Best Student-Teacher Ratios in Tennessee

The schools in Tennessee with the lowest student-teacher ratios offer smaller class sizes, which research links to better academic outcomes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The top-ranked school, Tenn School for Blind, has a ratio of just 4.4:1.

The Tennessee state average is 15.6:1, compared to the national average of 15.7:1. Schools with enrollment under 100 are excluded to ensure meaningful comparisons.

4.4:1
Best Ratio
Tenn School for Blind
15.6:1
State Average
15.7:1
National Average
50
Schools Listed
# School Student:Teacher Enrollment
1. Tenn School for Blind Nashville 4.4:1
-72% vs state
100
2. Vanguard Virtual High School Franklin 4.5:1
-71% vs state
117
3. Polk Innovative Learning Academy Benton 4.9:1
-69% vs state
147
4. Carver College and Career Academy Memphis 6.3:1
-60% vs state
402
5. Kcs Virtual Elementary School Knoxville 6.6:1
-58% vs state
119
6. Kcs Virtual Middle School Knoxville 6.7:1
-57% vs state
141
7. Maynard Elementary Knoxville 7:1
-55% vs state
109
8. R T Fisher Alternative Gallatin 7.2:1
-54% vs state
127
9. Sharon School Sharon 7.3:1
-53% vs state
190
10. Holloway High School Murfreesboro 7.5:1
-52% vs state
122
11. Chattanooga Charter School of Excellence High Chattanooga 7.8:1
-50% vs state
113
12. Memphis Business Academy Hickory Hill Elementary School Memphis 7.9:1
-49% vs state
183
13. Big Sandy School Big Sandy 8:1
-49% vs state
243
14. Elk Valley Elementary Pioneer 8.1:1
-48% vs state
119
15. Memphis Virtual School Memphis 8.4:1
-46% vs state
309
16. Johnson Elementary Franklin 8.5:1
-46% vs state
279
17. Barry Tatum Virtual Learning Academy Lebanon 8.6:1
-45% vs state
115
18. Rozelle Elementary Memphis 8.8:1
-44% vs state
222
19. Friendship Elementary Friendship 8.8:1
-44% vs state
117
20. Poplar Grove 5-8 Franklin 9:1
-42% vs state
307
21. Sequoyah High School Soddy Daisy 9:1
-42% vs state
235
22. Catons Chapel Elementary Sevierville 9.1:1
-42% vs state
290
23. Avon School Memphis 9.1:1
-42% vs state
174
24. Sarah Moore Greene Magnet Technology Academy Knoxville 9.2:1
-41% vs state
517
25. Northwest Prep Academy Memphis 9.2:1
-41% vs state
173
26. Kcs Virtual High School Knoxville 9.3:1
-40% vs state
223
27. The Discovery School Dickson 9.3:1
-40% vs state
202
28. South Central Elementary Chuckey 9.3:1
-40% vs state
171
29. Clinch School Sneedville 9.6:1
-38% vs state
176
30. Jones Cove Elementary Cosby 9.6:1
-38% vs state
102
31. Selmer Middle School Selmer 9.7:1
-38% vs state
197
32. John Early Middle Nashville 9.7:1
-38% vs state
136
33. Nashville Big Picture High School Nashville 9.7:1
-38% vs state
125
34. Jellico Elementary Jellico 9.9:1
-37% vs state
271
35. Norwood Middle School Oliver Springs 9.9:1
-37% vs state
162
36. Carter County Online Academy Elizabethton 9.9:1
-37% vs state
123
37. White Oak Elementary Duff 9.9:1
-37% vs state
101
38. Smith County High School Carthage 10:1
-36% vs state
476
39. Lester Prep Memphis 10:1
-36% vs state
204
40. Austin East High/Magnet Knoxville 10.1:1
-35% vs state
663
41. Southern Avenue Charter School of Academic Excellence Creati Memphis 10.2:1
-35% vs state
302
42. Copper Basin High School Copperhill 10.2:1
-35% vs state
231
43. Mnps Virtual School Nashville 10.2:1
-35% vs state
131
44. Lafollette Elementary School LaFollette 10.3:1
-34% vs state
467
45. Rutledge Primary Rutledge 10.3:1
-34% vs state
199
46. Haywood Middle School Brownsville 10.4:1
-33% vs state
345
47. Woodstock Middle School Millington 10.4:1
-33% vs state
248
48. Black Oak Elementary Hornbeak 10.4:1
-33% vs state
220
49. Bridgeforth Middle School Pulaski 10.5:1
-33% vs state
316
50. Dickson Elementary Dickson 10.5:1
-33% vs state
229
Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), Common Core of Data (CCD), 2022-23 school year. Schools with enrollment under 100 are excluded.
Largest Schools in Tennessee → Highest-Spending Districts → Chronic Absenteeism →

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