This county of 47,000 residents has made education a priority, with strong opportunities for higher education as well as beefed-up graduation requirements in its already quality school system. Here is some background on Dickson County’s class-act education community:

Dickson County School District

More than 8,500 students are enrolled in this district that is regarded as one of the highest-achieving in Tennessee. The district employs 1,000 people, 550 of which are teachers, and there are 14 schools: eight elementary, three middle, two high schools and one alternative. The two high schools are Creek Wood High and Dickson County High. The district is also planning a Virtual High School scheduled to begin in September 2010. It is headquartered at New Directions Academy, with satellite campuses at the two high schools. The Virtual High School mission is to primarily target students who have fallen behind on coursework, or are on the verge of dropping out. Students can take a few courses online while attending the remainder of their classes the traditional way.

Dickson County Higher Education Center

The Dickson County Higher Education Center was first established in October 2006 in a small building on McLemore Street in Dickson, with a goal of allowing residents the chance to enroll in college-credit courses. The center quickly became so popular that it has relocated to a larger facility inside The Renaissance Center. More than 300 students are now taking classes, with the Higher Education Center currently operating under an umbrella agreement between The Jackson Foundation, Austin Peay State University and Nashville State Community College. Students taking college classes at the Higher Education Center can easily transfer completed credits toward degrees from Austin Peay and Nashville State.

Tennessee Technology Center at Dickson

The Tennessee Technology Center at Dickson campus was established to allow students an opportunity to receive a top education in a variety of technical fields. Programs offered at TTC include automotive technology, business systems, computer information technology, cosmetology, dental assistant, heavy equipment mechanics, machine tool technology, practical nursing and technology foundations. Several courses are offered online, and TTC also provides high-quality training and retraining of employed workers.

New Directions Academy

This alternative school serves students in grades 3-12 who are having difficulties with coursework, attendance or behavior. The New Directions Academy mission is to help students not only graduate from high school, but then become fully functioning and thriving members of society. Among the offerings at New Directions Academy are two GED programs for 17-year-olds – a Hardship program and a Jobs program.