Most of the more than 1,700 public schools in Tennessee are operated by one of the state’s 147 school districts. Charter schools account for 116 of the state’s public schools, which operate with more autonomy than district schools, but also with higher levels of accountability. Charter schools operate under a contract with an authorizer, either the Public Education Commission or a school district.

In Tennessee, schools chartered by a district have more autonomy than other district schools but are still part of their local district, and are required to administer the same assessments and meet the same standards as traditional public schools. Charter schools must first apply to their local education authority (LEA) for authorization. The Achievement School District (ASD), a statewide turnaround district for low-performing schools, also has the ability to authorize public charter schools within their district and serves as the LEA for their schools. Charter schools authorized by the ASD that meet success standards have the ability to apply to the Tennessee Charter School Commission for authorization when they leave the ASD.