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.
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.
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.
The Nashville Public Education Foundation’s (NPEF) latest newsletter includes mention of the so-called “Thriving Schools Framework” that the organization says it wants to see adopted in MNPS.
Here’s more:
The Thriving Schools Framework is rooted in research and backed by real-world experience. Based on education research and focus groups with over 50 MNPS educators, our findings reflect what it takes to ensure all students thrive in school and the opportunities to initiate solutions that close gaps and eliminate barriers. While there’s no exclusive method for curating a thriving school, our framework aims to highlight and support the six conditions present in schools where all students thrive.
From the Front of the Class newsletter of the Nashville Public Education Foundation (NPEF):
Earlier this month, the 2026 Leadership Public Education Cohort culminated its six months of leadership development programming with session 6. The day-long convening welcomed education and non-profit leaders who shared insight on navigating communication and conflict, direct engagement with Metro Nashville Public Schools, and advocacy training. Dr. Diarese George, NPEF President and CEO, also presented on the importance of building on this experience by finding meaningful ways to support public schools and other organizations serving students.
The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and NPEF celebrated the 7th cohort with a graduation and reception. Throughout the program, cohort members engaged in expert-led sessions, panel discussions, and research that explored key issues and opportunities facing Metro Nashville Public Schools. Overall, they addressed history, education policy, funding, workforce pathways, talent management, accountability, and school options.
The Nashville Public Education Foundation (NPEF) released an infographic explaining what happened with school vouchers in the 2026 legislative session.
In the email announcing it, they said:
One of the most prevalent areas of focus in the 2026 Tennessee legislative cycle was the state’s voucher programs, which provide public dollars to families opting to enroll their child in a participating private school instead of their local public school district. Our latest infographic breaks down the need-to-know voucher bills that had an impact on accountability, access, and transparency.
The most significant voucher bill this year expanded Tennessee’s Education Freedom Scholarship vouchers, which are available to families statewide, from 25,000 seats to 35,000 seats. The bill also changed how school districts can recoup per pupil funds lost due to disenrollment. As a result:
Districts can only recoup funds that they can show were lost as a direct result of voucher participation.
Districts must track students’ social security numbers as part of this process, which they currently do not do.
Recouped funding will be calculated according to the past year’s funding levels, which would not account for cost of living increases.
These changes add a great deal of administrative burden to districts to recoup funds and alter a previous hold harmless provision that helped ensure school districts would not lose money from one year to the next. This bill also adjusted the income limits for EFS vouchers, making them more accessible for higher-income families.
Other proposed legislation was intended to increase transparency and accountability surrounding the usage of voucher programs, particularly regarding the socioeconomic levels of families enrolling in voucher programs, and in the learning outcomes of participating students. However, these bills failed at the committee level and did not proceed for a full vote.
The Nashville Public Education Foundation (NPEF) will hold its Annual Public Schools Hall of Fame luncheon on August 27th at 11:30 AM at the Music City Center.
The event will honor outstanding Nashville educators, leaders, and community members.
The Nashville Public Education Foundation (NPEF) announced its 2026 Public Schools Hall of Fame honorees:
The Nashville Public Education Foundation is proud to share the five inspiring honorees for the 22nd Public Schools Hall of Fame Luncheon. Categorized by Inspiring Educator, Inspiring Leader, and Inspiring Innovation, the honorees are Quanita Adams, Kevin Stevens, Dr. Michael Pratt, DYMON in the Rough (Dynamic Young Minorities of Nashville), and Girls Write Nashville.
“As bold supporters of Nashville’s public education system, it is essential to recognize the courageous individuals who champion students, enhance academic settings, strengthen our communities, and cultivate a better future for generations to come,” expressed Wanda Lyle, NPEF Board Chair. “We are thrilled to welcome attendees to the Hall of Fame in August and share in an afternoon of inspiration.”
A word from the Nashville Public Education Foundation (NPEF) on how the meaning of words makes a difference for public school kids.
Earlier this year, Tennessee lawmakers introduced a bill that would change the state’s definition of students who are economically disadvantaged. The bill proposed adding TennCare (Medicaid) participation as a factor in determining which students are designated as “economically disadvantaged.” Tennessee’s definition of this demographic, which was changed in 2016, is one of the most restrictive in the country: it currently counts students whose families are actively enrolled in SNAP and TANF in addition to other categorical factors, such as students experiencing homelessness or part of the foster care system. A major reason this definition is considered so strict is due to the low income threshold for qualifying for SNAP compared to other states – Tennessee’s income limit is 130% of the federal poverty guidelines, while many other states have enacted policies that effectively increase this threshold, with some states up to 200% of the federal poverty guidelines.
Adding in TennCare enrollment data, as the bill proposed, would result in a state definition of “economically disadvantaged” that much more accurately captured the socioeconomic reality and lived experiences of students and families. The implications of this definition became prominent when the number of students considered economically disadvantaged became directly tied to public school funding with the passage of TISA in 2022.
Despite bipartisan support, the state did not allocate funding for the costs associated with the definition change if the bill had passed. However, the bill was amended to task the TISA review committee to study Tennessee’s definition of economically disadvantaged, analyze how the state’s definition compares to that of other states, assess the impact on public schools, and make recommendations by November 2027. While not a full realization of the original bill, the amended version, which passed nearly unanimously in the state House of Representatives and Senate, demonstrates positive forward momentum and a shared commitment to addressing this issue.
The Nashville Public Education Foundation (NPEF) offers some insight into vouchers.
Short version: The don’t work to improve academic outcomes, they eat state budgets, and they provide private school discount coupons to wealthy families.
MORE about the impacts of the bill that expands vouchers to 35,000 seats and is expected to cost taxpayers $262 million:
The amended House bill would have three main effects on public school districts. First, as part of the process to recoup funding due to disenrollment, districts would be required to collect and share the social security numbers of students at the time of public school enrollment. Critics of the bill argue that this is a measure intended to begin tracking the citizenship and immigration status of students by public school districts. Second, while the state’s funding formula factors in regular increases to offset funding losses, the amended House bill’s requirements place a significant administrative burden on districts that has the potential to require districts to spend more money to recoup funding than the money they would recoup in the first place. Third, the amended House bill also significantly increases the household income threshold built into the program, making more vouchers available for higher-income families than previous legislation allowed.
