The Arts Education Data Project is a partnership between the State Education Agency Directors of Arts Education and Quadrant Research. The nationwide project coordinates with participating state departments of education to collect and report arts education data from State Longitudinal Data Systems (SLDS) and other state department of education datasets on an annual basis.
Suggested Citation: Morrison, R., 2026. Arts Education Data Project Report, Tennessee. © 2026 Quadrant Foundation
Key Statistics — 2024–2025
90.9%
Students with access to at least one arts discipline
74%
Students with access to the two state-required disciplines
64.9%
Overall student arts participation rate (681,630 students)
15.2%
Schools that did not offer any arts courses (276 schools)
9.1%
Students without arts access (95,570 students)
4,699
Total arts teachers (↓5.2% vs. 2024)
Key Findings
-
Overall, 90.9% of students had access to at least one arts discipline (Dance, Media Arts, Music, Theater, Visual Arts), and 74% had access to the two state-required disciplines. -
The rate of students without arts access decreased from 2024 to 2025 (9.2% vs. 9.1%). -
In total, 15.2% of schools did not offer any arts courses. -
64.9% of all students participated in arts education, representing 681,630 students. -
Arts enrollment was highest in Elementary schools at 82.1%, and lowest in High schools at 44.8%. -
Student access to arts education was lowest in schools where a High proportion of students were eligible for Free or Reduced-Price meals; 22.4% of students did not have the opportunity to enroll in the arts at their school. -
Overall arts participation was lowest in schools where a High proportion of students were eligible for the Free or Reduced-Price Meals program: 57.3%. -
The rate of arts participation was highest (97.8%) in schools where more than 50% of the students are Asian. The rate was lowest in majority-White schools, at 63.3%. -
The arts participation rate was highest in Suburb locales (73.3%) and lowest in Rural areas (56.6%).
Basic Information by Grade Level — 2024–2025
| School Grade Level | Schools | % of Schools | Students | % of Students | Arts Teachers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary | 800 | 44.0% | 402,169 | 38.3% | 1,524 |
| Middle | 323 | 17.8% | 196,451 | 18.7% | 958 |
| High | 320 | 17.6% | 287,178 | 27.4% | 1,715 |
| Mixed | 375 | 20.6% | 164,068 | 15.6% | 940 |
| Grand Total | 1,818 | 100.0% | 1,049,866 | 100.0% | 5,137 |
The Tennessee Department of Education captures enrollment by grade level for arts courses delivered in Charter and Traditional schools. Elementary: grades K–5 | Middle: grades 6–8 | High: grades 9–12 | Mixed: grade spans that cross these boundaries, such as K–8.
Access to the Arts
Access is the lowest threshold measure for arts education. It is used to determine if a school offers at least one arts discipline with any student enrollment. This only indicates presence of program, not breadth, and is used primarily to determine where schools may be operating without arts instruction.
91%
Student Access Rate
85%
School Access Rate
74%
Students w/ Access to Required Arts
62%
Schools w/ Required Arts
Student Access to Music and Visual Arts — Trend (2021–2025)
| Year | Without Music/Visual Arts (%) | With Music/Visual Arts (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 24% | 76% |
| 2022 | 25% | 75% |
| 2023 | 24% | 76% |
| 2024 | 25% | 75% |
| 2025 | 26% | 74% |
Schools Offering Music and Visual Arts — Trend (2021–2025)
| Year | Without Music/Visual Arts (%) | With Music/Visual Arts (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 36% | 64% |
| 2022 | 37% | 63% |
| 2023 | 36% | 64% |
| 2024 | 36% | 64% |
| 2025 | 38% | 62% |
Enrollment in the Arts
Enrollments indicate the proportion of all students that are enrolled in at least one arts course.
Enrollment by Arts Discipline
48.4%
Music
45.8%
Visual Arts
3.8%
Theater
0.7%
Dance
2.0%
Media Arts
Arts Enrollment Rate by Year
| Year | Arts Enrollment Rate | Count of Arts Students |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 64.4% | 672,590 |
| 2022 | 65.3% | 696,750 |
| 2023 | 65.9% | 698,930 |
| 2024 | 65.1% | 693,150 |
| 2025 | 64.9% | 681,630 |
By-Discipline Trends and Top Five Courses
Course level participation and information is from 2024–2025.
Music — Top Five Courses
| Course Name | Students Enrolled | Schools |
|---|---|---|
| General Music Grade 3 | 61,555 | 814 |
| General Music Grade 1 | 58,722 | 802 |
| General Music Grade 4 | 58,515 | 816 |
| General Music Grade 2 | 58,360 | 800 |
| General Music Grade 5 | 55,270 | 808 |
| General Music Kindergarten | 55,270 | 766 |
Visual Arts — Top Five Courses
| Course Name | Students Enrolled | Schools |
|---|---|---|
| Visual Arts Grade 3 | 55,178 | 721 |
| Visual Arts Grade 2 | 53,286 | 714 |
| Visual Arts Grade 1 | 52,961 | 706 |
| Visual Arts Grade 4 | 52,183 | 726 |
| Visual Arts Grade 5 | 51,448 | 765 |
Theater — Top Five Courses
| Course Name | Students Enrolled | Schools |
|---|---|---|
| Theatre: Comprehensive I | 11,583 | 311 |
| Theatre Grade 6 | 4,794 | 66 |
| Theatre Grade 7 | 3,990 | 72 |
| Theatre: Comprehensive II | 3,752 | 212 |
| Theatre Grade 8 | 3,625 | 72 |
Dance — Top Five Courses
| Course Name | Students Enrolled | Schools |
|---|---|---|
| Dance: Comprehensive I | 2,080 | 58 |
| Dance: Comprehensive II | 638 | 38 |
| Dance Grade 5 | 579 | 16 |
| Multi-Age Dance (Grades K To 5) | 523 | 1 |
| Dance Grade 2 | 475 | 8 |
Media Arts — Top Five Courses
| Course Name | Students Enrolled | Schools |
|---|---|---|
| Media Arts High School I | 4,412 | 121 |
| Multi-Age Media Arts (Grades K To 5) | 3,353 | 11 |
| Media Arts Grade 5 | 1,687 | 28 |
| Media Arts Grade 6 | 1,603 | 40 |
| Media Arts Grade 4 | 1,466 | 23 |
Arts Enrollments by School Grade Level
School Access Rate and Student Access Rate by Grade Level
| Grade Level | School Access Rate | Student Access Rate | Arts Enrollment Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary | 83.3% | 86.0% | 82.1% |
| Middle | 92.3% | 96.2% | 68.6% |
| High | 92.8% | 99.1% | 44.8% |
| Mixed | 74.9% | 82.1% | 53.7% |
Arts Students by Discipline and Grade Level
| Grade Level | Music | Visual Arts | Theater | Dance | Media Arts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary | 307,000 | 275,000 | 5,000 | 2,000 | 9,000 |
| Middle | 80,000 | 78,000 | 13,000 | 1,000 | 5,000 |
| High | 54,000 | 65,000 | 17,000 | 3,000 | 5,000 |
| Mixed | 67,000 | 63,000 | 4,000 | 1,000 | 2,000 |
Student counts are approximate, derived from bar chart values in the PDF (reported in thousands).
Arts Enrollments by School and Student Characteristics
Arts Enrollment Rate by School Locale
| Locale | Arts Enrollment Rate |
|---|---|
| City, Large | 69.4% |
| City, Midsize | 74.0% |
| City, Small | 67.3% |
| Suburb, Large | 74.4% |
| Suburb, Midsize | 54.0% |
| Suburb, Small | 79.1% |
| Town, Distant | 55.2% |
| Town, Fringe | 62.9% |
| Town, Remote | 58.5% |
| Rural, Distant | 49.3% |
| Rural, Fringe | 66.0% |
| Rural, Remote | 41.5% |
Arts Enrollment Rate by School-Majority Race/Ethnicity
| School-Majority Race/Ethnicity | Arts Enrollment Rate |
|---|---|
| Asian | 97.8% |
| Black or African American | 63.4% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 71.2% |
| No Majority | 78.8% |
| White | 63.3% |
Discipline Enrollment by Student Sex
| Discipline | Female (%) | Male (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Music | 50% | 50% |
| Visual Arts | 50% | 50% |
| Theater | 56% | 44% |
| Dance | 68% | 32% |
| Media Arts | 48% | 52% |
Arts Enrollment Rate by School Type
| School Type | Arts Enrollment Rate |
|---|---|
| Charter | 45% |
| Traditional | 66% |
Arts Teachers
Teachers may be counted in more than one discipline and/or more than one grade level in the totals below if they teach multiple courses or in multiple buildings. Each teacher is only counted once in the overall “Arts Teachers” total.
The student-teacher ratios were calculated by dividing the number of students enrolled in the arts (Arts Students) or in schools offering the arts (All Students) by the number of arts teachers. A ratio of 250 means there are 250 students to every one arts teacher; low ratios are better.
4,699
Arts Teachers (↓5.2% vs. 2024)
145
Arts Students: Teachers Ratio (↑3.7% vs. 2024)
223
All Students: Teachers Ratio (↑4.0% vs. 2024)
Arts Teachers by Discipline
| Discipline | Arts Teachers | Arts Students: Teachers Ratio | All Students: Teachers Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Music | 2,462 | 206 | 365 |
| Visual Arts | 2,133 | 225 | 388 |
| Theater | 494 | 80 | 648 |
| Dance | 74 | 102 | 845 |
| Media Arts | 184 | 111 | 669 |
Arts Teachers by Grade Level
| Grade Level | Total Arts Teachers | Music | Visual Arts | Theater | Dance | Media Arts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary | 1,430 | 782 | 695 | 41 | 6 | 25 |
| Middle | 938 | 582 | 285 | 66 | 12 | 36 |
| High | 1,640 | 749 | 707 | 328 | 49 | 98 |
| Mixed | 877 | 484 | 487 | 63 | 10 | 27 |
Arts Access and Enrollment by Free or Reduced-Price Meals Eligibility
The percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals (FRPM) under the National School Lunch Program provides a proxy measure for the concentration of low-income students within a school.
-
Low-poverty: 25.0% or less are eligible -
Mid-Low poverty: 25.1% to 50.0% are eligible -
Mid-High poverty: 50.1% to 75.0% are eligible -
High-poverty: more than 75.0% of the students are eligible
Arts Enrollment Rate by FRPM Category
| FRPM Category | Arts Enrollment Rate | Student Access Rate | School Access Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low | 66.3% | 94.8% | 92.2% |
| Mid-Low | 62.9% | 91.4% | 84.6% |
| Mid-High | 67.0% | 86.1% | 77.6% |
| High | 57.3% | 80.1% | 67.5% |
Schools Without Arts Programs and the Students Affected
Some schools do not offer any arts courses, meaning the students in those schools do not have the opportunity to participate in the arts through their school.
276
No Arts Schools
15.2%
% No Arts Schools
95,570
Students Without Access
9.1%
Students Without Access Rate
Shelby County had the most schools without an arts program: 33 schools.
Trend Over Time: Students Without Arts Access
| Year | Students Without Arts Access Rate |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 9.2% |
| 2022 | 9.5% |
| 2023 | 9.0% |
| 2024 | 9.2% |
| 2025 | 9.1% |
Students Without Arts Access by School Grade Level
| Grade Level | Students Without Arts Access Rate |
|---|---|
| Elementary | 14.0% |
| Middle | 3.8% |
| High | 0.9% |
| Mixed | 17.9% |
Schools With vs. Without Arts by FRPM Category
| FRPM Category | Schools With Arts (%) | Schools Without Arts (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Low | 91% | 9% |
| Mid-Low | 80% | 20% |
| Mid-High | 85% | 15% |
| High | Data not available | Data not available |
Schools With vs. Without Arts by School Type
| School Type | Schools Without Arts (%) | Schools With Arts (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Charter | 64% | 36% |
| Traditional | 14% | 86% |
All Students vs. Students Without Arts Access by School-Majority Race/Ethnicity
| School-Majority Race/Ethnicity | All Students (%) | Students Without Arts (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Asian | 0.1% | Data not available |
| Black or African American | 15.6% | 17.7% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 7.4% | 3.2% |
| No Majority | 5.8% | 5.7% |
| White | 71.2% | 73.4% |
County Performance Across Arts Education Metrics
The ten counties with the highest arts enrollment rate and the ten counties with the lowest arts enrollment rate are shown below, along with each county’s value on several other arts education metrics.
Top 10 Counties — Highest Arts Enrollment Rate
| County | Arts Enrollment Rate | Student Access Rate | School Access Rate | Students Without Arts Access Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haywood | 84.2% | 98.7% | 85.7% | 1.3% |
| Grundy | 81.7% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 0.0% |
| Hawkins | 81.1% | 99.3% | 94.4% | 0.7% |
| Montgomery | 80.0% | 98.7% | 95.2% | 1.3% |
| Bedford | 80.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 0.0% |
| Knox | 79.2% | 98.8% | 94.7% | 1.2% |
| Unicoi | 78.8% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 0.0% |
| Dickson | 78.6% | 100.0% | 94.1% | 0.0% |
| Sumner | 78.3% | 99.9% | 98.1% | 0.1% |
| Hamilton | 78.3% | 99.5% | 97.6% | 0.5% |
Bottom 10 Counties — Lowest Arts Enrollment Rate
| County | Arts Enrollment Rate | Student Access Rate | School Access Rate | Students Without Arts Access Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pickett | 15.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 0.0% |
| Moore | 13.8% | 47.2% | 50.0% | 52.8% |
| Decatur | 13.2% | 31.0% | 25.0% | 69.0% |
| Polk | 12.7% | 53.3% | 57.1% | 46.7% |
| Overton | 11.5% | 27.3% | 14.3% | 72.7% |
| Grainger | 9.4% | 54.2% | 33.3% | 45.8% |
| Houston | 8.6% | 31.1% | 40.0% | 68.9% |
| Bledsoe | 7.9% | 52.4% | 40.0% | 47.6% |
| Hancock | 7.2% | 29.8% | 33.3% | 70.2% |
| Lake | 5.8% | 77.0% | 66.7% | 23.0% |
County Performance Across Discipline Access Metrics
Top 10 Counties — % of Schools Offering Each Discipline
| County | Music | Visual Arts | Theater | Dance | Media Arts/Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haywood | 71.4% | 85.7% | 14.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Grundy | 100.0% | 100.0% | 20.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Montgomery | 95.2% | 95.2% | 23.8% | 0.0% | 9.5% |
| Bedford | 100.0% | 92.9% | 21.4% | 0.0% | 14.3% |
| Hawkins | 94.4% | 94.4% | 11.1% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| Unicoi | 100.0% | 33.3% | 16.7% | 0.0% | 16.7% |
| Dickson | 88.2% | 88.2% | 11.8% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Knox | 85.3% | 87.4% | 17.9% | 2.1% | 0.0% |
| Sumner | 94.2% | 92.3% | 21.2% | 3.8% | 0.0% |
| Hamilton | 90.2% | 86.6% | 29.3% | 4.9% | 4.9% |
Bottom 10 Counties — % of Schools Offering Each Discipline
| County | Music | Visual Arts | Theater | Dance | Media Arts/Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pickett | 100.0% | 50.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Moore | 0.0% | 50.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Decatur | 25.0% | 25.0% | 25.0% | 0.0% | 25.0% |
| Polk | 57.1% | 14.3% | 42.9% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Overton | 14.3% | 14.3% | 14.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Grainger | 33.3% | 22.2% | 11.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Houston | 20.0% | 40.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Bledsoe | 40.0% | 20.0% | 20.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Hancock | 0.0% | 33.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Lake | 33.3% | 66.7% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Supplemental Data: Number and Percent of Schools by Category and Year
Schools by School-Majority Race/Ethnicity (2021–2025)
| Race/Ethnicity | 2021 Schools | 2021 % | 2022 Schools | 2022 % | 2023 Schools | 2023 % | 2024 Schools | 2024 % | 2025 Schools | 2025 % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asian | 1 | 0% | 1 | 0% | 1 | 0% | 1 | 0% | 1 | 0% |
| Black or African American | 331 | 18% | 332 | 18% | 327 | 18% | 322 | 18% | 314 | 17% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 79 | 4% | 84 | 5% | 90 | 5% | 92 | 5% | 94 | 5% |
| No Majority | 94 | 5% | 96 | 5% | 96 | 5% | 100 | 5% | 98 | 5% |
| White | 1,302 | 72% | 1,322 | 72% | 1,316 | 72% | 1,315 | 72% | 1,311 | 72% |
| Grand Total | 1,807 | 100% | 1,835 | 100% | 1,830 | 100% | 1,830 | 100% | 1,818 | 100% |
Schools by Free/Reduced Meals Eligibility (2021–2025)
| FRPM Category | 2021 Schools | 2021 % | 2022 Schools | 2022 % | 2023 Schools | 2023 % | 2024 Schools | 2024 % | 2025 Schools | 2025 % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low | 530 | 29% | 625 | 34% | 596 | 33% | 652 | 36% | 712 | 39% |
| Mid-Low | 934 | 52% | 893 | 49% | 909 | 50% | 863 | 47% | 804 | 44% |
| Mid-High | 270 | 15% | 249 | 14% | 258 | 14% | 260 | 14% | 259 | 14% |
| High | 69 | 4% | 62 | 3% | 63 | 3% | 51 | 3% | 40 | 2% |
| Unknown | 4 | 0% | 6 | 0% | 4 | 0% | 4 | 0% | 3 | 0% |
| Grand Total | 1,807 | 100% | 1,835 | 100% | 1,830 | 100% | 1,830 | 100% | 1,818 | 100% |
Schools by Locale Type (2021–2025)
| Locale Type | 2021 Schools | 2021 % | 2022 Schools | 2022 % | 2023 Schools | 2023 % | 2024 Schools | 2024 % | 2025 Schools | 2025 % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City, Large | 356 | 20% | 357 | 19% | 353 | 19% | 353 | 19% | 344 | 19% |
| City, Midsize | 146 | 8% | 150 | 8% | 151 | 8% | 149 | 8% | 148 | 8% |
| City, Small | 107 | 6% | 112 | 6% | 110 | 6% | 109 | 6% | 109 | 6% |
| Suburb, Large | 217 | 12% | 222 | 12% | 221 | 12% | 222 | 12% | 223 | 12% |
| Suburb, Midsize | 29 | 2% | 28 | 2% | 28 | 2% | 26 | 1% | 26 | 1% |
| Suburb, Small | 31 | 2% | 29 | 2% | 29 | 2% | 29 | 2% | 28 | 2% |
| Town, Distant | 161 | 9% | 168 | 9% | 166 | 9% | 165 | 9% | 164 | 9% |
| Town, Fringe | 63 | 3% | 65 | 4% | 65 | 4% | 65 | 4% | 65 | 4% |
| Town, Remote | 43 | 2% | 43 | 2% | 43 | 2% | 43 | 2% | 43 | 2% |
| Rural, Distant | 322 | 18% | 323 | 18% | 322 | 18% | 321 | 18% | 320 | 18% |
| Rural, Fringe | 237 | 13% | 243 | 13% | 246 | 13% | 249 | 14% | 250 | 14% |
| Rural, Remote | 95 | 5% | 95 | 5% | 96 | 5% | 99 | 5% | 98 | 5% |
| Grand Total | 1,807 | 100% | 1,835 | 100% | 1,830 | 100% | 1,830 | 100% | 1,818 | 100% |
Laws, Policies, and Requirements Associated with Arts Education
When reviewing the data contained in this summary report it is critical to understand what the state policies or expectations are regarding arts education. This will provide important context for interpreting the data.
Tennessee State Education Policy and Code
In Tennessee law, art and music education are required components of the course of instruction in all public schools for kindergarten through grade eight.
T.C.A. § 49-6-1025
(a) The course of instruction in all public schools for kindergarten through grade eight (K-8) shall include art and music education to help each student foster creative thinking, spatial learning, discipline, craftsmanship and the intrinsic rewards of hard work.
(b) Local boards of education are encouraged to fully implement the art and music standards adopted by the board of education through both art and music classes, as well as integration into other core academic subjects.
This statute is also included in the Tennessee State Board of Education Policy 2.102 (Middle Grades Policy), Academic Requirements: The course of instruction in all public schools for kindergarten through grade eight (K-8) shall include art and music education pursuant to T.C.A. § 49-6-1025.
Tennessee Graduation Requirements
Tennessee graduation requirements stipulate one full credit of fine arts, and many students elect to focus concentration on sequential course offerings in multiple arts disciplines, including visual arts, dance, media arts, theatre, and vocal and instrumental music.
Tennessee State Board of Education Policy 2.103
(17) Students shall complete one (1) credit in Fine Arts. The credit requirement for fine arts may be waived by the local school district for students, under certain circumstances, to expand and enhance the elective focus.
(18) Students shall complete three (3) credits in an elective focus. All students shall pursue a focused program of study designed to prepare them for the workforce and postsecondary study. The intent of the elective focus is to provide students with an opportunity to explore a particular academic area in greater depth. The elective focus may be CTE, science and math, humanities, fine arts, AP/IB, Cambridge, or other areas approved by the local board of education.
About the Arts Education Data Project
The Arts Education Data Project is a partnership between the State Education Agency Directors of Arts Education and Quadrant Research. The nationwide project coordinates with participating state departments of education to collect and report arts education data from State Longitudinal Data Systems (SLDS) and other state department of education data sets on an annual basis.
National Support Provided By
-
CMA Foundation -
The Music Man Foundation -
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation -
NAMM Foundation -
Ohio Arts Council
State Support for the Tennessee Arts Education Data Project
-
Tennessee Arts Commission -
CMA Foundation -
Tennessee Department of Education
Source: Morrison, R., 2026. Arts Education Data Project Report, Tennessee. Data from 2024–2025 unless otherwise noted. Demographic data from the Common Core of Data file, National Center for Education Statistics. © 2026 Quadrant Foundation.
