Superintendent Dr. Adrienne Battle named finalist for prestigious Green-Garner Award. Sep 24 2026 Nashville Public Schools is celebrating Superintendent Dr. Adrienne Battle's selection as a finalist for the Council of the Great City Schools' prestigious Green-Garner Award, one of the nation's highest honors for leadership in urban public education. Presented annually by the Council of the Great City Schools and Scholastic, the Green-Garner Award recognizes outstanding urban education leaders for their contributions to student achievement, leadership, governance and public confidence in their school districts. The award alternates each year between recognizing a superintendent and a school board member. "Dr. Battle's leadership has helped Nashville Public Schools reach levels of success that once seemed out of reach, and she has done it while never losing sight of the students, educators and families at the heart of this work," said Freda Player, Chair of the Metropolitan Nashville Board of Education. "This recognition reflects what those of us in Nashville have seen firsthand: steady, student-centered leadership and a belief that every child in our district can succeed. We are incredibly proud of Dr. Battle and the entire MNPS team." Since being named the permanent superintendent in 2020, Dr. Battle has led Nashville Public Schools through a period of sustained academic improvement and achievement. The district earned the highest possible Level 5 TVAAS growth rating for four consecutive years from 2022 through 2025; recorded its highest TCAP proficiency rates under current standards in 2025; and continued to improve achievement across core subjects in 2026. Nashville Public Schools also achieved its highest graduation rate on record in 2024 and earned national recognition from the Education Recovery Scorecard for ranking among the nation's leading large urban districts in post-pandemic academic growth. "This national recognition of Dr. Battle is also recognition of the remarkable progress happening throughout Nashville's public schools," said Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell. "Strong public schools are fundamental to a strong city, and Dr. Battle has brought a consistent focus on students, educators and the conditions that allow them to succeed. Nashville should be proud of what our students and schools have accomplished, and I congratulate Dr. Battle on this tremendous honor." Under Dr. Battle's leadership, the district has maintained a focus on ensuring Every Student is Known, while expanding academic opportunities, strengthening college and career pathways and investing in the educators and school communities responsible for student success. "Dr. Battle's recognition as a Green-Garner Award finalist is a tremendous honor for Nashville and for Tennessee. Her leadership has helped drive strong academic growth while expanding opportunities that prepare students for success beyond the classroom. We congratulate Dr. Battle and the entire MNPS community on this well-deserved national recognition," said Lizzette Reynolds, Tennessee Commissioner of Education. "Having seen Nashville Public Schools both as Tennessee's Commissioner of Education and now as president of Lipscomb University, I've witnessed the remarkable growth in academic achievement and educational opportunities under Dr. Battle's leadership," said Dr. Candice McQueen, President of Lipscomb University and former Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Education. "Lipscomb is proud to partner with Nashville Public Schools in that progress, and her recognition as a Green-Garner Award finalist is richly deserved." Dr. Battle, a graduate of MNPS, began her career with Nashville Public Schools as a teacher in 2003 and has served the district as an educator and administrator at nearly every level, including as a principal, community superintendent and interim director of schools before being named Director of Schools in 2020. The Green-Garner Award honors the legacies of Richard R. Green, former superintendent of Minneapolis Public Schools and chancellor of New York City Public Schools, and Edward Garner, a businessman and former president of the Denver Board of Education. Finalists are selected by a panel of current and former urban school superintendents and school board members and the winner will be announced at the Council of Great City Schools conference in October.

Metro Nashville Public Schools releases student-led album 'Marching Into Greatness: Voices of Tomorrow' Metro Nashville Public Schools is giving young musicians a direct path into Nashville's creative community with the release of Marching Into Greatness: Voices of Tomorrow, a new seven-track album created through the district's Visual and Performing Arts Department. Developed through the MNPS Songwriting Summit, the project brings students into multiple sides of the music-making process, including songwriting, production, recording, performance, and music video creation. The album was recorded at East Iris Studios in Nashville, giving participating students the opportunity to develop original work in a professional studio environment. Several established artists also joined the project. Grammy Award-winning artist Mr. Talkbox appears on the title track, while Grammy winner Tiera Kennedy collaborates with seventh-grade student Luca McLaughlin on "Make It Undeniable." Fellow seventh grader Carter Hammonds produced the track, highlighting the range of creative roles students were encouraged to explore throughout the program. Nashville School of the Arts senior Kingston Kharif leads "Here," while songs including "Confidence," "Grounded," "Beside You," and "Above and Beyond" tackle ideas surrounding identity, ambition, belonging, and personal growth. The 2026 edition of the Songwriting Summit expanded with investment from the CMA Foundation and additional support from the Tennessee Titans One Community Foundation, strengthening a program designed to connect education with Nashville's music industry. The initiative has already earned recognition beyond the classroom. MNPS received a 2025 Midsouth Emmy Award for Every Student Known, while its previous district album, I Believe, I Belong, collected four Telly Awards in 2026. With Marching Into Greatness: Voices of Tomorrow, Metro Nashville Public Schools is continuing to turn music education into practical industry experience, giving students the opportunity to create, collaborate, and see their work released to a wider audience.

CMA unveils lineup for Music Teachers of Excellence Ceremony. CMA has announced the lineup for its upcoming 10th Annual Music Teachers of Excellence Ceremony set for Oct. 7 at The Pinnacle in Nashville. Sierra Hull, Marcus King, Carrie Manolakos, David Phelps, Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Tucker Wetmore will perform during the special evening, alongside speakers Kix Brooks and Keith Urban. The program recognizes 30 outstanding music teachers for their dedication to providing high-quality music education to students and communities across the country, and brings together educators, artists and industry leaders to recognize and celebrate the transformative power of music education. As part of the milestone celebration, the CMA Foundation will also present music industry executive and Country Music Hall of Fame member Joe Galante with the inaugural CMA Foundation Music Education Impact Award, recognizing his longstanding leadership and commitment to advancing music education and expanding opportunities for students. Galante was instrumental in the inception and early development of the CMA Foundation, and became a founding member of its Board of Directors when it was established in 2011. He has served on the Board for 15 years, including five terms as Chairman. Galante was particularly instrumental in the CMA Foundation's longstanding partnership with Metro Nashville Public Schools, which has resulted in a $12.5 million investment in music education across the district, as well as the creation of the Music Teachers of Excellence program. Hollabaugh, a staff writer at MusicRow magazine, has over 20 years of music business experience and has written for publications including American Profile, CMA Close Up, Nashville Arts And Entertainment, The Boot and Country Weekly. She has a Broadcast Journalism and Speech Communication degree from Texas Christian University, (go Horned Frogs), and welcomes your feedback or story ideas at [email protected].