KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – More than 60,000 students returned to classrooms Thursday as the state’s third-largest school system began the 2024-2025 school year.

This year, WVLT News met with Dr. Jon Rysewyk, Superintendent of Knox County Schools, to get an insight into his plans for his third year at the helm of KCS.

Rysewyk has set the standard for Knox County schools. He said the system is focused on four priorities while trying to capitalize on the recent momentum coming from Knox County students.

These four priorities:

• Excellent basic knowledge;
• Employ excellent educators in every school;
• Strengthening and preparing for careers; and
• Success for every student

For the superintendent, it’s a “back to basics” approach.

“We’ve talked a lot about how we can get better, blocking and tackling,” Rysewyk said. “It’s nothing new and it’s nothing different. The work of teaching students, focusing on excellent basic skills, getting those reading skills right, getting those math skills right. That’s going to make a difference for all of our students.”

Part of that investment: funding salary increases for more than 85% of employees, especially teachers. It was a record investment that, according to Rysewyk, is already paying off.

Previous reporting: Knox County Schools push for teacher pay raises in budget proposal

“One (new teacher) was a 20-year veteran from a surrounding county, and she said she was confident in two things: first, that we were serious about investing money in our people, and second, that the progress for students was clear,” Rysewyk said. “She wanted to be a part of this, and it was a special education teacher with 20 years of experience. Stories like this that we get encourage the work for students and families, and we’re proud that people want to be part of the team.”

While Knox County spends money on teacher support, lawmakers in Nashville are debating back and forth over a school voucher program that would allow Tennessee students to attend private school.

While Governor Lee has said the money will not come from the public education budget, opponents fear that is not the case. Rysewyk said he wants to focus on what is in front of him, prioritizing the local aspects.

“You know, we really try to focus on what we have control over, because I think our kids deserve that, our families deserve that,” he said. “When I or our team think about what could be, we end up not focusing on what’s important and we’ve dropped the ball. Whatever the legislators decide to do with it, it’s not going to change our job, it’s not going to change our mission.”

It’s not just about the money, though. Nashville has also adjusted its third and fourth grade deferral laws, while Knox County has seen a steady increase in TCAP scores.

Previous reporting: Less than 50% of Knox County students met expectations in all four TCAP categories, the district said

Rysewyk believes that comparing student achievement is a good thing, but the government could consider doing so for younger students.

“My argument all along has been, ‘Bring the support, bring the funding for the interventions at an earlier age,'” he said. “If I were king for a day, I would start with that, so yeah, I think you can never start early enough.”

Previous reporting: Knox County school leaders outline safety investments ahead of new school year

School safety is also an issue for school inspectors, and investments in this area include a Text-A-Tip app and more, which WVLT News highlighted last week.

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