Rhea County, Tennessee
Rhea County (/reɪ/ RAY[2]) is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, its population was 32,870.[3] Its county seat is Dayton.[4] Rhea County comprises the Dayton, TN micropolitan statistical area, which is also included in the Chattanooga-Cleveland-Dalton, TN-GA-AL combined statistical area.
Education[edit]
Rhea County Schools, the county-administered public school system, serves most Rhea County students.[22] The system operates three elementary schools, two middle schools, two K-8 schools, one high school (Rhea County High School), and one alternative school. The K-8 school, Rhea Central Elementary, is currently the largest K-8 school in Tennessee in terms of number of students.[23]
The City of Dayton operates a K-8 school, Dayton City School, that serves the children who live within the city limits. All public-school students in the county, however, attend Rhea County High School, in Evensville, upon leaving the eighth grade, as the city does not have a high school.[24] The high school has an enrollment around 1,500 students.
Rhea County Academy is a private, not-for-profit K4-12 school located in Dayton. The school was started in 2003 and currently enrolls about 150 students.[25]
Bryan College, a four-year Christian liberal arts college, has its campus in Dayton. The college is named for William Jennings Bryan. Chattanooga State Community College also has a small satellite campus in Dayton. Additionally, Oxford Graduate School, an international graduate-level Christian college serving working adults has its campus in Dayton.