Carter County Online Academy

Carter County Online Academy is a small alternative public school in Hampton, Tennessee, serving 123 students in grades K-12 through the Carter County Schools district, offering flexible online learning for students who need credit recovery or a non-traditional setting. The school faces significant academic challenges, with proficiency rates far below district and state averages across every subject tested in 2025-2026: math (6.5%), English language arts (9.8%), science (12.1%), and social studies (8.5%). These numbers are roughly one-quarter to one-fifth of the state average, and the school also trails the nearby Tennessee Virtual Learning Academy, which reported notably stronger results on its tests.

On a more positive note, the school's graduation rate has improved dramatically, from 43.2% in 2021-2022 to 80% in 2024-2025, while the dropout rate fell from 56.8% to 20% over the same period—still about three times the state average of 6.7%, but a genuinely encouraging trajectory. Chronic absenteeism is another bright spot at just 5.2% in 2022-2023, well below district and state averages and comparable to Tennessee Virtual Learning Academy and University School. This suggests students are logging in and engaging, even if academic proficiency remains a major concern.

The school spends just $5,473 per student—less than 40% of what University School spends ($13,961) and about 60% of Tennessee Virtual Learning Academy's spending ($8,748). These gaps, combined with Washington County Schools' 4-star rating versus Carter County Schools' 1-star rating, help explain some outcome differences. With only 123 students, proficiency percentages can swing sharply from year to year, so the data should be read with caution. Still, the school appears to be making incremental progress for a high-need population, even as it clearly requires additional support to fully serve its students.