Wilson County Schools is continuing to grow-and fast. According to Director Jeff Luttrell, the district is closing in on a student population of 21,000, with 20,800 students currently enrolled as of January 5. That’s a significant figure, but what’s even more telling is how the numbers are shifting across grade levels.
Since the end of the 2024-2025 academic year, middle and high schools have picked up steam in enrollment. Middle schools added 64 students, while high schools saw a jump of 166. Those aren’t earth-shattering numbers on their own, but they’re part of a broader trend that Luttrell says is worth keeping an eye on.
“We’ve had years recently where we’ve added 500 to 600 new students annually,” Luttrell noted during the January 15 board meeting. “That number is trending down a bit right now, but I fully expect it to climb again soon as new housing developments wrap up.”
In other words, this current pace might just be the calm before another enrollment storm. Luttrell expects the district to cross the 21,000-student mark by the end of the year-and possibly exceed it by the time the 2026-2027 school year kicks off. Looking further ahead, he projects that number could surpass 24,000 in just three years.
That kind of growth doesn’t just impact classroom sizes and bus routes-it also shapes how the district plans for student wellness and family support. And that’s where the school board’s latest moves come in.
At the same meeting, the board approved several surveys aimed at getting a clearer picture of what students and families are experiencing outside the classroom. Two of those surveys are tied to the district’s Family Resource Center (FRC), which is preparing for the 2026-2027 school year. These anonymous assessments will gather input from parents and guardians about family or community needs-insight that could help shape future support services.
But perhaps the most sensitive and potentially impactful survey is the one designed for students. This questionnaire, approved by the board and developed in partnership with Drug Free Wilco and Tennessee Together, will ask students about their experiences and exposure to drugs, alcohol, and self-harm.
The survey is comprehensive. It includes questions about age, grade, race, and sex, but also digs deeper-asking about usage of alcohol, opioids, over-the-counter medications, cigarettes, vaping products, marijuana, and even gambling. It also looks at how easy students feel it is to access these substances, whether their peers are using them, and if they’ve ever considered self-harm.
“This isn’t about punishment,” Luttrell emphasized. “It’s about understanding what our kids are facing. We know one of the biggest challenges with addiction is that the earlier someone starts, the harder it is to stop.”
The survey will be strictly opt-in, and parents will make that decision during the registration process in Skyward next year. The board made it clear that sample questions will be available for parents to review before they opt in, giving families transparency and control.
As Wilson County continues to grow in numbers, it’s also trying to grow in awareness-about what students are dealing with and how the district can support them. The enrollment projections may grab the headlines, but the real story is about preparing for the students behind those numbers-both in the classroom and beyond.