MNPS named 'advancing' district as record 48 schools reach 'reward' designation

Anika Exum, Nashville Tennessean
·3 min read

Metro Nashville Public Schools has hit new milestones in district performance this year.

The public school district was newly named an "advancing" district by the state according to its accountability metrics, MNPS Director Adrienne Battle said in a news conference Monday. This designation is the second highest possible below "exemplary."

With this news came the announcement that a record 48 schools across the district reached a "reward" designation. Thirty-four of these schools are district-run schools, while 14 are charter schools.

"We all did this together, and everyone should be proud in our community," Battle said. "This was an incredible team doing extraordinary work under difficult circumstances."

Metro Nashville Public Schools Director Adrienne Battle addresses the audience at a news conference announcing the district schools awarded the "reward" designation this year by the Tennessee Department of Education on Monday, Sept. 12, 2022, at Amqui Elementary School in Madison, Tennessee.
Metro Nashville Public Schools Director Adrienne Battle addresses the audience at a news conference announcing the district schools awarded the "reward" designation this year by the Tennessee Department of Education on Monday, Sept. 12, 2022, at Amqui Elementary School in Madison, Tennessee.

Amqui Elementary School and Warner Elementary Arts Magnet School made the shift from "priority" to reward this year.

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Alex Green Elementary School, Cumberland Elementary School, McMurray Middle School and Robert Churchwell Museum Magnet Elementary School also exited priority status.

While some schools have transitioned out of priority status, eight schools — including one charter school — have moved the opposite direction, according to MNPS.

Metro Schools Director Adrienne Battle stands in the hallways of John Overton High School, her alma mater, on Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2022.
Metro Schools Director Adrienne Battle stands in the hallways of John Overton High School, her alma mater, on Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2022.

"I want everyone to know and to be clear that the district will work every day to support them, help them to improve their student outcomes and celebrate them when they come back out of priority status because student success is all of our priority," Battle said.

"We will continue to design systems of support in our learning communities to get to the level of success we want for all of our students."

Nonetheless, for the first time in the district's history, the newest MNPS list of priority schools has shrunk.

Principal Latoya Cobb addresses the audience at a news conference announcing which Metro Nashville Public Schools were awarded a "reward" designation this year by the Tennessee Department of Education on Monday, Sept. 12, 2022, at Amqui Elementary School in Madison, Tennessee. Amqui exited "priority" status this year due to student and school achievement improvements.

The list of the state's bottom 5% of schools in academic performance over several years was formerly issued every three years. However, the last list was compiled in 2018 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Since then, the MNPS list has decreased from 24 to 19, including one charter school.

The Tennessee Department of Education awards accountability designations based on various performance indicators including state test scores, growth scores, chronic absenteeism, graduation rates, English language learner proficiency and more.

MNPS reward schools

  • Amqui Elementary

  • Charlotte Park Elementary

  • Cole Elementary

  • Crieve Hall Elementary

  • Dan Mills Elementary

  • Dodson Elementary

  • Eakin Elementary

  • Early College High School

  • East End Preparatory School (Charter School)

  • Explore Community School (Charter School)

  • Fall-Hamilton Elementary

  • Glendale Elementary

  • Glengarry Elementary

  • Granbery Elementary

  • Harpeth Valley Elementary

  • Head Middle Magnet

  • Hume - Fogg High

  • Isaac Litton Middle

  • J. E. Moss Elementary

  • Joelton Elementary

  • John B. Whitsitt Elementary

  • J.T. Moore Middle

  • Julia Green Elementary

  • KIPP Academy Nashville (Charter School)

  • KIPP Nashville College Prep (Charter School)

  • KIPP Nashville College Prep Elementary (Charter School)

  • Lakeview Elementary, Liberty Collegiate Academy (Charter School)

  • Lockeland Elementary

  • Martin Luther King Jr School

  • May Werthan Shayne Elementary School

  • Meigs Middle

  • Nashville Classical (Charter School)

  • Nashville Prep (Charter School)

  • Neely's Bend Elementary

  • Old Center Elementary

  • Percy Priest Elementary

  • Purpose Prep (Charter School)

  • Rocketship United (Charter School)

  • Rose Park Middle

  • Smithson Craighead Academy (Charter School)

  • Strive Collegiate Academy (Charter School)

  • Sylvan Park Elementary

  • Una Elementary

  • Valor Flagship Academy (Charter School)

  • Valor Voyager Academy (Charter School)

  • Warner Elementary

  • West End Middle

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Record 48 Nashville public schools reach 'reward' designation