Welcome to a new community and a new lifestyle. Metropolitan Knoxville and surrounding Eastern Tennessee ensure a quality public education in school systems that excel in innovative programs, a favorable teacher/pupil ratio, and high-tech advantages. A wide selection of private schools, both independent and parochial, are available to parents who are interesting in exploring alternative learning environments. Higher education is available in vocational, career, and technical institutes as well as in public and private colleges and universities that are scattered throughout the region.