TN public virtual schools: Companies get millions for poor performance

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.