Enrollment Jumps 9% as TKA Welcomes Students from 26 Countries
423 students begin the 2026–2027 school year as enrollment reverses a three-year decline and TKA's resident life program reaches record international representation.
The King's Academy opened the 2026–2027 school year with 423 students, a 9% increase over the 388 students enrolled on the first day of the previous school year.
The increase marks a significant reversal for TKA following three consecutive years of declining enrollment.
The growth is especially noteworthy following the graduation of a 35-member senior class in May. With TKA's rolling admission process, enrollment may continue to rise as new students are admitted throughout the school year.
During the 2025–2026 school year, enrollment grew from 388 students on opening day to 395 students by year's end.
Achieving our highest retention rate in five years is the result of amazing team effort. God has rewarded this work with 372 day students and 51 boarding students on Day 1. That's 92% growth in our resident life program over last year!
In announcing the enrollment numbers, President and Headmaster Dr. Fred Eaves credited the growth to three primary factors: retention, international outreach, and renewed confidence in the academy.
Three Reasons Behind the Growth
Retention
93.4% of eligible students chose to return.
International Outreach
TKA's boarding population nearly doubled.
Renewed Confidence
Stability helped strengthen family confidence.
Families Chose to Stay
A concerted effort by academy personnel to personally connect with TKA families resulted in 93.4% of eligible students re-enrolling for the 2026–2027 school year.
That retention rate represents TKA's strongest result in five years and provided an important foundation for the academy's overall enrollment growth.
26 Countries.
One TKA Community.
TKA's boarding population nearly doubled over the previous year, bringing students from around the world together on one campus in East Tennessee.
In Spring 2026, TKA's International Admissions Office conducted recruitment efforts in Europe that contributed to significant growth in the academy's resident life program.
TKA opened the school year with 51 boarding students, representing 26 countries in what is believed to be the most internationally diverse resident life population in academy history.
The international presence extends well beyond the residence halls, bringing a global perspective into classrooms, Fine Arts, athletics, chapel, and everyday campus life.
Stability Builds Momentum
Following significant leadership turnover in 2025, academy leaders point to renewed confidence among families as another important part of the enrollment story.
Parents have expressed appreciation for the stability established by the Board of Trustees and academy leadership in recent months.
That stability, combined with greater personal engagement with families and a renewed focus on the academy's mission, has helped strengthen confidence in TKA's direction.
We understand that 'unto whomsoever much is given much is required' and take that Scripture seriously. We are humbled by the huge responsibility God has given us to disciple these students in a supportive and challenging Christian community.
With 372 day students and 51 boarding students beginning the year together, TKA enters 2026–2027 with renewed momentum and a community that is increasingly both local and global.
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