Every student Future-Ready

For the next five years, Knox County Schools will be guided by a clear and powerful vision: Every Student Future-Ready. The 2030 Strategic Plan is our commitment to students, families, educators, and the entire Knox County community that we will make this vision a reality.

This plan sets a bold course for the future, with ambitious goals rooted in four key priorities: Excellence in Foundational Skills, Great Educators in Every School, Career Empowerment and Preparation, and Success for Every Student. It reflects months of collaboration with more than 10,000 stakeholders and outlines how we will elevate achievement, expand opportunity, and ensure every student is prepared for success after graduation.

By aligning our work to a singular, student-centered goal and staying focused on what matters most, we believe we can unite our community and transform our district—together.

2030 STRATEGIC PLAN

The 2030 Strategic Plan is organized into five sections: Excellence in Foundational Skills, Great Educators in Every School, Career Empowerment and Preparation, Success for all Students, and Communication and Engagement. Each section contains one goal, three objectives, and three key actions.

Excellence in Foundational Skills

Excellence in Foundational Skills

Goal by 2030

Students will be regionally and nationally competitive in reading and math proficiency.

Objectives

Objective 1A

Increase third grade reading proficiency year over year.
Being proficient in reading by third grade is a key indicator of lifelong success. Students who are reading on grade level by third grade are four times more likely to graduate from high school. KCS is committed to building a strong literacy foundation for every student through the use of high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) in the classroom, regularly collecting and analyzing data to inform instruction, and strengthening leadership and educator development.

Objective 1b

Increase eighth grade math proficiency year over year.
Achieving eighth grade math proficiency is vital for preparing students for success in Algebra 1, a gateway course critical for upper-level science and math classes. By focusing on high-quality instructional materials (HQIM), Instructional Practice Guides (IPGs), targeted interventions, meaningful teacher training, and intentional vertical planning, educators can strengthen content knowledge and ensure curriculum coherence across grade levels.

Objective 1c

Improve the quality and consistency of student learning environments.
Consistent learning environments create stability and predictability for students, families, and staff, ensuring that learners can build skills and knowledge without unnecessary disruptions or uncertainties. By developing and implementing a comprehensive instructional framework, KCS plans to align teaching and learning strategies to ensure all students receive a high-quality education from classroom to classroom.

Great Educators in Every School

Great Educators in Every School

Goal by 2030

Every educator will be equipped with consistent resources, training, and support to enhance instruction

Objectives

Objective 2A

Advance the Teach Knox initiative for educator recruitment and retention.
Teach Knox is the district’s comprehensive talent strategy aimed at aligning all professional and leadership development, recruitment, and retention efforts around a clear vision for Great Educators. Implementation of the Teach Knox initiative will ultimately empower principals to make strategic staffing decisions to meet the needs of their school, increase the number of high-quality educators in KCS classrooms, and increase the percent of educators who report feeling supported and equipped to excel in their profession.

Objective 2b

Create and implement a professional development framework focused on continuous growth and student outcomes.
Research consistently shows that students taught by high-quality educators perform better academically, have higher graduation rates, and are more likely to pursue higher education. Creating and implementing a professional development framework staked in best practices and continuous educator feedback will empower educators to grow their expertise in meaningful and intentional ways.

Objective 2c

Leverage technology and automation to increase time for high-impact work, enhance recruitment, and increase retention.
When surveyed, only 32% of KCS staff reported having time to complete necessary tasks during work hours. Leveraging technology and automation can shelter time for educators, principals, and district leaders to focus on the high-impact tasks that accelerate learning for students and increase satisfaction in the workplace.

Career Empowerment & Preparation

Career Empowerment & Preparation

Goal by 2030

Students will be confident in their plans for life after graduation by 11th grade and will graduate ready for enrollment, enlistment, or employment

Objectives

Objective 3A

Align high school pathways and guaranteed experiences to the workforce and student aptitude.
The 865 Academies empower KCS students to graduate with confidence in their next steps in life. Aligning guaranteed experiences to student aptitudes and workforce needs will provide meaningful learning opportunities to create connections between the classroom and the workforce, inspiring students to imagine–and strive for–ambitious, attainable futures for themselves.

Objective 3b

Graduate 85% of students ready for enrollment, enlistment, or employment.
Success after graduation looks different for every student. Through small learning communities and intentional counseling, KCS is committed to equipping students with knowledge, skills, and experiences needed for postsecondary enrollment, enlistment in the military, or employment in a high-wage, high-demand career after graduation.

Objective 3c

Expand innovative school programming options.
While the majority of students thrive in a traditional school setting, every learner is unique. Innovative programming opportunities such as STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and arts-focused instruction, early college models, and advanced academic courses provide students and families with more choice in public education and broaden KCS offerings to meet the growing interest and demand for innovation.

Success for Every Student

Success for Every Student

Goal by 2030

Every classroom will be equipped with state-of-the-art, evidence-based strategies to accelerate student learning.

Objectives

Objective 4A

Define the unique role each grade band plays in preparing students for life after graduation.
Every step in a student’s academic journey matters–from early education to high school. Understanding the unique role each grade band plays in preparing students for life after graduation creates clarity and consistency for students, families, and staff. By establishing a clear mission for each grade band, educators will be able to prepare students for every grade in their academic career and families will be better empowered to support their students every step of the way.

Objective 4b

Strengthen and streamline academic interventions and services to accelerate student learning.
Intervention is a critical support system for students. By aligning interventions to everyday instruction, educators are able to maximize the potential for student success in the classroom. This requires collaboration across a wide range of educators in every school, including: general education teachers, special education teachers, ELL teachers, RTI instructors, and school leaders. Through increased collaboration and a shared vision for success, KCS will be able to more effectively address the diverse needs of every student.

Objective 4c

Consistently implement and scale systems and structures for comprehensive, whole child support.
Every student deserves a network of support. In a district the size of KCS, students and families also deserve consistent classroom and behavioral expectations—from classroom to classroom and from school to school. By equipping staff with evidence-based practices, enhancing muti-tiered support systems, and removing barriers to Tier 1 instruction, KCS will increase academic outcomes, enhance the consistency of expectations across schools, and support students emotionally and cognitively throughout their educational journey.

Communication and Engagement

Communication and Engagement

Goal by 2030

KCS will meaningfully and intentionally engage and communicate with stakeholders to enhance the student experience.

Objectives

Objective 5A

Reimagine communication through the lens of 21st Century needs, leveraging technology to enhance access to information and resources.
Engagement between schools and families has changed significantly over the last two decades, but the addition of new platforms for communication and student information can make it difficult for families to know where to find what matters most. By reimagining communication through a 21st century lens, KCS can better leverage existing technology and tools to reduce barriers, simplify access to essential information, and equip families with resources to support students throughout their education.

Objective 5b

Leverage partnerships with community organizations, businesses, postsecondary institutions, and law enforcement agencies to catalyze support for and investment in KCS schools and students.
KCS is uniquely positioned within the Knox County community to prepare every student for life after graduation. While educators equip students with the knowledge and skills students need to thrive in and beyond the classroom, community partners also play a vital role in enhancing the student experience in the form of work-based learning opportunities, wraparound services and supports, and maintain safe, secure learning environments.

Objective 5c

Maximize district budgets by aligning resources to the four priorities to enhance student outcomes.
As a publicly funded school district, KCS has a responsibility to Knox County taxpayers to maximize every resource in the pursuit of increasing student achievement. By evaluating the return on strategic investments and regularly assessing the condition of district facilities and infrastructure, KCS can maximize and clearly report on the impact of state and local funding on student outcomes.

Annual Action Plan

In October of each year, the Knox County Board of Education approves an Annual Action Plan to serve as a one-year roadmap with intentional strategies and target objectives to move forward each of the district’s four priorities: Excellence in Foundational Skills, Great Educators in Every School, Career Empowerment and Preparation, and Success for Every Student.

Annual Action Plan
2025-2026

Annual Action Plan
2024-2025

Annual action plan
2023-2024

Annual action plan
2022-2023

Annual Reports

The KCS Annual Report is published each January to report on progress made on the prior year’s Annual Action Plan, highlighting achievements as well as opportunities for improvement.

Every student Future-Ready

Mission

Vision

2030 STRATEGIC PLAN

Annual Action Plan

Annual Reports