NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Back-to-school looks different for some Tennessee students this year, including those opting for virtual classes as popularity in online schooling grows across the state.
According to a 2023 report from the Urban Institute, Tennessee public schools lost more than 14,000 students from the Fall 2019 semester to the Fall 2021 semester. During that same time, private school enrollment in the state increased by more than 14%, the data says, while other children moved to homeschooling and virtual options, including Tennessee Connections Academy.
Sawyer Stubbs is one of 3,000 students enrolled in Tennessee Connections Academy, an online, fully-accredited public school which launched in 2019. Since then, enrollment has grown; the school now has students from all 95 counties in the state.
📧 Have breaking news come to you: Subscribe to News 2 email alerts →
Stubbs never intended on permanently switching to virtual classes, but when COVID-19 hit and his school moved online, his mother, Whitney McIntyre noticed his performance in school improved.