Bedford County Schools & Education
Bedford County, Tennessee
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
36/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Lower Signal
Graduation Rate
92.0%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
92.0%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 93.3%
Per-Pupil Spending
$5,484
National avg $13,239
State avg $6,215
School Score
36/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 47/100
State Score Position
#78
of 95 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Bedford County
Measured School Summary
Despite a lower school score of 36/100, Bedford County maintains a strong graduation rate of 92.0%, suggesting effective student support systems.
Funding Context
At $5,484 per pupil, Bedford County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 23% below the Tennessee average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 1.3 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 12% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Bedford County before comparing districts
County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.
Local context that changes the interpretation
15 public schools and 1 district are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.
Overall screen
36/100
Lower measured signal. Ranks #78 of 95 Tennessee counties with school score data.
Completion
92.0%
1.3 pts below the state average
Funding context
$5,484
$731 below the state average
School coverage
15
1 district represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Bedford County has 15 public schools across 1 district, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.
Verify local rules
Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.
What Bedford County school data means before you move
County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.
Dominant-district county
Bedford County carries most of the listed public-school system, with 15 of 15 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.
State position
#78
of 95 Tennessee counties with school score data. The county score is 11 points below the state average.
Data confidence
Usable
3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.
K-12 continuity check
These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.
Bedford County
Elementary to high school visible
9,047 students
15 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Bedford County is the largest listed district slice, with 15 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.
What the data cannot tell you
NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.
Questions to ask before choosing an address
Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Bedford County?
Which attendance zones, transfer rules, and transportation policies apply inside the local district?
What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?
Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?
Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?
Education Overview
About Schools in Bedford County, Tennessee
This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.
One Unified District for Bedford County
Bedford County operates as a single unified school district with 15 public schools serving 9,047 students. The infrastructure includes eight elementary schools and three middle and high schools each, providing a consistent educational path for local families.
Graduation Rates Exceed National Benchmarks
Students here achieve a 92.0% graduation rate, which is well above the national average of 87%. However, the county's per-pupil expenditure of $5,484 falls below the state average of $6,215 and is significantly lower than the national median of $13,000.
The Bedford County District at a Glance
The Bedford County district manages 100% of the public enrollment, with zero charter schools in operation. This centralized management oversees 9,047 students across the county's varied geographic landscapes.
A Blend of Rural and Town Campus Life
The county features a split between eight rural and seven town schools, with an average school size of 603 students. Shelbyville Central High School is the largest institution in the county, currently enrolling ,1553 students.
School Overview
Total Schools
15
in Bedford County
Reported Enrollment
9,047
15 schools reporting
School Districts
1
district
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
1 School District in Bedford County
15 Public Schools in Bedford County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 2 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 15 of 15 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelbyville Central High School | Profile | Bedford County | Shelbyville, 37160Town: Distant | 9–12 | High | 1,553 |
| Harris Middle School | Profile | Bedford County | Shelbyville, 37160Town: Distant | 6–8 | Middle | 963 |
| Eakin Elementary | Record | Bedford County | Shelbyville, 37160Town: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 692 |
| Cascade Elementary | Record | Bedford County | Wartrace, 37183Rural: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 675 |
| Learning Way Elementary | Record | Bedford County | Shelbyville, 37160Town: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 675 |
| Community Elementary School | Record | Bedford County | Unionville, 37180Rural: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 663 |
| Liberty Elementary | Record | Bedford County | Shelbyville, 37160Rural: Fringe | PK–8 | Primary | 630 |
| Community High School | Record | Bedford County | Unionville, 37180Rural: Distant | 9–12 | High | 566 |
| Cascade High School | Record | Bedford County | Wartrace, 37183Rural: Distant | 9–12 | High | 545 |
| Thomas Magnet School | Record | Bedford County | Shelbyville, 37160Town: Distant | PK–8 | Primary | 449 |
| East Side Elementary | Record | Bedford County | Shelbyville, 37160Town: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 424 |
| South Side Elementary | Record | Bedford County | Shelbyville, 37160Town: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 387 |
| Cascade Middle School | Record | Bedford County | Wartrace, 37183Rural: Distant | 6–8 | Middle | 378 |
| Community Middle School | Record | Bedford County | Unionville, 37180Rural: Distant | 6–8 | Middle | 370 |
| Bedford County Virtual School | Record | Bedford County | Wartrace, 37183Rural: Distant | 3–10 | Virtual | 77 |
Shelbyville Central High School
Bedford County
Shelbyville, 37160 / Town: Distant
Harris Middle School
Bedford County
Shelbyville, 37160 / Town: Distant
Learning Way Elementary
Bedford County
Shelbyville, 37160 / Town: Distant
Community Elementary School
Bedford County
Unionville, 37180 / Rural: Distant
Bedford County Virtual School
Bedford County
Wartrace, 37183 / Rural: Distant
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$5,484
State avg $6,215
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Bedford County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which Tennessee counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Tennessee?
How should I read the school score in Bedford County?
What is the graduation rate in Bedford County?
How much does Bedford County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Bedford County, Tennessee — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Bedford County, Tennessee?
Bedford County operates as a single unified school district with 15 public schools serving 9,047 students. The infrastructure includes eight elementary schools and three middle and high schools each, providing a consistent educational path for local families.
How do schools in Bedford County perform academically?
Students here achieve a 92.0% graduation rate, which is well above the national average of 87%. However, the county's per-pupil expenditure of $5,484 falls below the state average of $6,215 and is significantly lower than the national median of $13,000.
What are the major school districts in Bedford County, Tennessee?
The Bedford County district manages 100% of the public enrollment, with zero charter schools in operation. This centralized management oversees 9,047 students across the county's varied geographic landscapes.
What is the school experience like in Bedford County?
The county features a split between eight rural and seven town schools, with an average school size of 603 students. Shelbyville Central High School is the largest institution in the county, currently enrolling ,1553 students.
Counties with Similar School Profile
Data Sources
Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.
Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.