River Ribbon Collaboratives
The River Ribbon Collaboratives will determine school district needs for professional
development and teacher support toward achieving stronger teacher-effectiveness evaluations;
building connections between the university and neighboring school districts; and
collaborating with the APSU Office of Teacher Education and Partnerships to support
teacher retention and continues dialogue between the Eriksson College of Education
and school district leaders, primarily focusing on the rural counties situated along
the Tennessee River, also known as the River Ribbon counties of Tennessee.
With over 1,800 schools, 999,000 students, and 67,000 teachers, the potential impact
in the state is huge, particularly for rural communities. The River Ribbon Collaboratives
concentrates on purposeful partnerships with school districts in the counties listed
below.
Benton County
2,036 students
Decatur County
1,420 students
Hickman County
2,940 students
Houston County
1,195 students
Humphreys County
2,528 students
Lawrence County
6,681 students
Lewis County
2,928 students
Perry County
994 students
Wayne County
1,996 students
Data Source: 2025 Tennessee Department of Education State Report Card