Students from military families graduated at a higher rate than any other group of Tennessee students in the class of 2026, new state data show, as the nation marks Veterans Day on Wednesday.¶
Of the 1,035 military-connected students in the class, 1,012 earned a diploma on time. That’s a rate of 97.8 percent under the state’s calculation, based on graduation files the Tennessee Department of Education posted late last month.¶
The group edged out Asian students, at 97.7 percent, and led every student group for the second straight year. Its rate has climbed two years in a row, from 95.5 percent for the class of 2024 to 97.5 percent in 2025.¶
Only 16 military-connected students dropped out, or 1.5 percent. Statewide, 93.2 percent of all students graduated on time and 5.7 percent dropped out.¶
A Third in Clarksville
Clarksville-Montgomery County Schools (CMCSS) sits next to Fort Campbell, the Army post on the state line between Clarksville and Hopkinsville, Kentucky, that’s home to the 101st Airborne Division. The district had 348 military-connected students in the class, about a third of the state’s total and about one in eight students in its own class of 2026.¶
Of those students, 96.6 percent graduated on time, down from 98.5 percent a year earlier but slightly above the 96.3 percent rate for all of the district’s students. Nine dropped out, a 2.6 percent rate that matched the district as a whole.¶
West Creek High School had the largest group, 63 students, and graduated 92.1 percent of them, down from 98.7 percent the year before. Kirkwood High School graduated 98.1 percent of its 53, Rossview High School and Northwest High School each graduated more than 99 percent, and Northeast High School and Clarksville High School each graduated 95.7 percent.¶
The state’s numbers cover only Tennessee public schools, not the six schools the military runs on post for Fort Campbell children who live there.¶
Other Districts
Outside Montgomery County, the largest groups of military-connected students were in Rutherford County, where more than 99 percent of 77 students graduated, and Dickson County, where 98.3 percent of 59 did. Knox County graduated 94.3 percent of its 53, and Tipton County graduated more than 99 percent of its 44.¶
In Shelby County, Arlington, Bartlett, Collierville, Lakeland, and Millington Municipal Schools each graduated more than 99 percent of their military-connected students. Families can look up the group by district in the department’s district file and by high school in its school file, though the state does not report a rate for groups of fewer than 10 students.¶
Support for Military Families
Every one of CMCSS’s 44 schools held the Tennessee Purple Star School Award as of June, according to the 2026 annual report of the Tennessee Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission. Schools earn the award for two years by completing required activities, including training on the compact, along with at least one optional activity, and 96 schools statewide held it at the time.¶
The compact sets common rules for military children who change schools, covering enrollment, placement, attendance, eligibility, and graduation, and Tennessee extended its protections to the children of all National Guard and Reserve members in 2023.¶
“In Tennessee, we are fortunate to have school systems and school liaison officers who strive to resolve transition issues without the assistance of the Tennessee Commissioner or the Military Family Education Liaison,” wrote the commission in its report.¶
At Fort Campbell, that help comes from the post’s school support office.¶
“Our School Liaison Officers (SLOs) work directly with Families, educators, the installation, and community stakeholders to ensure smooth transitions for military-connected students and their Families,” wrote the office.¶
Applications for the 2026-27 Purple Star award are open through January 15.¶
