Significant Tuition Reduction Approved by Kingsport City Schools

The Kingsport City Schools Board of Education has voted in favor of a tuition decrease for out-of-district students in Tennessee, dramatically reducing fees by more than two-thirds. This change will largely affect grades K-12 students from Washington County, as well as Sullivan County, Hawkins County, and students from other Tennessee counties. The alteration will take effect later this year.

A Dramatically Lower Tuition Fee

The current tuition rates stand at $3,400 a year for out-of-county students from Washington County, which is about to significantly drop to a mere $1,000 annually. Out-of-district students in other Tennessee counties and children of City of Kingsport and Kingsport City Schools employees will now have to shell out $1000 and $500 per year respectively, a substantial reduction in payment compared to the past years.

Board member Todd Golden shared that the new tuition rates would attract more students from Washington County. “It drops Washington County to $1,000. That instantly will pull Washington County (students) in,” Golden highlighted. “If we get 25 kids to come in, it makes up for the lost revenue.” The board hopes to attract more enrollees since the Tennessee education funding follows students across district lines.

Opinions in the Board

While board member Julie Byers voted against the motion, it wasn’t that she was against the reduction. Byers voiced her desire for an even lower tuition fee—or possibly none at all—for city or Kingsport City Schools employees with children enrolled in the school system. Further discussions involving the matter will transpire in the foreseeable future.

Keeping up the Competition

The adjusted rates aim to encourage additional tuition participation. Kingsport City Schools’ tuition rate will now be among the most affordable among selected Northeast Tennessee public city school systems, undercut only by those from Bristol Tennessee.

Other public school systems in the region have varying rates. Bristol Tennessee Schools charge $700 annually for Sullivan County students and $900 for students from other Tennessee counties. Johnson City asks $1,200 for students from Washington, Sullivan or Carter counties and $1,700 for others but only caters to middle and high school students. Elizabethton City pegs their rates at $800 for grades K-5, $400 for grades 6-8, and $300 for grades 9-12 from Carter County, and $1,600 for students from other Tennessee counties.

By reducing tuition fees, Kingsport City Schools is making a significant move to stay competitive, providing quality education at an affordable cost. It emphasizes their commitment to making education accessible to a wider group of students, thus fostering greater diversity and inclusivity in their campuses.