Karns Preschool, 8109 Beaver Ridge Road: Pre-K (ages 3 to 5), 92 students in 2023-24. Office: 865-539-7770.

Last checked Oct. 18, 2026. Sources: karnsps.knoxschools.org, Knox County Schools, the Tennessee Department of Education’s State Report Card and data files and the NCES school directory.

Karns Preschool is a Knox County Schools preschool at 8109 Beaver Ridge Road in Knoxville. The school has a Knoxville mailing address but sits outside the city limits, in unincorporated Knox County.

Karns Preschool serves children ages 3, 4 and 5 from across Knox County in a play-based program, according to its About Us page.

Who to call
Address 8109 Beaver Ridge Road, Knoxville, TN 37931
Phone 865-539-7770
Grades Pre-K (ages 3 to 5)
School day 7:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.
District Knox County Schools
School board district and KCS region District 6, Region 2

Principal

Principal Jason Harris, according to the school’s About Us page.

Enrollment and teachers

  • Federal count: 92 students in the 2023-24 school year, with 5 full-time-equivalent teachers, according to the NCES directory. That works out to about 18 students per teacher.

State report card

Tennessee gives most public schools an A-F letter grade. The Department of Education says the grades are meant “to provide a snapshot of how each school performed during the previous academic year,” according to its school letter grades page. The grade combines indicators scored from 1 to 5: student achievement, academic growth, growth of the highest-need students and, for high schools, college and career readiness.

The state lists Karns Preschool as not eligible for a 2024-25 letter grade in its letter grade file, as it does for schools without enough tested students or with special missions.

The full report, with chronic absence and results by student group, is on the State Report Card page for Karns Preschool.

Attendance zone and feeder schools

Preschool seats are not assigned by attendance zone in the same way as K-12 schools. Knox County Schools runs blended, Title I and voluntary pre-K programs; details and the preschool roundup are on the district’s preschool programs page. To find the zoned elementary school for an address, use the KGIS school zone search.

Families who want a school outside their zone apply for a transfer. The priority window for the 2027-28 school year opened Oct. 1, 2026, and closes at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2027; a final window runs April 1 to June 1, 2027. Seats depend on space, are assigned by lottery-style numbers within priority groups, and transfer students get no bus service, according to the district’s transfer page.

Calendar and bell times

From the Knox County Schools 2026-27 calendar:

  • Tuesday, Nov. 3: in-service day, no school for students
  • Wednesday, Nov. 18: half day for students
  • Nov. 25-27: Thanksgiving holidays, schools closed
  • Friday, Dec. 18: half day; end of the first semester
  • Dec. 21 to Jan. 1: winter break; students return Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2027
  • March 8-12, 2027: spring break
  • Wednesday, May 26, 2027: last day for students (half day)

Full-day preschool runs 7:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. and half-day preschool 7:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m., according to the district’s school schedules page.

More on Knoxville schools

Frequently asked questions

What grades does Karns Preschool serve?

Karns Preschool serves Pre-K (ages 3 to 5). It is a Knox County Schools campus at 8109 Beaver Ridge Road, Knoxville; the main office number is 865-539-7770.

Does Karns Preschool have a state letter grade?

No. The Tennessee Department of Education lists Karns Preschool as not eligible for a 2024-25 letter grade. Its State Report Card page still holds enrollment and other data.

What time does Karns Preschool start?

Full-day preschool runs 7:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., according to the Knox County Schools school schedules page.