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What is a Special School District?

Established in 1906, by the Franklin Board of Mayor and Aldermen, the Franklin Special District (FSD) is a public school system serving pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade students in eight schools within the beautiful historic city of Franklin, Tennessee. A special act of the legislature in 1949 allowed the district to make changes in its funding sources, thus becoming the first special school district in Tennessee. This change in status gave the School Board the authority to approve its own budget and levy taxes to fund education. From that point forward, the school district would be known as the Franklin Special School District. And in 2024 our board made the decision to rebrand, reintroducing ourselves as the Franklin Special District, or FSD.

Special Things Happen in Special Places

Vision Statement

“Excellence in Teaching and Learning for All”

Mission and Goals

The mission of the Franklin Special District is to foster academic, social, emotional, physical, and creative development in each student; to instill a desire to continue learning; to nurture respect for all people; and to promote responsible citizenship.

The Franklin Special District is a place where special things happen for kids and families. Here's how we do it:

Develop a community of learners that emphasizes academics along with kindness, encouragement, caring, and compassion.
Provide a comprehensive array of instructional programs and experiences for students that focus on all essential areas of education and child development.
Encourage collaboration and shared decision-making involving teachers, administrators, support staff, parents, and community members.
Emphasize continuous improvement and a constant search for better ways of educating students and managing the school district in an effective and efficient manner

District Details

City of Franklin

Downtown Franklin at night with Christmas lights

The City of Franklin

The City of Franklin, founded in 1799, was named after Benjamin Franklin, a close friend of Dr. Hugh Williamson, a member of the Continental Congress for whom Williamson County was named. For most of its first 180 years, Franklin was a tranquil, small county seat. In the years prior to the Civil War, Williamson County was one of the wealthiest counties in Tennessee and Franklin was the center of plantation economy. However, the Civil War devastated the economy. Union troops occupied the area for nearly three years. The Battle of Franklin was fought on November 30, 1864, and was one of the war’s bloodiest battles, costing more than 8,000 casualties and turning every home and building in town into a hospital. It took 120 years for the county’s economy to reach pre-war levels.

Today, Franklin is one of the wealthiest cities in one of the wealthiest counties in the United States. Approximately 78,000 people live in Franklin. In 2017, the U.S. Census ranked Franklin as the 8th fastest-growing city in the Nation.

The Number One Small Town in Tennessee

Located just 14 miles south of Nashville, the FSD is located in the heart of Franklin, a city that has made a place for itself on the map for its blending of the traditional with the modern. Named the “Number One Small Town in Tennessee,” Franklin is an excellent place to work, live, raise children, or simply enjoy the history of a city that appreciates its beginnings.

You can see and experience Franklin's history by exploring the area. However, beginning in 2017, city and community leaders met to ensure a "fuller story" could be told about the proud heritage of the area's Black community. Because of their work, as well as support from the larger community, five educational markers have been placed near the city's Confederate soldier monument and around the square depicting the African American experience before and after the Battle of Franklin.

Franklin is a unique blend of history and progress. You’ll find the best of both worlds here: small-town charm and big-city sophistication. There are fascinating historical sites and museums, magnificent Antebellum and Victorian homes – plus our thriving downtown shopping area and the Cool Springs Galleria, unique dining and entertainment, and wonderful festivals. Franklin has grown from a very small, agricultural community into a strong blend of residential, commercial and corporate citizens. Franklin has spent millions to maintain the town’s Main Street so it reflects its historical surroundings and has garnered the prestigious “Great American Main Street Award” from the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1995. More recently, the City is a 2020 All-America City winner from the National Civic League.

Other Notables

web badge for All-America City 2020 award

Other awards and designations bestowed upon the City include:

30 Most Beautiful Main Streets Across America, Architectural Digest (Aug 2018)
The South’s Prettiest Towns, Southern Living (March 2018)
10 Best Suburbs of 2017, BuzzFeed (Oct 2017)
Best Places to Raise a Family, Elite Personal Finance (Aug 2017)
#4 on Money Magazine’s Top 100 Best Places to Live (2017)
8th Fastest Growing City in Nation (U.S. Census 2017)
Best Suburb in Tennessee, Business Insider (July 2016)
3rd Safest City in TN (Backgroundchecks.org 2016)
Best Southern Town by Garden and Gun Magazine (2014)
Best Place for Job Seekers (Nerd Wallet 2013)
Top 10 for Historic Preservation (Preservation Network 2012)
CNN Money’s Top 100 “Most Livable” Cities (2012)
2nd Most Business Friendly Cities in TN (Beacon Center 2012)
Top 10 Places to Retire (Money Magazine)
Bloomberg/Businessweek’s Top 10 Cities for Startups (2011)
Most Romantic Main Street (National Trust for Historic Preservation 2010)
Dozen Distinctive Destinations by the National Trust for Historic Preservation (2009)
National Register Historic District (2009)
Named one of the 1,000 Places To See in The USA and Canada Before You Die by New York Times best-selling travel author Patricia Schultz.

History of FSD

In the early 1900s, school children in Franklin traversed to rural schoolhouses so they could receive instruction. In an effort to raise educational standards and make schooling more convenient, the residents of Franklin persuaded the city’s leadership to take action. On October 27, 1906, the Franklin School Board was created by the City of Franklin Board of Mayor and Aldermen. Ordinance No. 28 listed the district’s first School Board members as:

Mr. Newton Cannon, Sr., first Chairman of the Board
Mr. E.M. Perkins
Dr. Kirby Smith Howlett
Mr. Ben D. Ewin
Mr. Walter W. Faw
Mr. Robert Hugh Crockett
Mr. W.M. Bennett (appointed by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen to fill vacated seat of Mr. Perkins)

In April 1907, the Tennessee Legislature officially recognized District Nine, Franklin City School System. The first order of business was to build a school central to the residents who lived in Franklin. Franklin Grammar School was built in 1907 at Five Points in downtown Franklin, at the cost of $14,812.

In addition, with the establishment of the Franklin City School District in 1907, the Franklin Training School, which educated black students at the time, was transferred to the Franklin City School District from Williamson County. Because this school served students in grades 1-12, the educational responsibilities were shared by both school districts.

In 1949, the Tennessee Legislature allowed Franklin City School District to make changes in its funding sources, thus becoming the first special school district in Tennessee. Among these changes was the authority to approve its own budget and to levy taxes to fund education. From that point forward, the school district would be known as the Franklin Special School District.

State Report Card

View School Report Cards

What Makes FSD "Special"?

FSD’s state achievement scores consistently rank it among the Top 10% of all 147 public school systems in Tennessee. The last reported scores (2024-25) indicated that the FSD was one of the top 10 districts for Overall Performance, which includes achievement and subgroup performance!
The district maintains a long history of outperforming the state in every grade level and subject area. In 2025, the district as a whole outperformed the state's proficiency percentage by double digits in every subject.
The FSD received the "Advancing" designation by the state based on its Fall 2024 TCAP data.
The district has 4 Reward Schools, a designation given based on a calculation that includes TCAP scores, student growth, and chronically absent percentages.
Liberty Elementary School is a National Blue Ribbon School, a five-year designation for achievement as designated by the U.S. Department of Education (2021-2026).
The FSD places a deliberate focus on personalized instruction tailored to meet each student’s individual needs.
Students in grades 7 and 8 may take high school-credit courses in Algebra I, Geometry, French I, Spanish I, Introduction to Aerospace, and Computer Science, enabling them to earn as many as 3 high school credits.
Each school has a fully staffed clinic to meet the health needs of all children. A District Nursing Coordinator supervises eight full-time licensed school nurses.
The FSD and all schools are Heart Safe accredited by Project ADAM of Monroe Carell Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt with every site trained and prepared to respond to a cardiac emergency. Every school and central office has an AED.
The School Board is a nine-time recipient of the Board of Distinction award from the Tennessee School Boards Association (TSBA).
Five of the six Board of Education members have received Master School Board Member status by achieving Level V accreditation from the TSBA.
The average salary of instructional personnel in the FSD is consistently in the top 10 in the state in most salary lanes. In 2023-2024, the FSD was #5 in the state for average bachelor's salary and #8 in the state for average master’s salary.
Approximately 69% percent of the district’s faculty holds a master’s degree or higher (2025).
FSD is a multi-year winner of the Best of the Best of Williamson in the category of Best Employer (over 500 employees) by The Tennessean.
The FSD is #2 in the state for per-pupil expenditures at $21,090. This figure is a standard of quality that illustrates the district’s commitment to providing high-quality instruction and resources for its students. The state average for per pupil expenditures is $12,749 (2024-25 TN Report Card).
The FSD holds an Aa1 (Exceptional) Financial Strength Rating classification by Moody’s, signifying the district’s commitment to responsible spending.
FSD students have unique opportunities to use and develop their talents in the visual and performing arts. The FSD provides extraordinary funding for programs such as art, theater, vocal and instrumental music as part of the student’s academic day.
A state-of-the-art Performing Arts Center for use by all FSD schools was completed in 2022 to provide students in the performing and visual arts a place to showcase their talents. Additionally, the PAC serves as an event venue for major district events and is also available for community use.
The FSD physical education program is recognized on both the state and national levels as a model. One school is a state demonstration center and a second school is a national award winner for physical education. Students in grades K-4 receive daily physical education instruction.
Special academic programs include an honors program for high-ability learners in grades 5-8 as well as a program of services for gifted and talented students. Each school has an accelerated learning teacher who provides direct instruction to eligible students as well.
The district is committed to early childhood education and has pre-kindergarten classes and a special education preschool in all of the elementary schools.
The FSD integrates technology at all grade levels and has two Instructional Technology Specialists as well as eight building-level technology specialists.
All students in grades K-8 have a 1:1 device-to-student ratio with access to a district laptop or tablet.
The FSD operates a low-cost Morning and Afternoon Care (MAC) program for children five days a week and during most holidays and summer break. MAC is a self-sustaining program that provides enrichment, tutoring, and extra-curricular activities for its students.
The FSD operates an employee childcare education center for children of working parents. The MAC program oversees the center, called WeeMAC, which serves children ages 6 weeks through preschool and is self-sustaining.
The FSD is committed to student safety and all schools have secure access through an office vestibule, monitored at all times by district staff. Cameras monitored by office staff are also present in all buildings and doors and windows are equipped with bullet-resistant film.
The district has made a priority of not charging academic fees for supplies students need for core classes or related arts. No supplemental fees are required of parents.
The district believes that summer instruction can be beneficial to both high-ability and low-ability learners. The district offers the Young Scholars Institute for students who choose enrichment activities and Summer Learning Camp for those who benefit from extra support over the summer. In addition, the district helps support Gentry Educational Foundation for youth in the community to receive academic remediation and/or enrichment, as well as instruction in many fun and diverse extra-curricular classes.

Beliefs

The Franklin Special District holds the following beliefs:

All students can learn at high levels when educators utilize data to make instructional decisions that ensure students’ individual needs are met.
All students should receive personalized, on-grade-level, rigorous instruction relevant to real life using district-adopted curricula.
Every person is valued and respected through a culture of relationship building.
Access to challenging and inspiring fine arts opportunities, high-school credit elective courses, and strong physical education programs is necessary to enhance the whole learner.
Exploration and awareness of career, technical, and college experiences give students confidence in their future goals.
Parental and community involvement are vital to successful schools.
Safe and nurturing school environments foster students' emotional well-being, promote academic success, and encourage positive social interactions.
The district’s storied history and the enduring contributions of those who built and continue to shape it are the foundation of our excellence, inspiring us to celebrate the past while striving for a future with unlimited possibility.

District Improvement Plan

In order for Tennessee to reach its goals that all students have the knowledge and skills to successfully embark upon their chosen path in life, it is important that schools, districts, and the state develop strong plans for improvement that aim to incrementally move towards those long-term goals. Therefore, all districts and schools in Tennessee are required to create a comprehensive improvement plan that is developed annually by a diverse group of stakeholders to drive prioritization of the work and associated funding decisions to improve educational opportunities for all students.

During the planning process, stakeholders are challenged to review various data points to identify the current needs of the district or school. Once the needs are identified, the planning team creates aligned goals, strategies, and action steps that align with the prioritized needs. All plans should be monitored regularly and revised based on students’ needs throughout the school year, with input from the planning team.

2025-2026 District Improvement Plan

2025-2026 District Improvement Plan

Goal 1: Improve Literacy and Math Proficiency
1. Strategy 1.1: Develop academic growth goals guided by essential standards
  1. Action 1.1.1: Continue identifying essential standards for all grade levels and subject areas
  2. Action 1.1.2: Continue developing common formative assessments and success criteria for essential standards
  3. Action 1.1.3: Provide professional learning for educators on essential standards, success criteria, and common formative assessments
2. Strategy 1.2: Strengthen Professional Learning Communities through professional learning and innovative teaching strategies
  1. Action 1.2.1: Create a District Guiding Coalition for coordinating PLC efforts and processes district-wide
  2. Action 1.2.2: Monitor and guide the work of school PLCs by administrators
  3. Action 1.2.3: Strengthen the PLC process through the achievement of more schools and the district receiving Model PLC at Work designations
3. Strategy 1.3: Emphasize K-2 reading and math fluency, 3-8 reading and math proficiency, and district-wide writing expectations
  1. Action 1.3.1: Develop writing expectations through a committee, train teachers, and monitor progress
  2. Action 1.3.2: Provide professional learning focused on identifying skill deficits and enrichment opportunities through PLC
Goal 2: Cultivate Student Well-being and Belonging
1. Strategy 2.1: Strengthen community partnerships
  1. Action 2.1.1: Improve communication about resources
  2. Action 2.1.2: Provide professional learning from community partners
  3. Action 2.1.3: Enable Mercy Community Healthcare and Volunteer Behavioral Health therapists and liaisons to directly serve identified students
2. Strategy 2.2: Develop safe, inclusive, and welcoming environments in schools
  1. Action 2.2.1: Determine student needs for emotional and interpersonal well-being
  2. Action 2.2.2: Identify behavioral expectations
  3. Action 2.2.3: Create opportunities for enhancing student well-being and belonging
3. Strategy 2.3: Implement the Preschool Inclusion Strategic Plan
  1. Action 2.3.1: Develop and implement a universal preschool application for families with children ages 3-5
  2. Action 2.3.2: Conduct the Preschool Inclusion Needs Assessment
Goal 3: Expand Community and Family Engagement
1. Strategy 3.1: Provide digital opportunities for stakeholder engagement
  1. Action 3.1.1: Advance the Digital Outreach Plan
  2. Action 3.1.2: Develop a training program for parents/families
2. Strategy 3.2: Facilitate parent connectedness
  1. Action 3.2.1: Expand the work of the District PTO Group
  2. Action 3.2.2: Offer an advisor for parent groups
  3. Action 3.2.3: Expand after school parent offerings
3. Strategy 3.3: Develop a transition plan for parents/families
  1. Action 3.3.1: Improve diverse communications regarding transitions
  2. Action 3.3.2: Strengthen administrator and parent ambassador collaborations
  3. Action 3.3.3: Reinforce high school transition planning

2025-26 FSD DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLANNING GOOGLE DOC

For more information about the FSD District Improvement Plan, please contact:

Pax Wiemers, Ed.D.
Supervisor, Student Performance and Federal Programs

Honors and Awards

graphic that says FSD achieved Level 5 on TCAP 2025

Johnson Elementary School is the first school in Williamson County to achieve STEAM school designation by the TN Department of Education.

Liberty Elementary School received the prestigious National Blue Ribbon School award, a five-year designation that lasts from 2021-2026.

Solution Tree's digital badge for Model PLC at Work schools with blue and green accents

Freedom Middle School and Poplar Grove Elementary School are National Model PLC at Work Schools, as designated by highly respected professional learning company Solution Tree. These are two-year designations.

graphic text that says i-ready super stretch school 2025

For the second year in a row, Moore Elementary School has been designated as a national Super Stretch School for demonstrating remarkable reading growth based on i-Ready diagnostic data.

badge with yellow ribbon that says Best Place for Working Parents 2025

The FSD was named a Top Employer (Over 500 Employees) in the Williamson County Community’s Choice Awards (2023-2025), recognizing its outstanding workplace culture and commitment to excellence.

Green circular badge with white writing saying Common Sense District 2024-2025

FSD and all 8 schools have received the Common Sense Education badge of distinction for a demonstrated commitment to responsible, effective technology use.

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