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Professional Learning Opportunities with NPEF

The Nashville Public Education Foundation (NPEF) offers the following professional learning opportunities:

Teacherpreneur

Are you a Nashville public school educator with an innovative idea for improving student outcomes? Teacherpreneur is a unique opportunity to focus on an issue you are passionate about, research the root causes of the issue, and develop a solution and implementation plan to help advance the positive change you wish to see. Teacherpreneur is a professional learning cohort experience for educators who are looking to grow as teacher leaders, expand their networks, and learn how to make changes that last.

At the end of the 5-session experience, Teacherpreneurs will present their ideas at a pitch event to a panel of judges. Top concepts are awarded a collective $25,000 in cash prizes ($10,000 for first place, $7,500 for second place, $5,000 for third place, and $2,500 for the community favorite award). The top three concepts receive access to additional seed funding to implement their ideas.

Apply here

Leadership Public Education

Are you passionate about supporting public schools and are looking for ways to get involved? Leadership Public Education is a leadership development cohort experience over the course of six months designed to grow participants’ knowledge and skills as public schools advocates. Cohort members will learn from experts about key topics related to Metro Nashville Public Schools, including school funding, education policy, and talent pipelines. 

The Leadership Public Education program, in partnership with the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, is designed to help participants learn more about the unique challenges and opportunities facing our public schools and position them to serve in community leadership roles that benefit our students, schools, and district. 

Apply here

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Educators’ Cooperative Highlights Success

The Educators’ Cooperative, or EdCo, provides professional support and connection for teachers in Nashville.

In a recent email newsletter, the group celebrated some successes:

We are on track to exceed 2024’s annual total, increasing the opportunities, professional support options, and cross-sector, interschool connectedness for EdCo’s mutual aid network of 253 incredible teachers.

We are extremely proud of the growth we’ve made that allows us to provide these opportunities to our teachers—so they can get what they need to keep teaching and better serve their 107,361 students, regardless of sector or school!

The newsletter also highlighted the work of teacher and EdCo member Addison Barrack:

One example of Addison’s impact can be seen in the many awards she’s gleaned from the Nashville Public Education Foundation. When working at Margaret Allen Middle School, Addison was named one of Nashville’s “Blue Ribbon Teachers”. Then, she was recognized as a “Teacherpreneur” award winner for her project designing a flexible school environment for students who need to work and attend school simultaneously. This September, NPEF again awarded Addison, this time naming her an Annette Eskind Inspiring Educator in the “Public Schools Hall of Fame.”

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On the Power of Public Education

Nashville Public Education Foundation President and CEO Diarese George writes about why public schools matter:

What I notice most in Nashville’s public schools is the resilience, creativity and excellence that shines through every day from teachers and students. At its core, the story of Metro schools is the story of who we are as a city, and the story of who we are becoming.

Public schools are where possibility meets empowerment — the kind of hope, connection and work that can change generations. 

Public education belongs to the whole city. It is the heartbeat of a thriving, just and equitable Nashville that ensures our children are seen, supported and set up to lead lives of purpose and impact.

It represents the promise that every child, no matter their neighborhood, language, race or background, has the opportunity to dream boldly, learn deeply and step into a powerful future full of possibility.

Diarese George
NPEF CEO Diarese George

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Fritts Proposes Suspending School Voucher Scheme

GOP gubernatorial candidate Monty Fritts says if elected, he’ll suspend the state’s school voucher scheme. Fritts currently serves as a State Rep. from Kingston.

State Rep. Monty Fritts of Kingston told the Lookout this week he considers the governor’s new program unconstitutional and would try to block expansion on those grounds.

The state Constitution says the General Assembly “shall provide for the maintenance, support and eligibility standards for a system of free public schools,” according to Fritts. It doesn’t mention private schools, but he interprets that as a “specific and restrictive statement” that doesn’t permit spending public money to send kids to private schools.

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Blackburn, Rose Back Voucher Scheme

U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn and U.S. Rep. John Rose, both Republican candidates for Tennessee Governor, back the state’s new school voucher scheme.

U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn and U.S. Rep. John Rose have said in various public comments they support vouchers. Blackburn is considered the favorite in the primary election that will take place in August 2026.

Gov. Bill Lee and House Speaker Cameron Sexton have proposed doubling the program – one that already costs the state more than $140 million this year.

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NPEF Celebrates Hall of Fame Honorees

The Nashville Public Education Foundation (NPEF) celebrated this year’s public schools Hall of Fame honorees at an event in late September.

On September 30, hundreds of Nashvillians joined us to celebrate our city’s public school excellence and induct nine new honorees into the Public Schools Hall of Fame. This year’s event recognized one visionary business leader, three outstanding Metro Nashville Public Schools alumni, two transformational high school teachers, one inspiring school leader, and two local nonprofits improving opportunities and resources for students.

According to an NPEF media release:

Nine remarkable honorees were inducted, including Janet Miller, Martesha Johnson Moore, Marlene Eskind Moses, Tom Parrish, Addison Barrack and Montrell Williams, Chris Plummer, Ed.D, as well as the Adroit and Nashville Tools for Schools organizations.

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Vouchers Gone Wrong

A story out of Florida should give pause to those who think public money should just “follow the child” to whatever school or education experiment is out there:

The rapid expansion of the state’s School Choice scholarship program burrowed a $47 million hole in the Florida Department of Education’s budget and left public and private schools complaining they aren’t getting properly paid.

Money problems that arose during the 2024-2025 school year can largely be attributed to the mobility that students enjoy to shift from public to private or to home education freely, said Adam Emerson, director of the Department of Education Office of School Choice.

In short: Both public and private schools aren’t being paid in a timely fashion for the students in their care.

Voucher madness is unsustainable.

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Leadership Public Education App Open

The Nashville Public Education Foundation (NPEF) makes the following announcement:

The Leadership Public Education application is open now through November 14! This opportunity is for anyone looking to gain knowledge about our public schools, grow a network of fellow public schools advocates, and share their experiences and voice in support of the students, teachers, and schools in our community. NPEF believes in order to advance positive outcomes for students, we all have a role to play; Leadership Public Education is a great way to engage in the community to help ensure all students thrive.

In partnership with the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Public Education is a 6-month public education leadership development program that empowers individuals with the knowledge and skills to serve in community leadership roles at all levels of Metro Nashville Public Schools.

Application and information

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On The Danger of Trump’s Vouchers

Donald Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” included a federal school voucher scheme. Not only will it cost taxpayers billions, but it will also be harmful to states.

The National Education Policy Center (NEPC) released a brief explaining the potential impact of these vouchers.

In a summary explainer, NEPC notes:

NEPC director and University of Colorado Boulder professor emeritus Kevin Welner cautions governors that the promised state flexibility under the new federal “scholarship” program is unlikely to materialize, leaving states vulnerable to federal overreach and harmful voucher expansion.

Ultimately, unless states are guaranteed full flexibility to protect their students and taxpayers, opting in would mean ceding state authority to Washington and exposing students to the well-documented harms of today’s voucher programs.

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NPEF Announces Teacherpreneur Application

The Nashville Public Education Foundation made the following announcement:

Since 2021, NPEF has led a cohort of educators through a unique professional learning experience designed to harness their expertise and innovation. Teacherpreneurs participate in 5 sessions over January and February to build out ideas that help advance positive outcomes for students.

Teacherpreneurs will identify an issue they want to address, research root causes of the issue, learn about change management theory, and use design thinking strategies to create solutions that help students thrive. Then, Teacherpreneurs will pitch their ideas for a chance to win cash prizes and seed funding to pilot their idea.

Information and application here.

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