A wealth of enrichment programs offers music, the arts, environmental studies and much more to the students in the Greeneville and Greene County school systems. Opportunities abound for post-secondary study, including business and industry employee training programs at the Center for Technology and courses for traditional students and working adults at Tusculum College and Walters State Community College.
Two school systems operate within Greene County. The Greene County School System enrolls 6,979 pupils in 16 schools, while approximately 2,677 currently were enrolled in the six Greeneville city schools.
Both Greene County and Greeneville have received the Governor's A+ Award for Community Excellence in Education. Only 52 of the 139 school systems in Tennessee have qualified for this recognition.
Both Greene County and Greeneville city schools implement an Extended School Program (ESP). ESP focuses on the care of students before and after regular school hours and during summer vacation
Greeneville City Schools
The Greeneville City School System is one of two in Tennessee, which has maintained accreditation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools for more than 30 years. All six city schools have this distinction.
- Greeneville ranks fifth out of 136 school systems in Tennessee Competency Test results. Further, the Greeneville City School System consistently rates above state averages in attendance and graduation rates. Greeneville High School sends 75% of its graduates on to higher education.
- Greeneville was among the first in Tennessee to provide programs for gifted children and for preschoolers with handicapping conditions.
- The student/teacher ratio in Greeneville city schools is 14:1.
- All city schools have art, music and physical education specialists in grades K-12. An Artist-in-residence is funded by the Tennessee Arts Commission to enhance literature, drama and dance programs.
- All Greeneville elementary schools offer Spanish classes. Greeneville High School offers a choice of three foreign languages (French, Spanish and Latin) with opportunities for advanced third and fourth year study. Students also have the opportunity to earn college credit in English.
- ACT scores for 2003-04 averaged 20.0 for the state of Tennessee, while Greeneville High School students averaged 23.2
- In the Greeneville City School System, 65% of the 195 professional staff members hold at least a master's degree, and five have doctorates.
- 90.5% of all teachers in the Greeneville City School System are designated as being highly qualified under the No Child Left Behind requirements.
- In June 2004, Greeneville Middle School was named a 21st Century School of Distinction. GMS competed with 1285 schools nationwide to prevail as one of only 20 to receive the honor.
- The Tennessee Department of Education selected Greeneville City Schools as the home for a regional Professional Development Center.
- EastView Elementary School was named a Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education.
- Director of Schools, Dr. Lyle Ailshie was named the Tennessee Superintendent of the Year for 2003–2004.
Greene County Schools
All four county high schools and all but five elementary schools are accredited by the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges and two elementary schools are candidates for accreditation in 2005.
- Music and/or art are offered at all elementary and high schools. The Computer Skills Next Program is an integral part of the program at each elementary site.
- Approximately 45% of the 449 teachers and administrators in Greene County hold advanced degrees (three have doctorates.)
- 73% of all teachers in the Greene County School System are designated as being highly qualified under the No Child Left Behind requirements.
- In 2003-04, Greene County students' ACT scores averaged 19.6.
- The student/teacher ratio in Greene County schools is 16:1
Public and Private Programs Meet Community Needs
Three private schools serve the area: Towering Oaks Christian School (preschool and K-8); Greeneville Adventist Academy (preschool and 1-10); and Greene County Christian School (K-12).
Cedar Creek Learning Center is a Residential environmental science program for grades K-12, designed to enhance the science curriculum of school children. Hands-on, standards-based activities encourage the development of an environmental ethic and promote responsible decision-making regarding natural resources. Students study forest, stream and cave ecosystems while in residence at the center.
Greene Valley Developmental Center is a state-operated facility established in 1960 that cares for more than 700 developmentally disabled residents on its 515-acre campus.
The Greeneville/Greene County Center for Technology, established in 1973, provides 90+ course offerings in business and industrial skills to nearly 5,000 adults and high school students yearly. The center attained accreditation from the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges in 1993. New and existing industries planning an expansion or retooling have available through the center three major areas of training to provide a readily available supply of skilled technicians: Pre-employment Training, Specific Industry Training, and Retraining. Each pre-employment training program is individually planned and designed to meet the manpower needs of the specific industry. Such programs may be a cooperative effort with the State of Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development’s Industrial Training Service or through the Center for Technology, singularly.
The Center for Technology works cooperatively with the Tennessee Department of Labor and the Private Industry Council to assist companies in the development of training programs tailor-made to meet their training needs, at no cost to the firms.
The Specific Industry Training Programs encompass four basic types of training: vocational/technical, on-the-job, retraining and upgrading.
A selected secondary and adult training program at the Center for Technology enables participants to gain the entry-level requirements and skills necessary for employment. It includes on-the-job training as a cooperative effort of the school and of other agencies.
Higher Education
Tusculum College founded in 1794, is the oldest college west of the Alleghenies and one of the most innovative. It is distinguished by two programs, the focused academic calendar program, which offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in more than 20 areas, and the Professional Studies Program may pursue bachelor's and master's degrees in Applied Organizational Management, or a master's in education. Tusculum is one of only three American colleges with a block system for scheduling classes. The goal of the program is to provide a quality professional education while emphasizing effective citizenship. The college achieves this goal through a focused calendar, where students take one class at a time, and through a competency program, which ensures students' ability to be effective workers, leaders and citizens. The competency program requires students to demonstrate proof that they possess marketable skills in 15 areas that are necessary for lives of effective service in today's world. Almost 90 percent of all Tusculum College graduates applying to graduate and professional schools are admitted.
The Professional Studies Program is designed to increase skills and basic knowledge in working adults. Classes are offered to students at off-campus sites across East Tennessee. The program is distinguished by its flexibility-- classes form when and where students need them--and by its rigorous attention to practice. Faculty members must be employed or must have held jobs in their field of instruction.
Companies across East Tennessee send students to Tusculum's Professional Studies Program, many providing tuition reimbursement.
Since the Greeneville Center of Walters State Community College was established in 1978, more than 20,000 Greene County residents have enrolled in academic courses through the two-year college. Current enrollment is at an all-time high, with more than 900 students. The college offers technical courses in programs preparing students for immediate employment, and university parallel courses for transfer to four-year colleges and universities.
Junior- and senior-level courses now are being offered via video at the center for those pursuing four-year degrees.
Degrees offered include the Associate of Arts, the Associate of Science, and the Associate of Applied Science in technical education programs. The latter includes the following concentrations of study: Industrial Technology, Computer Science, Management, Production Horticulture, Office Administration, Business Computing, Child Development, General Technology, Health Programs and Public Safety.
Walters State has established an Institute for Business and Industry where customized training, on site or on campus, is emphasized. Continuing education and professional development seminars and workshops are offered year-round.
Consultant services, usually at no charge to the client, are available through the college's Tennessee Small Business Development Center. Quality improvement training using the Total Quality Transformation System is offered through its Center for Quality and Productivity.
As administrative entity for the federal Job Training Partnership Act in Greene and surrounding counties, the college provides pre-employment and job-specific training and placement.
Area Colleges and Universities
More than ten colleges and universities are located within a one-hour drive of Greene County:
Tusculum College, Greeneville, TN
Walters State Community College-Greeneville Center, Greeneville, TN
Walters State Community College - Main Campus, Morristown, TN
East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN
Milligan College, Johnson City, TN
King College, Bristol, VA
Virginia Intermont, Bristol, VA
Northeast State Tech Community College, Blountville, TN
Carson-Newman College, Jefferson City, TN
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN
Mars Hill College, Mars Hill, NC
University of North Carolina-Asheville, Asheville, NC
