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Academics: Facts

Rutherford County has two public schools systems: Rutherford County Schools (pre-K – 12) and Murfreesboro City Schools (pre-K – 6). Private schools offer additional choices to citizens.

Rutherford County Schools, with 32,704 K-12 students in 42 schools, are 100 percent accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, with 99.6% of its core courses taught by highly qualified teachers (as defined by state and federal standards).

Rutherford County has six middle schools ranked in the state’s top 50 schools in a three-way tie with two other Tennessee counties for top-performing middle schools.

Murfreesboro City Schools, with 7,077 pre-K through 6 students in 12 schools, are 100 percent accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. On the Terra Nova test administered in the spring, the grade average at all levels exceeded the national norms. More than 68 percent of the licensed employees have Master’s degrees or higher.

Murfreesboro’s elementary school system is #6 statewide, with the ratio of professional personnel to pupils approximately 1 to 14. The ratio of classroom teachers to pupils is less than 1 to 20.

More about…Murfreesboro City Schools

• On the Terra Nova Assessment Test administered last year, grade average at all levels exceeded national norms.
• More than 68 percent of the licensed employees have Master’s degrees or higher.
• Annually sixth-grade classes spend several days on a field trip in which their educational program is conducted totally in an outdoor setting.
• Licensed music, physical education, art and media specialists are provided in each K-6 school.
• Guidance counselors are available in all schools to assist students.
• An extended school program is offered before and after school as well as during summer and break sessions in all schools.
• Special Education staff are in all schools. Special Education preschool classes are located at Bellwood/Bowdoin Preschool.
• The Discovery School at Reeves-Rogers serves 350 high-achieving kindergarten through sixth-grade students.
• The City Schools Foundation was established in 2006 to support the educational programs of the system.

More about…Rutherford County Schools

• The State of Tennessee’s Headquarters for the Virtual Enterprise program is at Rutherford County’s Blackman High School.
• Oakland High School offers an International Baccalaureate (IB) Program, and is one of just 13 schools in Tennessee certified to offer this unique educational opportunity to students.
• Rutherford County Schools received “straight As” for learning gains and achievement for grades 3 – 8 on the most recent Tennessee Report Card on Education. Those grades made Rutherford County Schools one of only nine other districts in the state to receive perfect scores for grades 3 – 8.
• The Tennessee Department of Education has used Rutherford County Schools as a model for its comprehensive safety programs and training.
• Guidance counselors are available in all schools to assist students.
• McFadden School of Excellence serves high-achieving students in K-8 grade.
• Thurman Francis Arts Academy provides arts-based learning in Smyrna.
• All K-5 schools have after-school programs.
• All schools offer special education staffing.
• Many of the K-5 schools offer outdoor classrooms for science study.
• The district is home to several state championships on the athletic front, including multiple state football titles held by Smyrna High, Riverdale High and Oakland High. Several schools also have won titles in basketball, baseball and bowling.
• Several high schools have ranked in the top 10 percent in Gateway and end-of-course exams for value-added (three-year learning gains), including:
  • Smyrna High and Siegel High ranking in the top 10 percent of ACT math;
  • Smyrna High ranking in the top 10 percent for Algebra I for learning gains;
  • Smyrna High and Siegel High ranking in the top 10 percent for ACT composite scores;
  • Smyrna High, Siegel High and Blackman High ranking in the top 10 percent for U.S. History for learning gains;
  • Oakland High, Siegel High and Holloway High ranking in the top 10 percent for Physical Science learning gains;
  • Riverdale High and Smyrna High ranking in the top 10 percent for English I learning gains;
  • Riverdale, Smyrna, Siegel and Blackman High ranking in the top 10 percent of English II learning gains and Biology I learning gains; and
  • Siegel High scoring in the top 10 percent for writing assessment learning gains.