Education

WELCOME TO WILLIAMSON COUNTY EDUCATION

K-12 School System

Williamson County Schools has approximately 41,000 students enrolled in P-12 for the 2019-2020 school year. There are 48 schools: 10 high schools, 10 middle schools, 27 elementary schools, one K-8 school.

The district’s graduating class of 2019 posted an ACT composite score of 25.3, which is well above the State’s average composite score of 20. WCS ranks first in Tennessee among districts with more than one high school.

An educated workforce is integral to a prosperous business environment. In addition to Williamson County’s lauded P-12 schools, the Nashville region boasts many prestigious colleges and universities, and an estimated 60% of post-secondary graduates remain in the region after graduation.

Williamson County Schools Report Card

The Tennessee Department of Education has redesigned a state report card on schools aiming to make it easier for educators, parents and the public to understand important information about Tennessee’s public schools. The annual state report card provides a profile of academic achievement, demographics, discipline, and attendance and graduation rates for the state, each school district and every school.

K-8 Special District

The Franklin Special School District (FSSD) is a K-8 school system with approximately 3,850 students enrolled. Students are served by eight schools: four elementary schools, one intermediate school, one middle school, and a K-8 school.

The FSSD Board of Education has proudly committed itself to meeting and/or exceeding the state’s teacher-pupil ratio requirements, with ratios at 1 to 20 in kindergarten through third grade, 1 to 22 in fourth grade, and 1 to 25 in grades 5-8.

All schools and the Central Office are accredited by the AdvancED, one of the largest and most esteemed school accreditation agencies in the country. The AdvancED Review Team wrote in its last accreditation report that the FSSD “shows its commitment to children in academic accountability by providing the best-trained educators that can be found. These teachers and administrators carefully examine the learning needs of each student, collaborate, and develop specific learning goals that are monitored and adjusted as needed.”

Private Schools in Williamson CountyList of private schools in Williamson County – Click to download.

Homeschooling

According to the Tennessee Department of Education, parents have the option to educate their children at home, an option known as homeschooling or home education.

Parents in Tennessee may choose to homeschool their own children in grades K – 12. The Tennessee Home School law (Tennessee Code Annotated § 49-6-3050) states: “A home school is a school conducted or directed by a parent or parents or a legal guardian or guardians for their own children.”

Parents desiring to homeschool their own children may do so by choosing one of three options. For more information, visit the Tennessee Department of Education’s Home Schooling in Tennessee webpage.

Columbia State Community College Williamson County campus

Higher Education

Locating in Williamson County means you have direct access many opportunities for higher education and an extremely well educated workforce. Within the Nashville region there are 24 four-year universities and colleges with over 92,000 students enrolled, 8 community colleges with over 32,000 students enrolled and 14+ career colleges with nearly 10,000 students enrolled.

Area 4-Year Colleges  |  Area Community Colleges  |  Area Career Colleges

PARTNERSHIP WITH WCS

The Education Initiative strengthens partnerships between businesses in Williamson County and Williamson County Schools (WCS). There are several ways businesses can get involved and invest in our youth.

Speakers Bureau

A speakers bureau holds a database of contacts/businesses from diverse fields. This collection of business leaders is dedicated to sharing their industry and business expertise by going into schools to speak with students about post-secondary and career choices. The speakers bureau team makes the connection and introduction between the speaker and teacher, and supports both parties throughout the process of booking and logistics. Speakers will provide classroom support for scope and sequence.

 

Advantages to the Employer:

  • Develops a good community-school relationship
  • Provides students and teachers with local labor market data
  • Encourages young adults to stay in Williamson County
  • Aids students in accepting civic responsibilities within the community
  • Contributes to the stability of the local work force
  • Contributes to the total economic growth of the community
  • Reduces drop-out age by providing relevant connections between the school and the business world
  • Enables the employer to become an active participant in the programs of Williamson County Schools
  • Provides expertise involved in the recruitment, hiring, training, and skills needed in your industry
  • Establishes a convenient transition from student to post-secondary or full-time employee
  • Increases your company’s visibility
  • Provides students with a positive role model

 

Roles & Responsibilities:

  • Completion of comprehensive training provided by the Williamson County Schools and Williamson, Inc.
  • Follow Williamson County Schools safety guidelines and procedures for visitor parking, sign-in and sign-out
  • Be aware of the objectives and standards for course scope and sequence
  • Provide engaging and relevant information to the audience
  • Complete a follow-up evaluation about your experience

Teacher Externships

The Teacher Externship Program is helping to bridge the gap between the classroom and the world of work by bringing teachers into the workplace for three days. The externships take place during the summer months or during school breaks. Teachers have the opportunity to incorporate this knowledge into lesson plans for their students.

 

Advantages to the Employer:

  • Develops a good community-school relationship
  • Provides an opportunity to work with educators to insure Williamson County workforce development needs are understood
  • Encourages young adults to stay in Williamson County
  • Gives an opportunity to provide assistance in developing a special project
  • Contributes to the stability of the local work force
  • Contributes to the total economic growth of the community
  • Strengthens the teacher’s curriculum by providing relevant connections between the school and business world
  • Increases knowledge and understanding of the educational environment
  • Enables the employer to become an active participant in the programs of Williamson County Schools
  • Increases your company visibility
  • Provides educators with a positive community contact in their subject

 

Roles & Responsibilities:

  • Completion of comprehensive training provided by the Williamson County Schools and Williamson, Inc.
  • Follow Williamson County Schools procedures for the teacher externship program
  • Be aware of the objectives and standards for course scope and sequence
  • Provide engaging and relevant information to teacher externs
  • Complete a follow-up evaluation about your experience

Summer Hospitality Internship

The Summer Hospitality Internship Program is a short-term learning and employment opportunity for Williamson County Schools and Columbia State Community College students interested in the field of Hospitality and Tourism. The summer internship will provide students an opportunity to explore the diversity of career opportunities in the industry while learning more about areas directly related to his or her career interest.

The major purpose of the internship learning experience is for the intern to receive broad instruction in workplace expectations, confirm, narrow, or expand choices of career interest; develop an understanding of the connection between school-based theory and content and work-based applications; and increase awareness of the workplace, career opportunities, and community resources. Participants are expected to provide their own transportation to both the training and work sites.

The Columbia State Hospitality Program is a program devoted to growing the next generation of leaders in sales, business, marketing, finance and management within one of Tennessee’s largest industries. To learn Columbia State’s program, please contact Program Director, Ken Daniel at 615-465-5765 or kdaniel19@columbiastate.edu or visit www.columbiastate.edu/hospitality.

Eligibility & Selection Process

Eligible participants must be a Columbia State Community College Student or Williamson County School graduating Senior, Rising Senior, Rising Junior and can provide their own transportation to the worksite. Applications will be reviewed for responsiveness, completeness, and neatness; diversity of schools represented; and strength of written responses. Final selection of participants will be made by the business they are placed with through their internship. Applicants may submit completed application packets by email to heather@visitfranklin.com. Applicants selected for an interview will be notified by the business for which they applied.

Required Application Packet

Application packets must include the following information and be submitted as one completed packet:

  • A completed Summer Internship Program application (typed)
  • Cover letter (typed)
  • One resumé (typed)

Submit application packets to Heather Doleshel at heather@visitfranklin.com. Please contact Heather at (615) 550-2700 with questions.

For additional information about educational partnerships, please contact Paula Chilton at paula.chilton@wcs.edu