AP courses district-wide), a 382:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 18.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 70.2% White, 13.8% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Guild Elementary, with a diversity index of 70.5/100.

Its largest campus is Gallatin Senior High School, enrolling 1,644 students (5% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Sumner County Middle Technical College High School at Portla, at 26 students, a 63x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Sumner County school enrollment varies 63× across entities

Sumner County school enrollment ranges from 26 students (lowest) to 1,644 students (highest), a spread of 1,618 students. That ratio is an extreme outlier spread — among the widest gaps observed anywhere in this dataset. 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

Sumner County student-counselor ratio is 382:1 — 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

Sumner County chronic absenteeism rate is 18.1% — 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 Sumner County is typically wider than the Sumner 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?

12.8%
Federal
45.2%
State
42.0%
Local

Funding Equity

22
Equity Score
125 / 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 52 schools in Sumner County.

White 70.2%
Hispanic or Latino 13.8%
African American 9.1%
Asian 1.8%
Multiracial 4.7%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 44.4/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Guild Elementary 70.5
  2. 2 Rucker Stewart Middle 70.2
  3. 3 Vena Stuart Elementary 69.6
  4. 4 Benny C. Bills Elementary School 68.5
  5. 5 George a Whitten Elementary 66.2

Programs & Resources

8 / 52
Schools with AP
72 AP courses total
382:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
18.1%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Sumner County

School Enrollment
Gallatin Senior High School
1,644
Beech Sr High School
1,477
Hendersonville High School
1,410
Portland High School
1,151
Station Camp High School
1,137
Liberty Creek High School
993
Station Camp Elementary
974
Station Camp Middle School
904
Jack Anderson Elementary
829
White House High School
818
Dr. William Burrus Elementary at Drakes Creek
789
Liberty Creek Elementary
735
Vena Stuart Elementary
710
Joe Shafer Middle School
670
Merrol Hyde Magnet School
670
Benny C. Bills Elementary School
659
Liberty Creek Middle School
652
Knox Doss Middle School at Drakes Creek
641
White House Middle School
638
Union Elementary School
620
Howard Elementary
591
Rucker Stewart Middle
585
Madison Creek Elementary
566
Guild Elementary
556
Nannie Berry Elementary
553
Portland Gateview Elementary School
552
T. W. Hunter Middle School
532
Westmoreland High School
518
Robert E Ellis Middle
509
Portland West Middle School
491
Westmoreland Elementary
464
Indian Lake Elementary
464
Harold B. Williams Elementary School
435
George a Whitten Elementary
430
Watt Hardison Elementary
429
Westmoreland Middle School
423
Beech Elementary
407
V G Hawkins Middle School
403
Portland East Middle School
396
Gene W. Brown Elementary
391
Walton Ferry Elementary
359
Lakeside Park Elementary
358
J W Wiseman Elementary
336
Clyde Riggs Elementary
301
Bethpage Elementary
254
Millersville Elementary
252
North Sumner Elementary
212
Oakmont Elementary
128
R T Fisher Alternative
127
Sumner County Middle College High School
54
E B Wilson
48
Sumner County Middle Technical College High School at Portla
26

How Sumner County Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Tennessee districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Montgomery County Larger Similar spending Similar funding mix
Wilson County Smaller Similar spending Similar funding mix
Williamson County Larger Similar spending More locally funded
Hamilton County Larger Higher spending Similar funding mix
Sevier County Smaller Higher spending More locally funded

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

Compare Sumner 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 Sumner County?

Sumner County has 52 schools, including 11 high, 20 combined, 11 middle, 10 elementary. Total enrollment is 30,732 students.

How much does Sumner County spend per student?

Sumner County spends $10,286 per student. The district has an equity score of 22/100, ranking #125 in Tennessee.

What is the demographic composition of Sumner County?

Sumner County students are 70.2% White, 13.8% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% African American, 1.8% Asian, averaged across 52 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Sumner County?

Sumner County has an equity score of 22/100, ranking #125 out of 140 districts in Tennessee.