Tennessee schools are the most racially segregated in the South and the sixth-most segregated in the nation, a new report reveals.
The national report released June 22 by Brown’s Promise and the Segregation Tracking Project shows the varying degrees to which U.S. schools remain segregated both racially and economically. The researchers warn school integration is going in the wrong direction.
“America’s public education stakeholders must consider this sentiment today as segregation has not only failed to be eradicated, but has increased over the past few decades to the point that schools are as segregated today as they were in the 1970s,” a release states. “Segregation ensures division, while integration can lead to significant increases in school resources that produce higher outcomes − particularly for students of color.”
The Volunteer State is followed in the South by Mississippi in 13th and Alabama in 18th. Tennessee has the 20th-most economically segregated schools.
The 2026 report uses data from the 2023-24 school year, the most recent information available to researchers. Their work builds upon the landmark Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education from 1954, which made it illegal for states and school districts to turn Black children away from a public school because of their race.
What the school segregation numbers mean
The higher a state is ranked, the more segregated its schools are. The amount of segregation is placed on a scale of zero to 1, with zero representing no segregation.
Tennessee’s score of 0.46 means the typical student of color goes to a school with far more students of color than the typical white student, instead of both groups sharing similar school environments.
The typical student of color attends schools where the share of students of color is roughly 46 percentage points higher than in the schools attended by the typical white student, and vice versa.
For comparison, New York state has a score of 0.54, meaning schools and districts are more divided by race. Several Rust Belt states have similar scores.
Vermont scored the lowest with a racial segregation score of 0.085, meaning there is very low segregation, though around 91% of the state identifies as white.
The report shows Tennessee has about 79% segregation between school districts, which means a majority of districts are divided by race.
Tennessee fairs a bit better with its economic segregation ranking. With a score of 0.26, Tennessee students who are eligible for free and reduced-price lunch attend schools where the eligibility rate is 26 percentage points higher than in the schools of those who are not eligible, on average.
How the 10 largest Tennessee school districts rank on segregation
Lower numbers mean there is more integration, though fluctuations over the years reflect changes in desegregation and demographics. A higher number means there is less integration.
Memphis-Shelby County Schools
The report did not have data for 1993 and 2003.
2013
White to Black: 0.54
White to Hispanic: 0.52
2023
White to Black: 0.26
White to Hispanic: 0.39
Metro Nashville Public Schools
1993
White to Black: 0.14
White to Hispanic: 0.02
2003
White to Black: 0.24
White to Hispanic: 0.21
2013
White to Black: 0.26
White to Hispanic: 0.26
2023
White to Black: 0.30
White to Hispanic: 0.33
Knox County Schools
1993
White to Black: 0.39
White to Hispanic: 0.01
2003
White to Black: 0.34
White to Hispanic: 0.04
2013
White to Black: 0.27
White to Hispanic: 0.08
2023
White to Black: 0.30
White to Hispanic: 0.16
Rutherford County Schools
1993
White to Black: 0.04
White to Hispanic: 0
2003
White to Black: 0.10
White to Hispanic: 0.08
2013
White to Black: 0.11
White to Hispanic: 0.16
2023
White to Black: 0.10
White to Hispanic: 0.18
Hamilton County School District
1993
White to Black: 0.05
White to Hispanic: 0.02
2003
White to Black: 0.51
White to Hispanic: 0.23
2013
White to Black: 0.50
White to Hispanic: 0.30
2023
White to Black: 0.49
White to Hispanic: 0.46
Williamson County Schools
1993
White to Black: 0.04
White to Hispanic: 0.01
2003
White to Black: 0.05
White to Hispanic: 0.03
2013
White to Black: 0.02
White to Hispanic: 0.02
2023
White to Black: 0.02
White to Hispanic: 0.03
Clarksville-Montgomery County System
1993
White to Black: 0.08
White to Hispanic: 0.02
2003
White to Black: 0.18
White to Hispanic: 0.10
2013
White to Black: 0.12
White to Hispanic: 0.07
2023
White to Black: 0.13
White to Hispanic: 0.07
Sumner County Schools
1993
White to Black: 0.10
White to Hispanic: 0
2003
White to Black: 0.15
White to Hispanic: 0.06
2013
White to Black: 0.09
White to Hispanic: 0.09
2023
White to Black: 0.11
White to Hispanic: 0.10
Wilson County School District
1993
White to Black: 0.01
White to Hispanic: 0
2003
White to Black: 0.04
White to Hispanic: 0.01
2013
White to Black: 0.02
White to Hispanic: 0.02
2023
White to Black: 0.03
White to Hispanic: 0.02
Sevier County School District
1993
White to Black: 0
White to Hispanic: 0
2003
White to Black: 0.02
White to Hispanic: 0.02
2013
White to Black: 0.01
White to Hispanic: 0.06
2023
White to Black: 0.02
White to Hispanic: 0.19
What states have the most segregated schools?
What states have the least segregated schools?
The call to action
Researchers are calling on communities to ensure segregation becomes a relic of the past by funding public schools fully and fairly, rethinking school district zones, centering positive student experiences, ensuring integration within districts and cultivating a supportive policy ecosystem through data and accountability.
“With dedicated policy and political will stakeholders can address the problem and begin a new era in American public schooling where students learn together to build the future together.”
Caitlyn Meisner is the K-12 education reporter for Knox News. Email tips and story ideas to caitlyn.meisner@knoxnews.com.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee schools are most racially segregated in the South, report shows
