From the Nashville Public Education Foundation (NPEF):
Metro Nashville Public Schools, in partnership with the Nashville Public Education Foundation, will celebrate the 2026 Blue Ribbon Teacher award winners on Thursday, October 29, 2026. The evening reception will recognize 25 honorees across three award categories: Excellence in Student Success and Opportunity, Excellence in Instruction, and Excellence in Leadership.
The Blue Ribbon Teacher award is a prestigious award that honors and uplifts the incredible work of teachers and educators within Metro Nashville Public Schools. The winners were selected by a panel of judges through a rigorous application review process. In addition to the remarkable honor, each winner will receive a $2,000 prize in recognition of their dynamic impact.
The Nashville Public Education Foundation (NPEF) has compiled data into what the organization is calling the “Thriving Schools Dashboard.”
From an NPEF email:
Our Thriving Schools Dashboard brings together data across four domains — student enrollment and attendance, academic achievement, student experience, and teacher experience. This data speaks to many of the conditions within the Thriving Schools Framework, offering a fuller picture of what it takes to create an environment where all students thrive.
The dashboard shares data for all schools in Metro Nashville Public Schools, including district-authorized charter schools, as well as charter schools in Davidson County authorized by the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission.
The information is drawn from and updated annually based on publicly available state and district sources, including the following:
Tennessee State Report Card Data
Panorama Student and Teacher Experience Surveys
TN2030 Data on statewide goals from Tennessee SCORE’S TN2030 Initiative
State Rep. Scott Cepicky of Maury County, who chairs one of two Education Committees in the Tennessee House of Representatives, told WKRN in Nashville that he’s looking at an effort to have the state take over Nashville schools.
The Nashville Public Education Foundation (NPEF) is now accepting applications for Teacherpreneur:
Teacherpreneur is one of our signature programs that guides participants in developing their big idea through five impactful professional learning sessions. Ideas are explored, honed, and strengthened to become pitch night-ready. That’s when the top ideas will be awarded a total of $25,000 in cash prizes in addition to seed funding to implement a pilot program.
The application will close on Sunday, November 15, 2026. Eligible educators in Nashville’s public schools, including teachers, librarians, and counselors, are welcome to apply. For questions about Teacherpreneur, email Colleen Gilligan, Director of Strategic Initiatives.
From the Nashville Public Education Foundation (NPEF):
We’re elated to share that the application for Teacherpreneur will open next week. [Week of 10/5] This unique program harnesses educator innovation to develop and support teacher-driven ideas that help all students thrive. Don’t miss this amazing opportunity to share your big idea and engage in five meaningful professional learning sessions.
Educators will pitch their ideas for the chance to take part in cash prizes totalling $25,000 and seed funding for their idea’s implementation. This innovative program is open to teachers, librarians, counselors, and MNPS and charter school educators.
This week The Tennessean‘s Andrea Williams reported that the Tennessee Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights is investigating allegations involving the use of credit recovery in MNPS.
Wade, a former counselor at Stratford High School, has questioned whether MNPS has been following those rules.
Among the examples she has raised is a student who reportedly entered senior year with only 3.5 high school credits but managed to work through Integrated Math I, II and III, along with pre-calculus, in a single year.
Read that again.
Integrated Math I.
Integrated Math II.
Integrated Math III.
Pre-calculus.
One year.
Maybe that’s possible.
But if we’re going to tout graduation rates as evidence of academic success, somebody ought to be willing to explain how that works.
Wade alleges students were routinely pushed into credit recovery even when they weren’t eligible.
Even more troubling, she alleges administrators instructed teachers monitoring test-for-credit exams to advise students to revisit incorrect answers until they reached the required 60-percent benchmark.
Weber is careful to note these are allegations – an investigation is happening.
TC Weber takes a look at MNPS and allegations that the numbers just aren’t adding up:
For years, Metro Nashville Public Schools has increasingly relied on data to tell its story. Graduation rates. Test scores. Growth numbers. Attendance. College readiness. Career readiness. Dashboards. Strategic plans. PowerPoints.
Numbers everywhere.
And when the numbers look good, we are repeatedly told they are evidence that the strategies are working.
Fair enough.
But here’s the problem with building your success story almost entirely around numbers:
Eventually people start looking closely at the numbers.
And lately, more people seem to be looking.
By now, many Nashville education watchers have seen videos of former Teacher of the Year Samira Hardcastle accusing Metro Nashville Public Schools of forcing teachers to change grades and passing students she believes should not have passed.
Tech Goes Home, a program of the Nashville Public Education Foundation (NPEF), distributed its 1000th laptop recently.
More from NPEF’s newsletter:
Last week, Tech Goes Home held a session for families in the Antioch and Cane Ridge clusters and gave away its 1,000th laptop. We’ve been excitedly waiting for this celebratory moment since the end of last school year, and it finally happened. Dr. Diarese George, NPEF President and CEO, attended the session to greet attendees and Tech Goes Home team members and recognize the milestone.
We have provided laptops and technology training to MNPS families through Tech Goes Home since the 2022-23 school year. The program helps combat the digital divide by engaging families in classes that teach digital literacy skills and review technology platforms used by MNPS for parent and teacher communication, grading, attendance information, and more. These classes enable families with more skills to actively participate in their child’s learning. At the end of the course, the families receive a free Chromebook laptop.
In 2025-26, 87 of the nation’s 500 largest school districts (17.4%) changed superintendents, the lowest annual turnover ILO Group has recorded since before the pandemic and returning to pre-pandemic levels. At the same time, the pandemic has taken a meaningful toll on leadership in the top 500 districts: only 78 leaders who were in their seats in March of 2020 remain in their position today.
Since March 13, 2020, these 500 districts have changed superintendents 745 times and only 78 have not changed at all.
One of the 78 “remainers” is Nashville’s Adrienne Battle, who assumed her role in 2019.
The Nashville Public Education Foundation (NPEF) will hold an event on Thursday, August 27th to honor this year’s inductees into the Public Schools Hall of Fame.
Nelson C. Andrews Distinguished Service Award presented by Vanderbilt University
Rodger Dinwiddie is the Co-CEO of STARS Nashville, a nationally recognized nonprofit organization addressing substance misuse, school-based mental health supports, violence and bullying prevention training, and adolescent intensive outpatient treatment services.
MNPS Distinguished Alumni Award presented by Belmont University
Johari Matthews, graduate of Glencliff High School, is the Vice President and Executive Director of ONE Community and the Tennessee Titans Foundation, where she leads the way in philanthropy and corporate social responsibility.
Rod McDaniel, graduate ofMcGavock High School, is the CEO of S3 Recycling Solutions, a nationally lauded IT asset disposition company serving clients across North America.
Evette White, graduate of Hillwood High School (now called James Lawson High School), is the Executive Director of Leadership Nashville, an executive program that strengthens Nashville through deep connections formed among diverse leaders.
Annette Eskind Inspiring Educator Award presented by UBS
Quanita Adamsis a Computer Science and Mathematics educator at Stratford STEM Magnet High School, where she advances equitable access to high-quality STEM education.
Kevin Stevens is a 6th and 7th grade Math teacher and Instructional Leader at Head
Magnet Middle School (recently renamed Martin Luther King, Jr. Magnet Middle at Head Campus).
Ronald L. Corbin Inspiring Leader Award presented by Lipscomb University
Dr. Michael Pratt is the Executive Principal of Stratford STEM Magnet High School and the 2025 MNPS High School Principal of the Year.
Thomas J. Sherrard Inspiring Innovation Award presented by Nissan
DYMON In The Rough (Dynamic Young Minorities of Nashville) is a trusted, community model, youth development nonprofit organization that has empowered girls, equipped leaders, and elevated communities across Nashville and Middle Tennessee for 14 years.
Girls Write Nashville is a creative youth development program that empowers teen artists through songwriting, music production, mentorship, and community.
