Charter schools in Tennessee
119 open public charter schools in the 2025-26 federal directory, about 44,273 students in 2024-25.
Public charter schools (tuition-free)
Charter schools by town
Each town page lists its own charter schools and the others within 15 miles.
- Memphis (63)
- Nashville (32)
- Antioch (7)
- Chattanooga (7)
- Cordova (2)
- Knoxville (2)
- Soddy Daisy (2)
- LaVergne (1)
- Madison (1)
- Murfreesboro (1)
- Smyrna (1)
Who runs and charters them
Networks and districts with the most charter schools in Tennessee: Memphis-Shelby County Schools (54), Metro Nashville Public Schools (26), Tennessee Public Charter School Commission (24), Hamilton County Schools (9), Achievement School District (2), Knox County Schools (2), Rutherford County Schools (2).
Charter authorizers named most often: Memphis-Shelby County Schools (54), Davidson County (26), Tennessee Public Charter School Commission (24), Hamilton County (9), Knox County (2), Rutherford County (2), Achievement School District (2).
Names as the state reported them to the federal directory (2025-26).
Charter schools: how they work
- Public and free. NCES describes a public charter school as a publicly funded school, usually run by a group or organization under a contract (the charter) with the state, the district or another body. The federal definition says a charter school does not charge tuition.
- Families choose it. Under the same definition, a charter school is one parents choose to send their children to, and it admits students by lottery when more apply than it has room for.
- Its own rules, its own accountability. The charter frees the school from some state or local rules; in return it must meet the standards written in its charter. It is nonsectarian.
- No program badge. ChoiceFunded’s program badges and “schools that accept” lists cover private schools only. Charter schools are listed separately here, with no badge, and are never counted with private schools.
Sources: 20 U.S.C. 7221i (federal Charter Schools Program definitions); NCES, Condition of Education: Public Charter School Enrollment. Each state writes its own charter law, so ask the school how enrollment works there.
- Private schools in Tennessee (listed separately)
- What Tennessee pays toward private school
- Charter schools in every state
- Tennessee next to other states: charter and private school choice
School facts: U.S. Department of Education, Common Core of Data (2025-26 directory, 2024-25 enrollment and staff). Where our data comes from.