Chattanoogans have reason to be proud of their public school system.

More than 44,000 students from grades K-12 attend city and county schools, which are fully accredited by the State of Tennessee. The combined city/county school systems place strong emphasis on maintaining the finest in curriculum and facilities, and both provide special education programs and services for handicapped students.

Strong parental interest is shown in the active involvement in PTA, booster clubs and other support groups. Additionally, more than 60 local businesses participate in the nationally recognized Adopt-A-School Program.

Information you should know

• A child must be 6 years old on or before September 30th to enter the first grade. A birth certificate is required.
• Kindergarten is mandatory for enrollment in the first grade since July 1, 1993.
• Kindergarten and first-grade students must, by law, have a series of inoculations and a recent physical examination. For more information, call the Child Health Division, 423-209-8050.

Hamilton County Department of Education
Administrative Office
201 Broad Street
Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402
423-209-8400

Private and Parochial Schools

Chattanooga is home to some of the foremost private and parochial schools in the country. Baylor, McCallie, Girls Preparatory School, the Christian School and Notre Dame are noted for their strong college preparatory emphasis. The following is a partial list of private schools in the Chattanooga area.