The Lebanon Special School District’s mission is “committted to a community of excellence”. The district provides instruction for pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, as well as, services for children qualifying for special education. The Lebanon Special School District of Wilson County, Tennessee, was established by a special act of the Tennessee General Assembly in 1901. Originally, the school district corresponded to the Tenth Civil District. It has been enlarged twice, taking in areas of the Third Civil District.

The Lebanon Special School District is funded by four sources: the State of Tennessee Basic Education Program (BEP) allocation, a percentage of Wilson County property and sales tax, and the Lebanon Special School District tax. The state of Tennessee allocates funding for each school district in the state based upon a BEP formula. Tennessee statute provides for apportionment funding. Wilson County government is required to provide funding for the current operations and maintenance of schools as determined by the weighted full-time equivalent average daily attendance of students. The Lebanon Special School District currently receives an apportionment for approximately seventeen percent of the students. The Act of 1901 levied a tax on the properties of the district for operational purposes.

The original legislative act that established LSSD provided for a three-member school board to govern the school district. The board members are elected at large by the voters of the district and serve a term of six years. One member is elected each two years at the time of the local general elections. In vacancy situations, the remaining board members serve until the next regularly scheduled election arises. The chairman of the board is selected by the board members and serves at their leisure.

The school board determines the time and place of meetings. Regular meetings are held monthly and special meetings are called when circumstance and events require immediate attention. All board actions are recorded within the official minutes of the board. These minutes are bound in permanent form and submitted for approval at a subsequent meeting of the board. Board meetings are open to the public and are always held in the office of the director. Board agendas and approved Board minutes are posted on the district website.

The Lebanon Special School District Board of Education sets policies that give direction to the proper operation of the school district. A collection of these board policies are provided to each individual Board of Education member, placed in each school office and library, and electronically stored for individual access on the Lebanon Special School District Website.