Shining a light on education & government in TennesseeShining a light on education & government in TennesseeAre Tennessee graduates prepared for what comes next? Explore graduation rates, ACT readiness, postsecondary enrollment, and industry certifications by school, district, or county.
Tennessee measures readiness through multiple pathways, ensuring that both college-bound and career-focused students are recognized as prepared.
Percentage of students scoring 21+ on the ACT composite, Tennessee's benchmark for college readiness. Statewide rate: ~34%.
Graduates who enrolled in a 2-year or 4-year institution within 16 months of graduation. Statewide rate: ~58%.
Students earning a credential aligned to a CTE program of study, valued by employers in high-demand sectors.
Students meeting the AFQT threshold on the ASVAB for military enlistment eligibility.
Readiness gaps by demographic group are among the most important, and most troubling, patterns in Tennessee education data. The same students who face proficiency gaps in elementary and middle school carry those disadvantages into high school graduation outcomes.
Students qualifying for free/reduced lunch show readiness rates well below the state average.
Persistent gaps in both ACT readiness and postsecondary enrollment reflect systemic inequities.
Growing population with improving trends, but still below statewide benchmarks.
Generally above statewide averages, though rural white students face their own readiness challenges.
Face the widest readiness gap of any subgroup, highlighting the need for transition planning.
A Ready Graduate is a student who earns a regular high school diploma and meets at least one college or career readiness benchmark: ACT composite of 21+, industry certification, qualifying AP/IB/Cambridge/CLEP score, or ASVAB military readiness score. Approximately 41% of Tennessee graduates currently meet this standard.
Tennessee recognizes four pathways to demonstrate readiness: (1) ACT composite score of 21 or higher, (2) earning an industry certification through a CTE program, (3) qualifying score on AP, IB, Cambridge, or CLEP exams, and (4) meeting the AFQT threshold on the ASVAB for military service. A student only needs to meet one pathway to qualify.
The graduation rate measures whether students earn a diploma within four years. The readiness rate goes further, measuring whether those graduates also demonstrated concrete preparation for life after high school. Tennessee's graduation rate is approximately 90.6%, but only about 41% of graduates meet any readiness benchmark, a gap of nearly 50 percentage points.
Tennessee has set an ambitious target of 75% Ready Graduates statewide. Reaching this goal would require roughly doubling the current rate and would demand significant expansion of CTE pathways, dual enrollment programs, and ACT preparation, particularly in rural and high-poverty communities where readiness rates are lowest.