Private operators make millions from Tennessee’s underperforming public virtual schools
By: Rachel Wegner
Concerns over how state dollars flow into Tennessee’s virtual K-12 public schools have driven discussions in recent weeks over funding, academics and the for-profit organizations that manage some of those schools.
While virtual public schools are nothing new in Tennessee, their numbers have boomed over the last several years. During the 2019-20 school year, there were around 3,500 students spread across 18 virtual public schools, according to a state report. In the 2024-25 school year, there were roughly 15,000 students enrolled across around 60 schools. While the state listed 65 virtual public schools in operation for the current academic year, enrollment data was not readily available.
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