Tennessee · EDFacts 2021-22

Chronic Absenteeism in Tennessee

The 100 schools with the highest chronic absenteeism rates in Tennessee, ranked by the share of students missing 15 or more school days a year.

Reviewed by PlainSchools Editorial, K12 Schools Editorial Team · June 10, 2026

100.0%
Highest rate: 100
Schools above 50%: 100
Schools ranked

The picture in one line

The 100 Tennessee schools listed here average 73.1% chronic absenteeism, against a national school average of 30.9%, and 100 of them sit above the 50% critical line.

73.1%
average across these 100 schools: 30.9%
national school average: 100.0%
highest rate (Melrose High): 100
schools above 50%

#	School	Enrollment	Status	Absent %
1	Melrose High Memphis	645	Critical	100.0%
2	W. a. Bass Adult Program Nashville	309	Critical	100.0%
3	Hamilton County Virtual School Chattanooga	254	Critical	100.0%
4	Kipp Memphis Academy Middle Memphis	228	Critical	100.0%
5	Memphis Scholars Florida Kansas Memphis	143	Critical	100.0%
6	Dr. Paul L. Kelley Volunteer Academy Knoxville	95	Critical	100.0%
7	Barry Tatum Academy Lebanon	86	Critical	100.0%
8	Tipton County Alternative Learning Center Covington	85	Critical	100.0%
9	Richard Yoakley School Knoxville	81	Critical	100.0%
10	Memphis Scholars Raleigh-Egypt Memphis	78	Critical	100.0%
11	White Plains Academy Algood	76	Critical	100.0%
12	Johnson Alternative Learning Center Nashville	74	Critical	100.0%
13	Robertson County Phoenix Academy Springfield	74	Critical	100.0%
14	Gary Hardin Academy Sevierville	74	Critical	100.0%
15	W.a. Bass Alternative Learning Center Nashville	68	Critical	100.0%
16	Daniel Mckee Alternative School Murfreesboro	63	Critical	100.0%
17	Ridgedale Alternative School Knoxville	50	Critical	100.0%
18	Pearl-Cohn High Nashville	526	Critical	98.5%
19	The Excel Center Memphis	457	Critical	96.5%
20	Martin Luther King Preparatory High School Memphis	537	Critical	95.9%
21	Northfield Academy Spring Hill	74	Critical	94.6%
22	Northwest Prep Academy Memphis	173	Critical	94.2%
23	The Phoenix School Crossville	72	Critical	93.1%
24	Haynes Middle Nashville	234	Critical	91.0%
25	Memphis College Preparatory Memphis	227	Critical	88.1%
26	Moses Mckissack Middle Nashville	114	Critical	86.8%
27	Stratford Stem Magnet School Nashville	810	Critical	85.8%
28	Memphis Scholars Caldwell-Guthrie Memphis	309	Critical	85.1%
29	Madison Middle Madison	360	Critical	85.0%
30	Orchard Knob Middle Chattanooga	264	Critical	78.8%
31	Kipp Memphis Collegiate High School Memphis	346	Critical	77.7%
32	Kipp Memphis Collegiate Middle Memphis	301	Critical	77.1%
33	Believe Memphis Academy Charter School Memphis	467	Critical	76.9%
34	Maplewood High Nashville	700	Critical	76.3%
35	John Early Middle Nashville	136	Critical	75.7%
36	Perry County High School Linden	273	Critical	75.1%
37	Tenn School for Blind Nashville	100	Critical	74.0%
38	Republic High School Nashville	587	Critical	73.8%
39	Memphis Business Academy High School Memphis	521	Critical	73.3%
40	Memphis Delta Preparatory Memphis	351	Critical	72.9%
41	Two Rivers Middle Nashville	281	Critical	72.6%
42	A. Maceo Walker Middle Memphis	641	Critical	69.6%
43	Woodstock Middle School Millington	248	Critical	69.4%
44	R T Fisher Alternative Gallatin	127	Critical	69.3%
45	Bluff City High School Memphis	514	Critical	69.1%
46	Jere Baxter Middle Nashville	369	Critical	69.1%
47	Howard Connect Academy Chattanooga	94	Critical	69.1%
48	Hillcrest High School Memphis	476	Critical	68.9%
49	Donelson Middle Nashville	434	Critical	68.7%
50	Grainger High School Rutledge	756	Critical	67.3%
51	Journey Hanley School Memphis	657	Critical	67.1%
52	Jones Elementary Nashville	251	Critical	66.9%
53	Cherokee Elementary Memphis	321	Critical	66.4%
54	Vine Middle/Magnet Knoxville	382	Critical	66.0%
55	The Howard School Chattanooga	1,329	Critical	65.6%
56	Glencliff High School Nashville	1,013	Critical	65.5%
57	Wooddale Middle School Memphis	534	Critical	64.4%
58	East Nashville Magnet High School Nashville	432	Critical	64.4%
59	North Parkway Middle School Jackson	360	Critical	64.2%
60	Chickasaw Middle Memphis	330	Critical	63.9%
61	Kipp Memphis Collegiate Elementary Memphis	381	Critical	63.8%
62	Haywood High School Brownsville	733	Critical	63.0%
63	South Doyle High School Knoxville	925	Critical	62.3%
64	Northaven Elementary Memphis	320	Critical	62.2%
65	Levi Elementary Memphis	454	Critical	62.1%
66	Rocketship Nashville Northeast Elementary Nashville	499	Critical	61.9%
67	Coker Creek Elementary Tellico Plains	55	Critical	61.8%
68	Lincoln Elementary School Jackson	412	Critical	61.4%
69	Neely's Bend: a Lead Public School Madison	367	Critical	61.0%
70	Bedford County Virtual School Wartrace	77	Critical	61.0%
71	Ida B. Wells Academy Es/Ms Memphis	99	Critical	60.6%
72	Sequatchie Co High School Dunlap	542	Critical	60.5%
73	Fayette Ware Comprehensive High School Somerville	724	Critical	60.4%
74	William Henry Oliver Middle Nashville	423	Critical	60.3%
75	City University School of Liberal Arts Memphis	179	Critical	59.8%
76	Cornerstone Prep - Lester Campus Memphis	401	Critical	59.6%
77	Apollo Middle Antioch	549	Critical	59.0%
78	Hunters Lane High Nashville	1,414	Critical	58.8%
79	Ridgeway High Memphis	695	Critical	58.6%
80	Wright Middle Nashville	498	Critical	58.0%
81	Fulton High School Knoxville	933	Critical	57.8%
82	Liberty Technology Magnet High School Jackson	604	Critical	57.8%
83	Jackson Career Technology Magnet Elementary Jackson	336	Critical	57.7%
84	Brainerd High School Chattanooga	739	Critical	57.5%
85	New Directions Academy Charlotte	61	Critical	57.4%
86	Austin East High/Magnet Knoxville	663	Critical	57.3%
87	Compass Community School Orange Mound Campus Memphis	203	Critical	57.1%
88	East Ridge High School Chattanooga	867	Critical	57.0%
89	Spring Hill Elementary Knoxville	419	Critical	56.6%
90	Fairley High School Memphis	399	Critical	55.9%
91	Cumberland Elementary Nashville	452	Critical	55.8%
92	Croft Middle Nashville	411	Critical	55.5%
93	Bradley Academy - an Arts Integrated School Murfreesboro	334	Critical	55.1%
94	Freedom Preparatory Academy Flagship Memphis	692	Critical	54.5%
95	Compass Community School Frayser Campus Memphis	200	Critical	54.5%
96	Rutledge Middle School Rutledge	363	Critical	54.0%
97	Sevier County High School Sevierville	950	Critical	53.9%
98	Jones Cove Elementary Cosby	102	Critical	53.9%
99	Green Magnet Math and Science Academy Knoxville	359	Critical	53.8%
100	Compass Community School Binghampton Campus Memphis	201	Critical	53.7%

← National Rankings All Tennessee Schools Funding Equity

Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts — Chronic Absenteeism Data (SY 2021-22). Schools with fewer than 50 students excluded. Percentage = chronically absent students / total enrollment U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts — Chronic Absenteeism Data (SY 2021-22). Schools with fewer than 50 students excluded. Percentage = chronically absent students / total enrollment

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.