As of 2017, The Metro Nashville Public Schools is a large, urban school district that serves close to 88,000 students in 167 schools. As the second largest district in the state of Tennessee, and the 41st largest district in the United States, MNPS holds a vision of becoming “the fastest improving urban school system in America, ensuring that every student becomes a life-long learner prepared for success in college, career and life.” The district spans 520 square miles and includes the city of Nashville as well as surrounding Davidson County. An exceptionally diverse district, enrolled students represent more than 120 countries. The population of students in PreK-12 is 28% White, non-Hispanic, 23% Hispanic, 44% Black, non-Hispanic, and 4% Asian. In addition, the majority of students served by the district qualify as economically disadvantaged.
History
Metro Nashville Public Schools traces its roots to 1855, when Hume School opened its doors. In 1963, Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools officially formed with the unification of Nashville and Davidson County schools. The district today includes 155 schools, offering instruction from Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade, with high schools also offering college-level credits.
Academics
More than 99 percent of MNPS teachers meet federal standards in at least one subject, with 98.90 percent of classes taught by a highly qualified instructor. The average teacher experience is 13.0 years at the elementary level, 11.5 years at the middle school level, and 14.0 years at the high school level. A total of 39.83 percent of MNPS teachers have a bachelor's degree, 36.67 percent have a master's degree, 18.81 percent have Master's plus, and 4.6 percent have a doctorate degree. Current enrollment reflects a diverse spectrum of backgrounds. Students represent more than 100 countries and speak languages from more than 100 language groups. MNPS currently has the International Baccalaureate programs in nine schools. Also of note are the magnet schoolsHume-Fogg, Nashville School of the Arts, and Martin Luther King.
The Board of Education is composed of nine elected members, each serving 4-year terms, and each coming from one of the nine districts in the city. The current board members are:
District 1: Dr. Sharon Gentry
District 2: Rachael Anne Elrod
District 3: Jill Speering
District 4: Vacant due to death
District 5: Christiane Buggs
District 6: Fran Bush
District 7: Freda Player-Peters
District 8: Gini Pupo-Walker
District 9: Amy Frogge, Vice Chair
Director of Schools
The Board of Education hires a Director of Schools to oversee daily operations of the schools in Nashville. As of 2019, Dr. Adrienne Battle is the Director of Schools for MNPS.