Kingsport City Schools

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Zoning and Tuition

INFORMATION

Zoning Exception: Parents who would like to request their child attend a different city school outside the school zone for which their child is zoned for, must apply for a zoning exception.
 

Tuition Application: Parents of students who are not legal residents of the City of Kingsport must submit a tuition application to attend a Kingsport City Schools.

To learn which school your child is zoned, please visit School Zones and Street Directory or call Kingsport City Schools Administrative Support Center at (423) 378.2100.

SCHOOL YEAR APPLICATIONS

Parents or legal guardians must apply annually for their child’s tuition and zoning status, even if they attended Kingsport City Schools during the preceding school year.
  • 2024-25 SCHOOL YEAR -
The Zoning and Tuition Application for the 2024-25 school year is now open. Click the application link at the bottom of this webpage.

OPEN ENROLLMENT

Due to a change in Tennessee state law, starting with the 2022-23 school year, KCS students (including those residing within the City of Kingsport limits) may attend a KCS school other than the one to which they are currently zoned as long as space is available in the requested school/grade-level. 
 
The number of enrollment spaces available at each location is based on 2024-25 projected enrollment and school and grade-level capacities. School enrollment will be monitored during the Open Enrollment period and as a result, available seats may be adjusted to comply with state law.  If more requests are received than are available at a school/grade-level, a lottery will be held to determine enrollment placement.  Any students not selected during the lottery will be placed on a waiting list for potential enrollment.
 
Open Enrollment Schedule
  • April 22, 2024:  Open Enrollment information posted, including the number of seats available.
  • May 6 - June 5, 2024:  Parents/Guardians residing within the City of Kingsport limits may apply for enrollment at a school to which a student is not zoned.
  • June 14, 2024:  Lottery will be conducted to select enrollment at schools/grade-levels where more open enrollment requests have been received than are available.
  • June 19, 2024:  Anticipated date when notification to parents/guardians of student enrollment status will be complete.
NOTE: Open enrollment slots by location will be posted on April 22, 2024.
NOTE: Number of seats available will adjust as actual enrollment for the 2024-25 school year is finalized.
 
Elementary Schools
Grade Level Adams Jefferson Jackson Johnson Kennedy Lincoln Roosevelt Washington
K 6 1 10 5 15 6 10 12
1 2 3 6 0 11 4 9 1
2 6 5 4 0 7 0 1 3
3 4 1 5 0 10 0 8 3
Note: The K-3 grade band cannot exceed an overall average of 20 students per class*.  School enrollment will be monitored during the Open Enrollment period and as a result, available seats may be adjusted to comply with state law.
 
Grade Level Adams Jefferson Jackson Johnson Kennedy Lincoln Roosevelt Washington
4 16 10 12 16 11 18 8 12
5 17 10 13 10 6 7 9 3
Note: The 4-5 grade band cannot exceed an overall average of 25 students per class*.  School enrollment will be monitored during the Open Enrollment period and as a result, available seats may be adjusted to comply with state law.
 
Middle Schools
Grade Level Robinson Sevier
6 20 15
Note: The 6th grade cannot exceed an overall average of 25 students per class*.  School enrollment will be monitored during the Open Enrollment period and as a result, available seats may be adjusted to comply with state law.
 
Grade Level Robinson Sevier
7 18 19
8 9 20
Note: The 7th-8th grade band cannot exceed an overall average of 30 students per class*.  School enrollment will be monitored during the Open Enrollment period and as a result, available seats may be adjusted to comply with state law.
 
*Class size maximums and grade band averages are determined by TCA 49-1-104, TRR/MS 0520-01-02-.31(4), and KCS BOE Policy 4.201
 
What is open enrollment?
  • Open enrollment is the process in which parents/guardians who live within the City of Kingsport limits may elect to enroll their child(ren) in a KCS school in which they are not zoned as long as space is available in the requested school / grade-level.
Who is eligible for open enrollment?
  • Any resident of the City of Kingsport may elect to have their child(ren) attend a school other than the one in which they are zoned.  
How do I apply for open enrollment?
  • Parents/Guardians may apply for open enrollment using the above link through June 5, 2024.
What if I have already applied for a zoning exemption for the 2024-25 school year?  Do I need to apply again to be a part of the open enrollment process?
  • No, if you have previously applied for zoning for the 2024-25 school year (which opened March 1, 2024), you do not need to fill out an additional zoning form.
If I apply for open enrollment, am I guaranteed to attend my requested school?
  • Parents/Guardians will have their open enrollment request granted unless there are more requests for a particular school/grade level than slots available.  If this occurs, a lottery will be held to select the students that will fill the available slots.
How will I be informed if my application for open enrollment is approved?
  • It is anticipated that Parents/Guardians will be informed by KCS by June 19, 2024 as to their student(s) enrollment for the 2024-25 school year.  This notification will come via email to the account indicated during the application process. Please note that for kindergarten applications, due to monitoring enrollment at each location, it may be a later date when notifications occur.  
I am applying for open enrollment and I already have another child/sibling enrolled at that school.  Does my application receive priority in the open enrollment process?
  • Yes.  Based on KCS Board Policy 6.206 and Tennessee State Law, siblings receive priority status when applying for open enrollment.
I am applying for open enrollment and I am an employee of KCS.  Does my application receive priority in the open enrollment process?
  • Yes.  Based on KCS Board Policy 6.206 and Tennessee State Law, employees of KCS receive priority status when applying for open enrollment.
KCS Board Policy 6.206 - Open Enrollment

TUITION

Tuition rates for students who are not legal residents of the City of Kingsport are based on the 2024-2025 school year and are subject to change pending approval by the Kingsport Board of Education.
Tuition Rates
  • All Tennessee Counties - 1st Child @ $1,000/year or $100/month
  • All Tennessee Counties - 2nd Child @ $950/year or $95/month
  • All Tennessee Counties - Additional Child @ $900/year or $90/month
  • Out of State - $9,700/year calculated yearly based on State of Tennessee funding

CONTACTS

Jim Nash, Chief Student Services Officer at (423) 378.2169 or [email protected] for additional information regarding zoning and tuition. 
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