School Information

The Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences (CSAS) is a K-12 public school serving Hamilton County students at its historic campus on East Third Street. CSAS opened as a middle school in 1986 after several years of study by a committee comprised of community, business, and educational leaders. The first senior class graduated in 1991, and CSAS is now the only magnet school within Hamilton County offering a K-12 education.

The school has a proven record of education success, with more than 95 percent of its graduates going on to post-secondary education. The school boasts a 99 percent attendance rate, well above the district average. CSAS is also proud of its matriculation rate to college and post-graduate schools. More CSAS students go to college-and stay in college-than any other school in Hamilton County- public or private.

CSAS follows the principles of The Paideia Proposal written by Mortimer Adler, advocating the same curriculum for all students. The course study is general, not specialized; liberal, not vocational; and humanistic, not technical. Paideia-focused classes offer their own strengths for all students. The school bases its learning on three pillars of instruction: didactic, Socratic seminaring, and coaching. CSAS is one of only two K-12 schools in the country to be founded as a Paideia School and maintain its principles throughout its history.

Our school has one of the highest graduation rates in the state of Tennessee and the feedback from both students and professors is positive. Our students are well prepared for college requirements. Professors remark that they can really tell the difference between a student from the Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences and another school mostly because of their speaking and listening skills. This success is not by chance. CSAS students are well- trained in seminar, and this skill helps them to flourish in college and their careers.

A brief history of the school:

1917 – The land for the school building was purchased.

1922 – Wyatt Hall (the center section of the school we now call the Gallery) was completed. It was named after Professor Henry D. Wyatt, who started the public school system of Chattanooga.

1935 – The two wings of the school were added and named after Miss Trimble and Mrs. McDonald, who were teachers at Chattanooga High School. The wings were built by the W.P.A. (Works Project Administration), a program created by the government to give people jobs during the Great Depression.

1941 – The Chattanooga High School Memorial Football Stadium was completed. CSAS now uses the stadium for baseball and soccer.

1955 – The John B. Steele Gymnasium was completed.

The school has had four names since it was built:

Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences: 1986 – Present

Erlanger School of Nursing and the Continuing Education Program: 1983 – 1985

Riverside High School: 1963 – 1983

Chattanooga High School: 1922 – 1963

CSAS Mission

The mission statement of CSAS is from The Paideia Proposal by Mortimer Adler which states all children should receive the same high-quality education. Adler writes, “All have the same three elements in their futures; the demands of work, the duties of citizenship, and the obligation of each individual to make the most of him or herself that his or her capabilities allow to lead rich and fulfilling lives.  Their treatment in school should be such that it serves these three fundamental principles for all. Since education is a lifelong process, of which schooling is only a small but necessary part, our mission is to impart all our students the skills they need to learn and give them the stimulation that will motivate continued learning. We will create a climate of respect that will give students and parents’ confidence in their ability to reason, to question, and to learn.”

CSAS Vision 

Deeply rooted in the Paideia Philosophy, CSAS provides a Classical, Liberal Arts Education that cultivates lifelong intellectual and civic development through the practice of civil discourse. 

Before or after the school day, all students must be either off campus or under the direct supervision of an HCS employee.