State of Tennessee

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Staff

Each of Tennessee’s public schools and districts has dedicated staff members working in various ways to support student success. The following information is an in-depth view of school/district staffing for the 2019-20 school year.

Teachers

At the heart of instruction, classroom teachers work to support the growth and success of our students. Learn more about the classroom teachers in this school or district below.

Number of teachers

68,676

What does this mean?

This represents the school or district’s total number of staffed teachers.

Why is this important?

The number of teachers staffed can vary across schools and districts. The total number of teachers is important to schools and districts when considering how many teachers are needed for the number of students at the school.

Student to teacher ratio

15:1

What does this mean?

This represents the number of students per teacher in the school or district.

Why is this important?

While this number does not directly reflect class size, the student to teacher ratio can provide visibility into how many students a teacher may engage with directly. Students with access to direct instruction from their teacher often benefit more in the classroom.

Teacher retention

90.9%

What does this mean?

This represents the percentage of teachers who were staffed in this school or district during the 2018-19 school year and returned to this school or district for the 2019-20 school year.

Why is this important?

Minimizing teacher turnover can lead to a stable learning environment and positive outcomes for students, consistent collaboration among staff, and increased quality of teaching and learning. Learn more about teacher retention in Tennessee here.

School and District Instructional Leaders

Through their leadership, school and district instructional leaders work to support the overall success of a school or district. Learn more about these instructional leaders below.

Number of Instructional Leaders

4,041

What does this mean?

This represents the school or district’s total number of instructional leaders.

Why is this important?

This number indicates the layers of adult leadership and instructional support within the school or district. Instructional leaders help set the instructional program and the tone for schools and districts and are a fundamental part of every students’ success.

Student to Instructional Leader ratio

251:1

What does this mean?

This represents the number of students per instructional leader in the school or district.

Why is this important?

Instructional leaders provide direct instructional support to teachers as they work to impact student growth and success. The lower the ratio, the more instructional support the administrator can give to the teachers and students, fostering overall school and district success.

School Services Support Personnel

Beyond teachers and instructional leaders, schools and districts also have a number of school services support staff who work to support student’s academic and non-academic needs. The information below gives more detail regarding school services support staff, which includes counselors, instructional coaches, interventionists, library media specialists, and other support staff.

Number of School Services Support Personnel

9,492

What does this mean?

This represents the school or district’s total number of staff who support student academic and non-academic needs.

Why is this important?

School services support personnel deliver all the additional services required to provide a great education for each child. In addition to teachers and instructional leaders, these staff members represent additional adults within a school or district working to support student success in both academic and non-academic areas.

Additional staff Counts
Counselors Counts 2513
Instructional coaches Counts 1110
Interventionists Counts 1443
Library Media Specialists Counts 1533
Other support Counts 2893
 

Student to School Services Support Personnel ratio

107:1

What does this mean?

This represents the number of students per support personnel in this school or district.

Why is this important?

School services support personnel work to provide a great education for each child. An increased support staff presence can improve outcomes for students by providing more opportunities for students to build positive and trusting relationships within the school or district.