TDOE Approves 29 New Virtual Schools For 2021-22 School Year

The Tennessee Department of Education on Friday announced the approval of 29 new virtual schools for the 2021-22 school year, bringing the total number of virtual schools operating across the state to 57.

“As we head into the new school year, educators and school and district leaders throughout the state are focused on ensuring student achievement and serving the needs of all students in their communities,” said Commissioner Penny Schwinn. “Last school year, districts responded to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic by providing additional operating models and learning formats to ensure that families had options and students could continue learning with their classmates and teachers when out of school buildings. While research shows that students benefit most from in-person classroom instruction, districts are ensuring families who prefer a virtual education setting for their students have those options and can continue to make the best choices for their children.”

Beginning in 2011, the Tennessee Virtual Public Schools Act was passed and allowed local education agencies to create virtual schools to offer an alternative mode of instruction for students.

Due to COVID-19 disruptions during the 2020-21 school year, in June 2020 the Tennessee State Board of Education promulgated an emergency rule to require school districts and public charter schools to develop Continuous Learning Plans that addressed how they would continue to provide instruction in a fully virtual environment. By the end of the 2020-2021 school year, all Tennessee offered in-person learning options, and in April 2021 the State Board passed a permanent rule which limits the ability for districts and public charter schools to utilize a CLP to provide remote instruction in the upcoming 2021-22 school year unless the Governor declares a state of emergency and the commissioner of education grants permission. As a result, families desiring that their students continue to receive a significant portion of their instruction remotely must enroll their students in a virtual school.

For the 2021-22 school year, applications came from districts throughout the state working to implement a variety of instructional delivery modes that work best for the students, families and communities they serve. 

The 29 Tennessee newly approved virtual schools for the 2021-22 school year are as follows:

School District	School Name	Grades
Anderson County Schools	Anderson County Innovation Academy	3-12
Bedford County Schools	Bedford County Virtual School	3-8
Bristol Tennessee City Schools	Tennessee Online Public School at Bristol	K-5
Campbell County Schools	North CumberlandOnline School	6-12
Cheatham County Schools	Cheatham County Virtual Academy	9-12
Clarksville-Montgomery County School System	CMCSS K-12 Virtual School	K-12
Coffee County Schools	Coffee County Virtual Academy	6-12
Collierville Schools	Collierville Virtual Academy	3-12
Dickson County Schools	Dickson County Distance Learning Academy	4-12
Germantown Municipal School District	Germantown Online Academy of Learning	6-12
Greene County Schools	Greene Online Academy of Learning	K-12
Greeneville City Schools	TennesseeOnline Public School at Greeneville	K-12
Hawkins County Schools	Hawkins County Virtual Academy	K-12
Haywood County Schools	Haywood County Virtual Academy	K-8
Jackson-Madison County School System	Jackson AcademicSTEAMAcademy	K-12
Jefferson County Schools	Jefferson Virtual Academy	1-12
Johnson City Schools	Johnson City Virtual Academy	5-12
Knox County Schools	KCS Virtual Elementary School	1-5
Knox County Schools	KCS Virtual Middle School	6-8
Knox County Schools	KCS Virtual High School	9-12
Lenoir City Schools	TheiLearnInstitute at Lenoir City Schools	K-12
Lincoln County Schools	Lincoln CentralVirtualAcademy	K-12
Marion County Schools	Marion Virtual Elementary School	K-5
Sevier County School System	Sevier County Virtual Academy	K-12
Sullivan County Schools	Sullivan County Virtual Learning Academy	6-12
Tullahoma City Schools	Tullahoma Virtual Academy	9-12
Warren County Schools	Warren Connect	3-12
Williamson County Schools	WCS Online K-8	K-8
Williamson County Schools	WCS Online 9-12	9-12

  

Additionally, Houston County Schools’ application to create the Houston Virtual Academy serving grades 6-12 is pending and under review.

In addition to these approvals, grade changes were approved for nine existing virtual schools, as indicated below: 

School District	School Name	Grades
BristolTennessee City Schools	Tennessee Online Public School	6-8*, 9-12
Davidson County Schools	MNPS Virtual School	4*, 5-12
Hickman County Schools	Hickman Learning Academy	3-5*, 6-12
Marion County Schools	Marion Virtual High School	6-8*,9-12
Polk County Schools	Polk Innovative Learning Academy	K-11, 12*
Rutherford County Schools	Rutherford County Virtual Academy	3-5*, 6-12
Shelby County Schools	Memphis Virtual School	6-8*, 9-12
Washington County Schools	Tennessee Virtual Learning Academy	6-8*, 9-12
Wilson County Schools	Barry Tatum Virtual Learning Academy	K-3†, 4-12

* Denotes grade addition to already established virtual school for 2021-22 school year. 

† Denotes grade removal for 2021-22 school year.

 

“Bristol Tennessee City Schools has recognized the importance of a quality virtual learning option for families since Tennessee Online Public School launched in 2012,” said Dr. Annette Tudor, director of Schools, Bristol City Schools. “The flexible schedule and learning environment of our local virtual school is designed to meet the needs of all learners—those whose extracurricular interests may not allow for a traditional school schedule as well as those whose learning needs may not be suitable to a traditional classroom environment. Our virtual school prepares students for college or career with challenging and engaging coursework, all taught by certified Tennessee teachers and all tuition-free.”

To open a virtual school, a school district is required to complete and submit annually by June 1 a Program and School Authorization Form. Upon receipt, the department reviews each submission to ensure all required materials have been provided and that the proposed virtual school complies with applicable laws and regulations.

For more information about Tennessee’s Virtual Schools, visit this webpage or read the 2019-2020 Virtual Schools Report.