08/12/25 MNPS Board of Education

001your student board member on our at our September 9th meeting. So, I hope that you'll all be here for that. Uh Ava Dash will be getting sworn in on the September 9th meeting during the September 9th meeting. And just uh District 6 community meetings will start again in September. That information will go out uh via the our newsletter and uh email. So, be on the lookout for those dates coming soon. And just welcome back to all of our students. District five, I wanted to give a special shout out to Lubie Community Center, Division One organization. Um, we put together a tremendous back to school event um last Sunday. And speaking of our board member, she volunteered with some MLK students also. So, super excited um to have her join us as well. Um, and again,

002I just wanted to give a big big kudos to Lubie and Division 1 for putting together such an ex exceptional program. Um, and also welcome back to district five, district four. Oh, let me skip district three. Um, so Saturday was the Tomato Arts Festival over on the better side of the river over in East Nashville. Yeah, >> no offense. And I want to brag on all of our all of our East Nashville schools showed up and showed out. Uh we had several bands there performing and they did a fantastic job and uh uh we're very proud of all our East Nashville schools. >> District two. >> Thank you. So, as y'all may have seen at your seats, we have the I support the Overton cluster. That's because today during the director's report though I don't

003want to get too far ahead of it there. We're going to be hearing from some amazing schools within it and so I want to recognize that we have John Overton High School here Croft. We have McMurray. Oh, there is Oliver. Hi Hawaiia. We have Creep Hall, Norman Binkley, Haywood and Tuscalum. So we have a great group of Oh. Oh, I didn't see you back there. I'm so sorry. My apologies. We also have Granberry. You know I wouldn't do that to you, Granberry. I'm so sorry. And Shane. So, we are so excited to hear from everybody. Um, I know it'll be a moment of pride and so I just wanted to thank you all for being here and giving us your time this evening. >> District 1. >> Yes. Just one quick announcement. Uh, this weekend

004on Saturday the 16th from 9:30 until a little bit afternoon, uh, we will have Hands-On Nashville and the Power Home Remodeling Group at Cumberland Elementary School. They're going to be helping us uh renovate some of the outdoor spaces there uh to include one of my favorites, a flag football field for our students there. And so uh if you're available and would like to volunteer, go to Hands-On Nashville. Uh sign up to volunteer and we'd love to have your help. Thanks. >> And saving the best district for last, District 4. No. Um just want to um just want to thank every uh school across the district, teachers and staff uh as well as our our central our support hub for participating in all of the back to school bashes that we held um at the beginning

005of the year. This is the first time that we've ever done it as a district and we have gotten positive responses across the community on how we supported families and students um and and prepared them for their welcome back to school. So, thank you so much. I know that that was a lot of work and a lot of effort and time. Um, and we just appreciate all that you have done to to support students and families in our district. Um, and then the second thing, we have a community auto detailing company. Um, it's called High Performance, Highcraft Performance that is giving a 40% off sale to everybody who wants to get their car detailed. all teachers and staff who want to get their card detailed uh for back to school during the month of August.

006So, I will be posting that on my social media so that you guys can have access and the phone number is attached to it to get that 40% discount. And that concludes announcements. Thank you. I call this meeting to order. We have a quorum with all nine members present. Um we will now have the pledge of allegiance. I will ask our exe executive officer of human resources, Mr. Dr. James Witty, to give the pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> I gave you a new title. We're going to call you Mr. Doctor now. All right. Um, I will now accept a motion for the adoption of agenda. Is there

007a motion? >> There is a motion by member Young. Is there a second? >> Second by Vice Chair Naval and Kenny. Um, and uh, member um, Lrod. Um, all in favor raise your hand. That is unanimous 90. Um, and the agenda is approved. Uh before we go into the agenda, I am going to take a moment to read a statement on behalf of the board. Um as board's chair, five years ago, the board of education appointed Dr. Adrienne Battle as superintendent of Metro Nashville Public Schools. She brought nearly two decades of deep commitment to public education and an unwavering dedication to Nashville. Her appointment came during a time of leadership transition, rising demands for better outcomes. And in the same week, COVID 19 pandemic shut down C schools across the country. At that time, our

008district faced urgent challenges. Declining test scores, budget shortfalls, and a structure in need of reform. In that partnership, the board made a difficult but necessary decisions, including closing and consolidating schools, prioritizing strong school leadership, and streamlining central office operations, and reimagining the district office as a support hub. These decisions were approved by the board, followed the law, and were taken in good faith to prioritize student learning and long-term stability. Some of those changes became subject of litigation by former employees. The CAA the cases involve decisions from five years ago. Last week, the board the board voted unanimously to approve a mutual settlement to avoid significant cost and disruption of a a prolonged legal process. This settlement does not suggest wrongdoing and will be funded from the reserves without impacting daily operations. We want to be

009clear, the board fully supports Dr. Battle in her leadership. Under her guidance, MNPS had made bold systemic changes throughout throughout Metro Schools reimagine, improve consist consistency and accountability, and strengthen operations and supports for schools. The results are clear. three consecutive years of level five growth, his historic graduation rates, reduced truency, and national recognition for post-pandemic recovery. We have also invested in our educators and staff, raising pay to among the highest in the state, adding paid family leave, increasing early childhood seats, expanding restorative practices, and ensuring that every school has a nurse. Public education will always bring complex challenges. But by staying grounded in our values and united in our purpose, we will continue to move forward building a stronger, more equitable school system for every student we serve. Thank you. We will now move on

010to the director's report. We will now have Dr. Battle uh present her report on the TCAT update, the back to school update, and MNS reimagine update. >> All right. Thank you so much to player um and to the board. On Tuesday of last week, students kicked off their 202526 school year and there are lots of smiling faces, maybe a few tears as well on the faces of parents, students, staff, and teachers alike. While Tuesday was the first day back for students, it wasn't for our teachers and staff who had been working hard the prior week and throughout the summer to plan and prepare with more than 8,300 planning days completed by about 3,000 teachers and classroom associates. We also saw a lot of professional learning, particularly with our new science curriculum with,250 teachers participating in

011training to learn more about the new standards and how to ensure students are getting that important content knowledge in a fun and engaging way. This year, we're starting off the school year with fewer vacancies than we've ever seen before. With 80 openings for classroom teachers as of yesterday. And while our goal is always zero, with a district of more than 4,500 classroom teachers, this is a major accomplishment by our principles and human resources staff who have all been working overtime to bring the best and brightest teachers into Nashville public schools. And that's great because we've continued to see more students enrolled over the last week with our enrollment teams having processed more than 1300 K12 and 130 preK applications last week alone. Now with high temperatures over the summer and into the start of the

012school, we've seen the inevitable HVAC issues pop up here and there. But a huge shout out to our maintenance and facilities teams that have been responding to any issues seen in schools as quickly as possible, ensuring that if there are any HBAC issues, they are addressed in a way that maintains a comfortable working and learning environment. Speaking of facilities, as Sher Player mentioned this morning, um I was grateful to have the opportunity to cut the ribbon at Paragon Mills Elementary, which is one of three reconstructed or fully renovated elementary schools opening this school year, with the other two being Percy Priest Elementary and Lake View Elementary. Paragon Mills is also one of three new d new dual language Spanish immersion MSAP schools this year along with Glen View and Stratton elementaryaries where they will be

013offering instruction starting with kindergarten in ELA in English for ELA and Spanish for other core content areas to help grow the skills and minds of our students. And to ensure every student has the tools and support they need, we'll be launching our accelerating scholars tutoring program starting next week, much sooner than in previous years, to give our students even more additional learning time that we know leads to better results and success, which brings us to the foundation of success. our results from the 2024-25 school year, which showed the highest TECAP in ELC scores in MNS history and doubledigit gains in achievement since 2021. Now, in a moment, I'm going to bring up Dr. Tina Stinson, our executive officer of research assessment and evaluation to break down some of the numbers in greater detail, but just

014some key highlights from our last report. As a reminder, we had the highest achievement scores in district history since the adoption of more rigorous standards and proficiency targets by the state. We've also continued to outpace the state and growth in nearly every tested category. In addition, we've had gains and outperformed prepandemic levels in all tested grade bands and subjects and specifically in 19 of 21 individual grade level subject areas. Double-digit increases have also been realized since 2021 in all tested TECAP categories with all student groups making proficiency gains between 2024 and 2025 in integrated math 1, two, and three along with US history and nearly all student groups improving proficiency in all four TCAP categories and ELC's English one, two, and biology. All of that wouldn't be possible without the hard work and dedication of

015our students, their parents and families, teachers and support staff, school administrators, and support hub leaders who have leaned in over the last several years to ensure every student known. Now, I'd like to welcome up Dr. Stinson to provide some more targeted data updates to better understand the progress and opportunities for success in the data. Dr. Stinson will be followed by um Chief Alisa Norris um of our student support services team. She'll be providing some back to school and reimagine updates um followed by Chief Dr. David Williams who provide a quick um advanced academics update followed by Chief Reita Perry and then the amazing John Overton High School cluster. Dr. Stinson, you can take it away. >> Thanks Dr. Battle. Madame Chair, board members. Hello. I am going to follow up that um introduction with the

016grade 3 through 8 results one-year gains from 23 24 to 2425. You can see um all of these changes and they are in your packet. So I'm not going to read them all to you uh so we can leave tonight at some point. Uh we do have and want to call out our fifth and sixth grade gains. Um for ELA 36 for um sixth grade ELA 27 for math fifth grade point 5.9 uh and sixth grade 4.6 science you see a similar pattern um with the highest gains in those two grade areas. And of course in social studies um as we had discussed last time we see pretty amazing gra g gains across the board. I'm going to break it down a little further than I often do um at this time of the year

017by looking backward um at our ELA grade level TCAP data. And I want you to just notice the stairstep pattern for each of these grades um going from 21 to 22 to 23 to 24 to 25. Um you can see exactly what these gains are without me reading them and and they were on the prior slide. But I also want to mention that um the majority of these grade levels in this uh in the ELA are also um higher than any preandemic data that we had including of course the overall grades being higher than prepandemic, highest in history. I'm calling out third grade data or we are calling out third grade data because there's such extra accountability for students um and families on this data on these data. Um and you can see that the

018blue is MNPS, the black is the state. The line is our improvement line and that line is a little bit steeper than the states meaning that we are making greater improvements over time in our percent meeting or exceeding. Moving to the math grade level TCAP data, you can see the same stairstep pattern indicating sustained change with every one of these being greater than it was um years ago. And again, the majority of these are higher uh than they were pre- pandemic. I went back to 2017 and looked at every grade and and we were making it. Um, for science, the data look pretty much the same. Um, and we did not have preandemic science data for all of those years. So, I'm not going to to make the the claim because science standards were changing

019and and we didn't have it all of those years. But you can see that each of these grade levels did wind up um a good deal higher than they were in 21 and 22 um across the grade levels. And then to the far right in all grades. Finally, our social studies grade level TCAP data. you see uh the same stairstep pattern with every grade level making improvement uh over time. Uh all of these are higher than they were pre- pandemic. I won't go into the end of course data simply because we've been through it and we don't break that down by grade level. And with that, I'm going to turn the mic over to Dr. Elisa Norris. >> All right. Hey, thank you kindly, Dr. Stinson. Greetings, Dr. Balon board members. This evening, I'll be

020presenting a recap of Metro Schools Reimagined from the start of this signature initiative to its current priorities. The successes that we've seen as a result of this comprehensive initiative have played an important role in creating the teaching and learning conditions across the district that allow students to meet or exceed their focused outcomes, as evidenced by the most recent TECAP data that was just shared. But first, let me take a moment to celebrate the back to school bashes. I'm hopeful that you had an opportunity to attend one of the bashes that happened across the district. We wanted to create a way to support to share supports and resources with families, students and families in their school communities. And because having fun for all was a priority, there was face painting, bounce houses, a phone party, and

021other games and activities. A few other highlights are listed on the slide. Over 10,000 backpacks distributed, coordinated partnerships that maximize touch points with students and families, and over 15,500 students and families served. A special thanks to all the internal teams and external partners that made the first ever districtwide back to school bashes successful. We're already planning for next year's bashes. As a reminder, Metro Schools Reimagine is the continuation of the MMPS next initiative that focused on studying building usage and potential cost of building maintenance and renovations for schools in need. From there, Metro Schools Reimagine evolved to place greater emphasis on academics by exploring new support hub support systems, rebranded academic pathways, and cluster climate culture and cohesion. Additionally, Metro Schools Reimagined looked at how to best leverage community partnership like those that supported the

022bashes and wraparound services towards strengthening school communities that can support rigorous teaching and learning. The vision for Metro Schools Reimagine then is about ensuring that there are equitable educational opportunities for all students across the district. By focusing on cohesive academic programming, integrated learning environments, and aligned district supports, we have seen clusters collaborate across tiers to create meaningful academic experiences for students. Reimagine's uniform strategies ensure that there is consistency across clusters even while each has its unique cluster academic pathway. The first big win for this initiative was the completion of the fifth grade transition that supports the prek K5 68 912 school model. Additionally, we have expanded community achieves as well as advocacy and peace centers to complement the fifth grade transition and reinforce the district's restorative approach. The uniform strategies are another tool that reinforces

023Reimagine's vision to create equitable educational opportunities across the district. And here we see our guaranteed, personalized, and applied experiences that are bookended by our grow together with MNPS initiative, which focuses on engaging Davidson County families with young ones from birth to age three and the university MNPS partnerships with local colleges and universities that provide exclusive scholarship opportunities for MNPS students who qualify. This pathway ensures that all MNS students start and finish strong. The GPA experiences coupled with the rebranded re-imagined cluster pathways demonstrate the alignment between academic programming and supportive partnerships. And if you haven't been to a University of MNPS signing day, I highly recommend that you do so. You will see and understand the impact of the district's commitment to all students and the impact of Metro Schools Reimagined. This signature initiative allowed us

024to ask what needs to be true for all students to reach their academic potential in learning environments that are welcoming, affirming, and rigorous. The district's answer is Metro Schools Reimagined. Thanks for the opportunity to provide this very brief recap of this important work, and I have been proud to support this signature initiative. And with that, I'll turn it over to Dr. David Williams, who is going to be sharing about the opportunities available to students through the Cambridge program. As clusters continue to build out their identities, the focus is to build on what's working well and expand those opportunities throughout the cluster and tiers. Dr. Williams. >> Thank you, Dr. Norse. Good evening, board. As we prepare to transition to hear about Overden, the Overden cluster's amazing reimagine work, here's a brief overview of the Cambridge

025academic program. Cambridge is an internationally recognized program which builds a strong foundation in students in areas such as critical thinking, collaboration with others, and inquiry based research. Cambridge courses and the Cambridge diploma students can receive in high school are recognized by top universities across the world. And here in Tennessee, that includes universities such as the University of Tennessee and Knoxville, Vanderbilt University, University of Memphis, Middle Tennessee State University, Tennessee Tech, and many others. The five Cambridge learner attributes are aligned to qualities we certainly seek to develop in our students. They are confidence, responsibility, innovation, reflection, and engagement. in the middle school which you can see described there on the left. The Cambridge program aims to build a foundation for success for the Cambridge ACE program in high school. That stands for the advanced international certificate

026of education. Students are exposed to advanced coursework in preparation for high school rigor. Students take a global perspectives course to develop skills in the areas of research, analysis, evaluation, reflection, collaboration, and communication through a series of real world challenges and global topics. The goal is to help students become better at critical thinking and to understand and respect different perspectives on a variety of global issues, laying a foundation for success at the high school level and beyond. And these skills are also integrated with schoolwide AVID strategies that students experience in each class. At the high school level, students are able to customize their Cambridge courses in alignment to their career and post-secary interests and goals. If you're familiar with the AP or the IB program, Cambridge ACE courses are similar. Students are allowed to pursue their

027rigorous Cambridge courses alongside their CTE pathways. At this point, I'm going to turn it over to Chief Renita Perry to introduce the Overton Cluster. >> Thank you, Dr. Will Williams. Greetings, Dr. Battle and board members. As we begin this new school year, I'm excited to introduce a series of presentations you'll see throughout this year. Each one spotlighting the bold and intentional work taking place across our Nashville public schools clusters and signature schools. This summer during our principal retreat, our principles have leaned into a collaborative process to dream big for their school communities. Through this work, they've developed and refined what we call cluster journey maps, living illustrations of the student experience from elementary through high school. These maps are grounded in our commitment to delivering on the promise of GPA experiences that are guaranteed in

028our elementary schools, personalized in our middle schools, and applied in our high schools. These maps aren't just aspirational. They represent shared beliefs, clear commitments, and aligned practices across each cluster to ensure students are known, supported, and challenged every step of the way. Tonight, we're proud to begin with the Overton Zoo Cluster, a vibrant and diverse community that exemplifies what it means to lead with vision, heart, and high expectations. Let's take a look at the incredible work happening in the Overton Zoo cluster. Thank you very much, Chief Perry. As she mentioned, our principles spent time this summer intentionally defining that through line for our cluster's identity from preK all the way through 12th grade. So, what is that identity? We are the Overton Zoo Cluster, where global knowledge meets scientific exploration. Tonight, we are excited to

029share the results of that work by taking you on a journey through the eyes of a student. You'll see the guaranteed experiences we provide in elementary schools, the personalized experiences offered in middle schools, and the applied experiences that prepare our students for success in high school and beyond. But first, let's meet the principles of the Overton Cluster. James Urkart, Norman Binkley Elementary. Hanks, Creve Hall Elementary. Adam Wicker, Haywood Elementary. >> Matt Earles, Tuscalum Elementary. >> Emily Kajihara, Granberry Elementary. >> Friendly Owansky, Shane Elementary. >> Silia Jolly, proud principal of Croft Middle School, the zoo school. Tashaka Coverson, principal of McMurray Middle School. >> Hawaii Wilson, principal of William Henry Oliver Middle School. >> Kelby Garner, principal at John Overton High School. The Overton Cluster is a connected pathway for student success proudly supported by schoolboard

030member Rachel Anne Elrod. We begin with six strong elementary schools, each building a foundation of academic excellence, creativity, and community. From there, students advance into three dynamic middle schools where they deepen their learning, explore interests through advanced academics and extracurriculars, and develop the skills to lead. All roads lead to Overton High School, the heart of our cluster, where students have access to rigorous coursework, career and technical programs, and college ready experiences. This seamless prek through 12th grade journey means every student is known, supported, and challenged every step of the way. Graduating not just with a diploma, but with the confidence, connections, and skills to succeed in life. So, discover the Overton Zoo Cluster, South Nashville's diverse and welcoming preK12 community, where global knowledge meets scientific exploration. through partnerships with the Nashville Zoo, Vanderbilt University and

031Cambridge International Diploma opportunities. From AVID to Vanderbilt's Day of Discovery to themies of Nashville, students explore careers in healthcare, engineering, and technology while excelling in award-winning arts, athletics, and academics. With level five schools leading in growth and students earning millions in scholarships annually, including national merit honors, the Overton Zoo cluster prepares learners for success in college, career, and life. So, the Overton Cluster principles, we get really excited when we think about the road map to the Overton cluster. We start with the first stop, our elementary schools, where wildlife research scholars with the Nashville Zoo and Vanderbilt University. Next stop, middle schools, where we are conducting scientific research to address real world challenges with the Nashville Zoo and Vanderbilt University. And the final stop, high school, where we are applying global perspectives and research to college,

032career, and life. So come join us. Like Dr. Garner said, our first stop is our elementary schools and every student has a guaranteed experience. Introducing the Wildlife Research Scholars, an exclusive experience for Overton Zoo Cluster students, where global knowledge meets scientific exploration. In partnership with the Nashville Zoo and Vanderbilt University, students will engage in expert interviews, animal ambassador visits, zoo expeditions, and field trips. Aligned with our curricula, featuring units like creature features, and extreme settings, this experience deepens understanding of topics like adaptations, ecosystems, and environmental change. The wildlife research scholars lays a strong academic foundation for future success as students move through the Overton cluster. Our middle school personalized experience ensures every student embarks on a unique learning adventure tailored to their strengths, interest, and potential. In our middle schools, learning is an adventure. Students

033push their limits with rigorous academics, real world projects, and partnerships with the Nashville Zoo, Vanderbilt, and our community resource centers. They lead, create, and problem solve through avid strategies, project-based learning, and hands-on exploration. It all builds to the Steam Expedition, a high energy showcase where science, technology, engineering, art, and math come alive. Our students leave not just prepared for high school, but confident, connected, and ready to take on the world. Because when we invest in middle school experiences, we don't just build students, we launch future leaders. So, you've heard about our uh personalized experience and our guaranteed experience. Now, it's time to talk about the applied experience. In high school, we are applying global perspectives and research to college, career, and life. As a part of themies of Nashville, students explore career pathways in interdisciplinary

034science and research, ISR, information technology, health sciences, and engineering while collaborating with industry professionals. At John Overton High School, students apply global perspectives and research to real world challenges through partnerships with the Nashville Zoo, Vanderbilt University's ISR, the School for Science and Math at Vanderbilt, SSMV. Through these immersive experiences and advanced academics, including the opportunity to earn the Cambridge International Diploma, students are equipped with the skills and knowledge needed for success in college, career, and life in a globally connected world. The pathway makes it very clear in a seamless process where the Overton Zoo cluster is where global knowledge meets scientific exploration. Thank you. Thank you so much to our school leaders of the Overton Zoo Cluster for your dedication, creativity, and commitment to ensuring that every student is known and has access to rich,

035engaging, and purposeful learning experiences. What you've shared today reflects not only your vision for your schools, but also your belief in the collective power of our cluster communities to prepare students for success. guaranteed in our elementary schools, personalized in our middle schools, and applied in our high schools. Your work is a model for how we can align around a shared vision while still honoring the unique strengths and needs of each school community. Most importantly, it is clear that your plans are anchored in what is best for our students, both now and in the future. With deep gratitude for the work you do each day, I will now turn it back over to our director of schools, Dr. Adrienne Battle. Well, let's give it up for these wonderful leaders one more time. I'll just tell them

036myself, yes, they've made me cry before um with all of their great work and leadership and all their thoughts around um what the future holds. So, thank you all um so much. Um again, thank you for your incredible leadership. Um the impact that you're having both academically, growth, all the factors that um we pay attention to. We salute you and thank you. Um chair, I will turn it back over to you. Um I know this was jam-packed in content, but I'm sure there's some questions. Um leaders, feel free. Um you can have a seat and then if we um have questions for you, we'll call you back up to um entertain. Thank you. >> Thank you. uh Overton Kuster. Um Norman Brinkley and Croft is in my political district even though they're in member Lrod's

037cluster. The political districts and the academic dresses do not line up. Don't ask don't ask about that. But um I've been a pleasure um particularly going to the Day of Discovery at the zoo. I have never been jealous of middle school kids in my life that they get to go to the zoo and observe animals and do a whole report and they hear their feedback and their like preparation and how they talk about the fox and the musketss and the gorilla. Like it's not the girls, we don't have gorillas there, but um the giraffes. It's really fascinating. It's really cool to see that I didn't have that when I was in middle school and so I'm a little jealous of that, but it shows the great work to see our kids do real academic rigorous

038um effort um in coordination with Vanderbilt. It's a really warming and in inspirational thing to see um to that. So I will open up to questions or answers question and answer um or comments from my fellow board members. So are there any questions or comments? Uh, uh, member Mazize, well done. That's all I have for you. Well done, Overton Cluster. Keep up the great work. >> Member Elrod. >> Oh my gosh, I'm so impressed that you said thank you. Thank you to our Overton cluster. I know you uh love all of you like to say that you love all of our babies. Member Bay, >> but I know how you are. So, um, protective of your >> own partial to Antioch and Cambridge, but I give love where it's deserved. >> Oh, it is. That's

039a high price, guys. Um, so I first want to say that I'm always so proud of all of my schools in the Overton cluster and that all of them work together well just within themselves and with each other. There are so many of these principles that are fairly new to the cluster or to their position within the cluster like at Tusk Club. And so I know that there's been a lot of work that y'all have put into this to not just work for your own school and how does this work within my responsibility but my responsibility to each other and my responsibility to the cluster. And that's really noticed not just by us on the school board but also by the families. So many of our families have noticed that there's a growth within their

040students, not just academically, but personally that there's also a growth of ex experience and the rigor that happens within those experiences. Whether that's a rigor academically or I believe that there's a rigor that can come with social emotional growth as well in those experiences. I know so many of you have schools that are real tight and have been tight for a long time. like Shane, you were opened already um over capacity when it opened and you weren't there then. Um and of course McMurray's had a beautiful new growth and they had the beautiful buildings. That building is just gorgeous and Overton as well. But I appreciate all the work that y'all do to take care of all of your students. consider all of them and their needs and also your staff particularly with the resources

041that we try to provide from the board standpoint of course from the stand point of the state and then of course within the limitations that we have be that space or otherwise. So thank you so much for all of that. I am so proud of y'all. I really like my new shirt. I will be wearing it and uh I will be emailing all of you tomorrow. If not tomorrow, Thursday, please give me peace on that. Thank you. Please put on your sticker. >> Thank you. >> You see me putting this on right here. >> That's a That's a big deal. That's big. >> That was real big. >> Um any uh member of Harold Block. Um I uh very much appreciated the presentation from the uh Overton cluster folks. Um the zoo program and the

042day of discovery and all of that. I' I've seen some of those things work together at um at some of the graduations um at SSMV and others and um it's really cool to be able to take that real world science experience. I actually have questions about the data. Shocker. Can we go back and talk a little bit about that? Um I want to go back to um some of the grade level ELA data. So this was side slide five that um Dr. Stinson went over. Um I just sort of like looking through this um it's it's really it's exciting to see the higher levels of uh achievement in third and fourth grade fifth grade seventh and eighth still are lower um sort of a and in math as well. I'm just wondering if you have

043insights on to why is it just I mean I my like theory would be oh okay we're starting to make progress in these earlier grades. We're going to see that start to play through over time into some of the other grades. It's a foundational success thing, but I'm just curious what we would say. And and then are there different strategies I probably know the answer to this question, but I always like to ask it that are happening to try and push in those grades. >> There's a few things um in play. So, yes, um to the foundational approach um to growing our students um both in overall growth, but also proficiency. So over time we're seeing which is why you see the stairst step approach right that that's what's happening um um happening there. So

044um that's one point I want to make. Um the second one is um when you look at this as compared to what's happening across the state um you see kind of the same level of growth um and proficiency rates um across the state as far as the average rate is concerned. The third thing that you have at play um in middle school is that you start to have varied um courses that students are taking. So um for instance, when a student enters seventh or eighth grade, they it's likely that they could also be in a high school for credit course. And so you begin to see a variation um there particularly um in your highest performing um students. And we are not going to limit a student based upon their ability. So we allow them

045to continue to progress um year after year. So, they have a few different things in play from foundational um to kind of your highest achieving students are beginning to take high school courses. So, their data is going to show up in their cohort data in high school as opposed to um in in middle school. And um what you see in proficiency rates kind of mirror what what's happening in elementary school kind of mirrors what's happening in middle school as well. Can >> I ask a follow-up question on that that's actually somewhat related to the presentation from the Overton cluster? um because I I I'm familiar with some of the movements that happen and and differences in what data gets counted for an accountability sense at a certain school or another. And there was a time

046where there was a conversation with the state around um Cambridge and testing in Cambridge testing similarly in IB programs. I'm just sort of curious as to whether or not and how that does or doesn't get resolved like and and I don't know much about Cambridge so I'm curious as to which classes for Cambridge can count for like how much credit can a student end up with and some of that stuff just I may have missed things I admit but just like general curiosity about >> how Cambridge testing impacts state related test scores and also what is available for Cambridge students in terms of overall college credit. >> Yeah, thank you for asking. When we get to those ACE classes that Dr. Williams talked about, we have a version of courses called IGXY. That's pre-Cambridge. And

047so those students take um regular tested subjects. So whether it's English one, two, it's Iggy 1, two, and they're not quite in ACE classes yet. They explore more of those ACE classes in junior and senior year. So for example, ACE history students never sit for the history end of course exam because they have a Cambridge exam that they take in place of and so there are certain groups of students like Dr. Battle was mentioning our eighth graders are taking high school credit. Those students don't also sit for English one, math one, or eighth grade English and eighth grade math. So, it works similarly. There's certain courses that count. Any ACE class does not also have an EOC. >> And so, like the students that um that's Thank you. That's super helpful. That's that tracks with

048what I might have thought. the the students that um are talked about in here that graduated with the uh with the Cambridge diploma, like what's sort of what are they do you have any sense of like what they're going into with college credit? >> So, some of them end up going in with several credits. Um they're able to gain a credit for each class that they pass. And so, when they pass the class, the coursework, and pass the exam, they're able to take that on for college credit. Um so, several students will leave with 12 to 15 credits depending on, you know, if they're going all the way through. We have students that are aid diploma track. So their pathway is totally Cambridge. That's all they focus on in their electives. Then you have students

049in the engineering academy for example that may take a few ACE classes. They're not looking for the entire diploma. So when we look at that number, there's a limited number of students that take just the pathway program solely and there are also students that take it as options. >> And sorry, one last question on this. Um are the all of the things you just named, do those count in the ready graduate category? Yes, because those are early postsecondary opportunities. >> And I I'll remind us our accountability now. Thank you so much, Principal Garner. Very well said. Um are we is a cohort model now? And I'm looking Tina, are you confirming? Yes, they're in a cohort model. So their scores show up when their cohort shows up in the data. So it's >> a very

050complex tracking system um with regards to when their scores count or not. But there are students who don't sit for every end of course exam because of their advanced pathway. >> But the idea behind the cohort model would be for the for folks who aren't sort of playing along with the accountability uh conversation that we're having here that's kind of detailed. The idea behind the cohort model is that you count as many students assessment scores when they take them such that it's encouraging school districts and schools to push kids to higher level courses and have it not impact them negatively. >> I hope so. That's what we do here in Nashville public schools. >> Right. Just checking. Thanks, Vice Chair Nibal Kenny. [Music] So board member uh Block always jumps to me on this data

051the data questions for the >> record you can raise your hand first. >> I know every time you start I'm like dang. Okay. >> Um >> you can see me nerd out on that. >> I also tried to wait for the record. >> It's okay. Um, so another quick question just to clarify and I know you just mentioned it, but I just want to reiterate those eighth grade high school credit classes and that's your is it can you name those three? Is it three or four classes? >> The the typical um classes for high school credit are um integrated maths one and two. Mhm. >> Um there is physical science, there is Spanish, and there is >> environmental science. Thank you. Environmental science. Okay. So, if they're offered if students are taking them in the

052eighth grade, then they will be taking those as high school credit courses, but they don't count in eighth grade data. That's correct. if that's the end of course exam they're they're um sitting for but it can start earlier than eighth grade. >> Gotcha. And then it it doesn't count in eighth grade seventh or eighth grade data and it doesn't count in high school data either. It's for high school is going to count in their cohort data. >> Gotcha. Okay. >> The early postsecondary. >> Am I answering correctly, Tina? Can she I can't hear. >> Can you come up to the podium, Dr. Stinson? And this has shifted over the years. So it has previously counted for the middle school, it's counted for the high school, it's counted in the cohort. So where we are today,

053Dr. Stinson, is so so what we're looking at right now is strictly assessment data. We are not looking at accountability data. If an eighth grader takes say integrated math one or two, that score will count as that school's math score. And this number for eighth grade that we're looking at right now would go up, but we can't share those data yet. And then there's, I believe, two C two cohort conflations. One, I'm sorry, one is the cohort data for accountability for end of course assessments. And that is any individual sophomore students ninth grade math whatever it is whether they take integrated math one two or three and their 10th grade English. Um so that's one cohort and then there's the ready grad cohort. So I just wanted to kind of >> say did that answer

054the question? >> Thank you. And then a another question as it relates um so I'm excited that over the last it looks like one two three four four years um we have seen the data go up um related to that um I know um board member block mentioned it but in 7th grade we did see a little dip there for ELA related to from 2004 to two are we in 2005? Yes. To 2005 data. Have we have we figured out we're not there yet. >> Statistically, I mean it's >> So, okay. Gotcha. >> Essentially the same. So, um, what the team will be digging into, like we've done in years past, we'll be doing kind of a deep dive around the standards, um, just to see if there was any significant, um, dip um, in

055standards and how students um, perform as well as our school um, teams as part of their leadership playbook when it comes to their continuous improvement cycle and their instructional leadership teams. They'll be digging into the individual student data um, to determine if there was um, anything there. that can shift slightly depending on number of students tested versus not tested. I mean there you you could always have a little bit of variation um with regards to that. So we've noted it um and it's something that we'll continue to dig into to see if there was any significant shift uh one way or the other. >> Okay. And then a followup question to that and we may not have this this data out yet um from the state but have we been able to disagregate the data

056to see where we are as far as subgroup groups are concerned and how >> Yes, I think we share some of that at the last schoolboard meeting. >> Okay. >> Yes. >> And so we'll be able to follow up with that more in depth and >> absolutely I we will be able to um potentially share some more student group information once we get growth data. Um, but the proficiency data, we've shared that and we can recirculate that if we need to. >> Would you please? Thank you. >> Member Young and then member Tyler. >> Thank you, Chair. Um, I am I am pleased. This is great. We're headed in the right direction. Um, I'm glad the comparison with the state data is included because I think many folks think the state scores are typically much

057higher than what they actually are. Um, this I'm glad we celebrate our success. However, I think it's important that we ground ourselves in the fact that we still have a tremendous amount of opportunity. >> And I think these gains we see should not be an exception. they've got to be the floor for us. And so obviously what we're doing is make I mean what our teachers and and administrators are doing um they're making gains. And so we need to make sure that we're continuing to support the efforts that are working. Um I think that was so important. Um that's why I'm thrilled that the mayor and council gave us the additional funding to continue a lot of the additional services we're doing that we have proof to show that it works. Um, but I just

058think it's important that we as we figure out what else is helping and working that you bring that to us because we um we have a lot of opportunity left and I I don't know I'm not a statistician. I got a C minus in stats class and so um I'm curious if we have kind of mapped out where we think or when we think we can be on par with the state. Um, and I don't necessarily expect that calculation to be known right now. I understand that's probably a math equation, but um, I guess I would just really impress upon everyone that that um, getting to the state score should be our floor. This shouldn't be our our target. Um and but I am and this is not at all meant to take away from

059the wonderful results we are receiving but I just we owe it to ourselves to to ground ourselves in the reality that we have a lot of opportunity left but I I am thrilled with the hard work um and results we have and and you are certainly to be committed for that. Thanks. >> Absolutely. Thank you um for your feedback and your comment. Um uh y'all are probably tired of hearing me say um our mantra continuous improvement mindset um is around know where you are but don't stay there. We want to celebrate the successes that we do have which by the way are historic. Um this is the the first time that for four years consecutively. Um we've seen an increase in proficiency rates in almost every testing category across every subject area. Um if you

060just dig into research that is not norm that doesn't usually happen. um for all um data points to be moving in that direction as well as um that level of growth that we've seen now for for three years um in in the row. That's a conversation we have all the time um as a leadership um unit about this just being the new normal um and just part of our DNA that we'll continue to grow students um at at high rates. But I'd be remiss if I did not again just commend the entire learning community because if just looking back in our historical record of performance um this is the first time we've kind of hit our stride and having some consistency um across all the content areas, all the grade levels and with our student

061groups. Um we're seeing that and we want to continue to accelerate um the um level of proficiency and growth across all of our student groups and subject areas as well. and we're positioned um pretty well given the historic investments that you've uh mentioned, board member Young, to continue that and continue to move the needle forward. We'll continue to bring our best thinking um to the board around um what those accelerators are and how we can springboard from this success into the next level of success. >> Real quick, I want and also um to member Young's point um also the important of resources. Um I know myself, member Elrod, member Maize have the highest concentration of English as a second language and the resources it takes to recruit the teachers that have those certifications particularly at

062the elementary level to bring them up to this level at um at an expedited weight. So, I think as we continue to advocate, understand our population of students um and that a lot of them English is their second language and that's a significant subset and that we need the resources to make sure we have the best ESL teachers to have those certifications to do that to continue what you're saying to be able to have this where we u continue to grow and hopefully exceed um the state data. Member Tyler. >> Yeah. So um again I also am very pleased to see continuous growth moving from year to year for the most part and and I think that that is a real testament to our our teachers to the trainers of the teachers to the coaches

063and the schools that are working hard to make sure that all their questions are answered and to support them when they have students that they don't seem to be able to reach and and that's extremely important. That infrastructure is what is making these gains possible. Um, but I do think it behooves us to kind of look a little bit more closely if we're following the same group of kids from year to year. So like looking at them from fourth grade in 2021 and then looking at fifth grade in 2022 and looking so the same group of kids. Um, in math we're seeing that they're kind of making some gains from year to year and we're seeing some good things for the most part. In ELA, we're seeing some data that that is a little concerning

064in from moving from fourth to fifth grade. Um, and then again moving from seventh to eighth grade and those are and I know we've talked about fifth in the past and that our whole re-imagined plan was intended to address what we knew was a deficiency with our fifth grade students and I'm glad that we did that. I think it is making a difference. Genuinely believe that that is making a difference. Do we have a plan for eighth grade? Because I'm also seeing that same dip from seventh to 8th. >> Yes. So we um the two grades have been fifth and seventh. um that's where we had not been seeing the consistent um improvements across time. And so um we knew u we accelerated our plan of the transition from fifth grade. We now see that

065um paying off. We're also digging deeply um into what's happening seventh and eighth grade. Part of that transition is also to support um what's happening through the sixth through 8th um ban. And so that is something that our teaching and learning team is paying close attention to. Um it does require a deep study. um of what the demand is um around the content standards um as well. Again, once you start getting into to those grade mans, I'm going to go back to what's happening um in the student data, which is not, as Tina mentioned, not fully represented here. You do have students who are not sitting for the seventh and eighth grade assessment, who are taking advanced courses that are not represented in this data as well. Um it could be I'm pretty sure the

066team has already dug into this. Once you add that data back, you would see a very different um story picture of the cohort data. Um and to your point, when you're looking at cohort data, um which is also very commendable here when you're taking one year's cohort and that's the baseline for the for the incoming cohort regardless of where they started. Yeah. Right. And so, um, that in itself just speaks to the tremendous, um, efforts and and what we're seeing. But we're also seeing some very positive, um, um, transitions, particularly as we've, um, really amplified our foundational skills, um, at the lower grade levels in the K2 space and expanded our pre-K access. So, we're trying to back it up, um, to make sure that that foundation is there. But, I think you see a

067combination of things. It's something we don't want to take our eye off of. uh we want to continue to like really interrogate like what's happening um to make sure we see that consistent growth and proficiency. >> Okay. Yeah. Um I would just I would love to keep the conversation open about as you continue into the deep dive, what are you finding out and how can we be supportive to help you get what you need at that grade band to support what those kids are missing for whatever reason. >> Yep. And I'll ask my team as we get the um data and the embargos lifted, we can go back and add that data to what's 78 so we can have a clearer picture um around what's what's happening. >> Great. Thank you. >> Member Feain. >>

068Maybe it was answered already, but just a question of the cohort. Is it a specific district of students, a school centered district? Like is it a cluster or is it various? Now, when we're speaking of cohort, um we're speaking of accountability. And what happens is once you get to high school, the year that you enter 9th grade is your cohort year. So our our 9th graders this year are considered the 25 26 cohort, 26 cohort technically. Um and so you get cohorted based upon the first year you enter high school. So that's what we're referring to. So the students in this data isn't the same students or it is the same students. >> So what um yeah so what Tyler was pointing out >> was that if you look at the 25 >> fifth graders

069they were your 24th graders. >> So you can see that >> Yeah. So the we're we're taking the test scores from the same >> cohort of annually. >> Yes. So you Right. So if you were looking at fifth grade right now, you can actually see how they performed in fourth grade. You can see how they performed in third grade. >> Yes. >> Okay. So is this a specific district? That's my question. >> This is all students. >> So So this is just >> Okay. >> Everybody. >> Okay. >> Can I Thank you. >> Absolutely. Like just for one clarifying point. This was when we talk about also the difference between proficiency and growth in terms of proficiency data. TCAP just straight proficiency data and then TAS data. One of the reasons why Tivos is so

070important and why we have placed such emphasis on things like are we a level five district? Do we have level five schools is that what that does is follows each student over the course of their own history with their own scale score even. So, not just did I move from a level of proficiency here to a level of proficiency there, but literally like is every student making progress every year. And so, it's a little more difficult to draw sort of significant cohort type conclusions like kids overtime conclusions off of these kinds of movement that we're seeing here. and a little bit easier to rely on the fact that if if Tivos data is telling us we're at level five. That means that students are moving faster in our district than a uh the average student

071across the state. Each sort of individual student aggregated up. >> Yes. And we should have that data in the next couple weeks. >> We should be able to communicate that data in the next couple weeks. Are you any more questions? >> I'm just interested in in the tracking because again a data person like oh shoot thank you. I'm just interested in the tracking like the numbers if that makes sense. like yes, these students were here in 22, but do we have the same group of numbers of kids in 23 and 24? And that would absolutely bring some difference in your test scores and the numbers for sure because going into seventh with the key on the seventh grade, a lot of people are deciding other options if that makes sense. elementary a lot of people

072stick with your public schools and then when you get to certain levels a lot of times they pull the kids out a lot of times. So that's why I'm looking I want to know the numbers like >> participate in across different >> correct. Yes. So and I think that goes back to um what uh board member block was just sharing. So once we have the growth data, okay, um it'll give you more insight. And um to her point, uh be remiss if I didn't say this, um National Public Schools has been a level five the last two years, which means that our students in comparison to their peers across the state are performing at or growing faster um than than the average student, their comparable peer student across the state of Tennessee, which is a

073um very I mean, you don't get a higher mark than that in growth than to be a level five. Absolutely. Thank you, Dr. >> Uh, member Elro and then member Tyler. >> Thank you. I want to make sure that I understand that we believe we're getting growth data in a couple weeks. >> We'll be able to communicate growth data in a couple weeks. Yes. >> Okay, that'd be great. Um, historically, we have seen a dip particularly in math within our seventh grade numbers. I I honestly that's at least been the case since 2018 when I joined the board. Um so like a lot of my colleagues have said I am joyful excited about the increase particularly because it's a stair steep stairst step increase um but always seventh grade seems to be a tricky year

074for a lot of students. So I look forward to seeing whatever that uh result might be or series of results of when we dig deep and what we think we find there are things that we need to tighten up or work on or need additional supports on. Um recently I was asked as I shared some of our TCAP data particularly after what we received from last meeting. Um I was talking to a group of people and was talking about how we have this large increase and how we've been doing this for you know so many years and sharing all the talking points and a question that I received that I would like to ask you is what are the five things that we have done as a school system that we think have made this

075change? Well, there is just no silver, you know, there's not one answer um to that, but um just foundationally, listen, there's a there's a few things um at play here. Um we know, and if you were digging into research um right now, it would echo exactly what I'm getting ready to say. We've always known that having a quality um educator in front of students and with students every day matters. So when we talk about our compensation studies, when we talk about the conditions, the high quality instructional materials, like all of that matters um to us having um sustained um improvement as as a school district. Now, we also know more now than ever before that leadership matters. Um there was a recent re research study conducted by the Wallace Foundation. We also saw some work

076come out of Vanderbilt um University particularly under the leadership of Dr. um Jason Gryom um that we now know the multiplier effect is having strong leadership um in our in our schools and amongst our instructional leadership team. So like the investment um in our administrators um their leadership, their professional learning, the resources that they need um to be um successful as well. And the third thing, which I kind of hit on a little bit, um has been um a focus on highquality instructional materials, but also programs and services um that we know support um our students. So, uh there's no I I won't put a five on it. There's not one thing alone. There's no standalone that um we could all probably point to. It's a combination. And we've been really thinking about um from

077the educator standpoint. And when I say educators, I mean our um effective um teachers, our prepare pair professionals, our uh our bus drivers like nutrition services, everyone really matters because we are we're also a school district that has taken away every barrier that we can can take away from our families. No cost meals, um um the school back to school supplies. I mean, we're just trying to make sure that we can keep the main thing the main thing. And so, um, unfortunately, I don't have a short answer to that, but I can tell you that, um, strong, um, quality instruction led by the educators that support our students, strong leadership, and the supports and conditions, um, are key ingredients to having, um, thriving schools. >> My answer was similar, that there's no silver bullet um,

078and that it's first personnel, and that the support of our personnel is more than just providing a curriculum. it's um supporting them professionally in other ways as well. >> Um part of that gets me I guess to my next question of last board meeting we saw some of the data that Dr. Nama McKenna was talking about with students with disabilities uh economically disadvantaged and what is the third quart third third cohort of students that we watch. >> Is it is it do we call English language learners? Is it >> English learners? It's listed as EL. I just wanted to make sure I said whatever it is correctly. Appreciate that. Um my belief uh from last meeting was that we saw a lot of sustained growth within those populations as well which historically is a hard

079group all three to have sustained growth within. Students with disabilities had the least amount of growth though there was growth they had the least amount of growth. Um can you remind me of what the answer was? cuz I know I asked them, but I'm going to ask again of is there something that we need to be doing as a school system or what are we thinking about that population to help them continue to sustain that growth and get to their other peers? >> Yes. I you know, I'll I'll preface this by saying um again, when you look at um urban education, right, um and moving diverse um school districts forward or even individual schools, I mean, it's hard to do. It's hard to do. Um, if we point back to the national study that was

080been conducted over the last couple years, I mean, Nashville public schools is the only large urban school district that showed up in the top 10 for two years in a row for both math and reading growth. That includes our exceptional education students, right? Um and so you're asking I'm just context you asked me that question but yet right we're kind of the district to watch um and being able to improve um these student outcomes and yet again our continuous mindset is know where you are but but don't stay there. Um so a few things we've been doing uh my team I've been meeting with the um um division of schools and academics we have a pretty structured rhythm by which we are um digging into data um we're looking at um all of our APR

081data um our supports um our instructional focus with our exceptional education team and we're trying to make more um rapid response adjustments right so we're not having to wait um for a year's worth of data to make those informed decisions. We're learning a lot. Um, we're adjusting and we're supporting um to the greatest um degree possible. Um, we've made the adjustments. We've already identified for this school year. I think what's going to be most important is as we continue to discover um what those needs are that we can have open conversations with the board around what's needed um next. But we have a phenomenal um exceptional education um team not just here at the support hub. Debbie McAdams leads um our exceptional education department, but on the ground, I mean, our school teams are amazing.

082Um the reality is is that we're seeing the numbers of students um in our exception exceptional education portfolio continue to increase. We're seeing that both with our exceptional education as well as with our English language learners. And so the biggest challenge there is scale, right? So for a large urban district, scale is the toughest challenge. So, we're trying to figure out how to do more of what works for more students more frequently. And I think that's kind of the formula right now um that that we're digging um into um given the interventions that are in place. I think the principles um from the open cluster um across the district who are here will also tell you they're doing a lot of mapping um they're doing a lot of hiring. I mean, we um have had

083lots of conversations around the certifications for special education teachers, their training. um they're looking at their interventions, how they intervene, when the ex um intensive courses are happening within their master schedules. That is a constant um conversation and review um for our teams and as we leverage up scalable um strategies, we'll continue to roll them out and of course work with the school board around any additional investments needed. >> Um I first want to thank Debbie for coming to the Overton cluster. She was even at the cluster event. Um, and I know that that mapping happens and it's essential to not only hiring but to of course also their student um student response. And um I do you need to >> No, one one other thing we actually um I'm surprised the team didn't go

084I got forgot this. Um we have we've been meeting um um with internal external partners um around the supports for exceptional education um department. So, we've got some some families, some some uh researchers. We've got a group that um are consistently um engaging in conversations around what we're seeing, what is research telling us for us to make the uh um um changes or or shifts that we need to make. >> I know as uh chair player mentioned, trying to find employees that are certified to teach EL is extremely difficult. Um, and that is absolutely the truth, if maybe not more difficult to receive certification or to find people that are certified for special needs um, and special education. And so I appreciate that that work is still happening and I know it's a focus. Um,

085but it's always a question to have and uh, I appreciate that we're working on it not just as an entire district but individually as we're mapping students and how they're progressing through their own grade levels and the work that they are um, getting to. Lastly, I I am excited about our significant gains, us having the highest TCAP scores. All of those things are really exciting. Additionally, I want to make sure that as said on the board floor, that our students are not just measured by their TCAP, and they are more than that. And so, of course, I appreciate the conversation about all of our students, including the students that we just discussed, um, and how they are more than just a test score, and how we also honor that, the other work that we do,

086um, not just in our schools, but also here on the board floor and within the support hub. So, I appreciate that and thank you. >> Uh, member, I'm going to member Taylor. Stay in spoken yet and then I'll come to you. Oh, you're being that fist gentleman, aren't you? >> All right, member Tyler. Then we go to member Taylor. >> I just had a quick comment. Anyway, so I just wanted to mention we had been talking about when we get the data that we're that's embargoed that we're allowed to include so we can have a fuller picture of where all of our students are, not just the ones who are working at a specific level. Um, but also just I wanted to encourage us, we've always done this, but I wanted to encourage us to

087make sure that everybody here knows that happens is that when we're looking at this data that we're not just looking at the number, the final proficient number, but we're also looking at how many students are we moving from below to approaching. How many students are we moving from approaching to proficient? How are we moving our kids up those tiers? And we've always talked about that, but I think it's really important to know that it's it's not just a kid who might not be considered proficient. Just because they're not proficient doesn't mean that they are not moving. It's it's the whole, >> you know, know where you are, but don't stay there. So, >> yeah, absolutely. And in addition to that, um, proficiency bands change. Yeah. >> From year to year and grade to grade. So

088the viewing public may not understand how this works but those cuts the cut is not actually set until after every student has tested. So that changes year after year. So you could have been >> Dr. Chicain every single time a very different cut the next year and so um we also have to keep that in mind um as well. >> Thank you. That was all I was going to say. >> I I have a strong opinion about it but I'll reserve it for later. >> Me too. member Taylor. >> So, I just want to start off by just thanking all of the uh teachers and support staff and uh all of the individuals that work with our students every day to uh make these numbers happen. I think that um you know, we see all

089of this data and these colorful charts and everything, but those are real students that we're talking about and uh and so I just want to thank everybody that has worked with them. Um, you know, I have uh several children of my own and I know that um just just a few and uh and so I know how challenging it is to make sure that kids are getting a high quality education every day. And um the work that I've seen, you know, I'm finishing up my freshman year on the school board here and uh the work that I've seen that Dr. battle and her team has done um just with the intentionality around uh things like MN MNS next um our metro schools re-imagined. Um Dr. Norris, I wanted to thank you for the work that

090you're doing in that area. Um I had the opportunity to be a part of the renaming ceremony at uh the Richard Dinkens Middle School now. And just in preparing my remarks, I had to think about like there's some real intentionality behind the pathways that we're creating for our students uh to see this type of growth that we're looking at. Um and so I just wanted to to just recognize that um what I see in the Overton cluster uh what's our statement? It's uh where global knowledge meets hands-on scientific exploration. That type of intentionality is what we need to see this movement. I think uh you had the question uh from someone in the community about uh what's the five things that uh we need to do. There's probably 500 things. That's why this job is

091so hard because there are so many complex issues that we have to deal with each and every day to see just this minimal amount of growth. And so I don't want that to be lost uh as we have this conversation about the data and so forth. Um this is a really tough job and that's what I've seen. That's what I know from my personal experience with my own children and with the children that I've worked with in the school system as well. And so I want us to be encouraged to know that yes, there are some opportunities for us to continue to grow. Um and we're here to support you in making that happen. We're here to support our kids. We're here to support our families because we all are in this together and we

092want to see our children do well. And so we may not always agree on the exact details of how to make it happen, but I think we can agree that we want the same outcomes and that we're willing to work together to make that happen. So that's all I got. Thanks. >> Um thank you um board member Taylor. One um thing that I will share that I've been digging into and this is just kind of food for thought as we wrap up this conversation. When you look at our um proficiency rates, you made me think about this. If you look at sheer numbers of students who are represented by proficiency rates, Nashville public schools gets more students across the success line than almost any other district in the state of Tennessee just off of sheer

093numbers. So I think that is something that should be processed and thought about. Um we just happen to educate more students than almost every district in the state of Tennessee, but we actually have more students who test proficient number of students than almost every district in the state of Tennessee. And again, um thank you for all the feedback and the comments. I must again applaud our leaders um who are with us this morning, this afternoon, this evening. This day has been long this evening. Um none of none of this is possible first without the talents of our students being recognized and at the table, the educators who support them every day, the leaders who are serving in our school, and every support hub leader who gets keeping the main thing the main thing. And that's

094that's all about our children and our young people. So, thank you. And uh to piggyback on member Taylor's remarks, I said if it was easy, someone would have already done it and gotten rich off of it. And I also want people know that um the proficiency test does not measure literacy. That actually represents comprehension and a level. And I challenge adults to take the third grade literacy test and see the complexity of it that we're putting with our third grade students and see how even educated adults with graduate degrees have failed the third grade literacy test that actually are in prominent positions in our own communities here in Nashville. So understanding that the standard that we have raised for our children is significant is substantial and we are putting the highest standards that are there.

095So, um, I like to do that. Well, thank you, Dr. Battle. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Overton Cluster leaders. We appreciate your hard work. We is not go unnoticed. We, um, we, we really do. You're inspiration to us and you got to go first. So, you have set the standard for the clusters that will follow after you. Um, but thank you and thank you for everything you have done and we look for a great partnership with you in the future. Okay. Now, um I would like to recognize uh Metroleal Director Wally Deetsz um to give a legal report, please. This is school night, y'all, so they need to go prepare. [Music] Um good evening, Madame Chair, board members, Dr. Battle. I am Wally Deetsz. I am the uh director of law for

096the metropolitan government of Nashville and Davidson County. I am also a very proud graduate of MNPS schools first grade through 12. We didn't have kindergarten back in the day. Um or I would have been there. Um and I'm also a parent of two adults, both of whom graduated from MNS high schools. So I'm grateful for this board. I'm grateful for the work that all of these great um teachers and leaders do. Um and I am fully supportive of your efforts here. Um I want to speak very briefly about the recent settlement of the litigation that I was personally involved in and other members of my team. Um, first, the Department of Law strongly recommended that this lawsuit be settled and we firmly supported the settlement that was reached. The settlement that was reached after years

097of litigation, after we were successful in dismissing many of the claims and after uh Dr. Battle knows better than anybody, a marathon mediation that started early in the morning and ended at midnight. This settlement did not come about easy and there were several times when Dr. Battle was ready to push away from the table and say we're not going to we're not going to give in to more of these demands. So this was a hard fought settlement and we strongly support it. We think the context does matter and mad madam chair you spoke to this at the very top of this meeting back in that time um this this um this district was having some issues transitioning from the prior administration Dr. battle coming in. COVID came in and created chaos. So, there was a

098lot going on here and that's that was the genesis of the issues that led to this lawsuit. So, we should not just ignore the fact where we were back then and where we are now. Um, I'll admit that the dollar amount is high, but this is also a consolidated case that is five separate lawsuits um, involving five different uh, individuals and attorneys for each of the individuals, all of whom had claims for attorneys fees that could have um, that could have grown significantly um, over time. And there's a good reason why uh the metro government and schools maintain special reserves. It's for this purpose to settle these kinds of claims. We don't we don't know exactly what's going to come up, but there are reserve funds on hand to pay claims like this. Um so

099our litigation team worked really hard on this case. We came to the conclusion that Dr. Battle did nothing wrong, that this school system did nothing wrong. So then the obvious question is well why would we settle? Um and we settle because it was a business decision. We make these kinds of decisions all the time. We analyzed the risks of uh what we could um potentially gain by going to court where we could won we could have won one, two, three, four, maybe all five, not likely, of those lawsuits. Or we could have suffered losses in 1, 2, 3, four, or five of those lawsuits with damages that exceeded the amount we agreed to pay and attorneys fees that likely would have been 50% higher after a 3-week trial. And we were also on the verge

100of schools opening. And instead of asking Dr. battle to sit in a courtroom downtown for 3 weeks. We thought it was important that she return to this building to be ready to open schools and answer all the questions of parents and students and to get things off to a good start. So, uh we strongly support this settlement. We defend it completely. Um and the law department is very grateful that this board voted to accept the settlement that was uh the result of a very hardfought negotiation. Thank you. Thank you, Attorneys. We will now move into public participation. The board will hear from those persons who've requested appear at the board um at this board meeting. In the interest of time, speakers are limited to remarks to two minutes or less. Comments will be timed and

101there will is your um timer clock and you also have lights on the podium. We will begin with uh Lauren Lorencia Muse. Miss Muse, Kendall Mopin. Good evening. My name is Kendall Mopin. I live in District 4. I'm here tonight because I'm deeply concerned about the recent 6.5 million settlement approved by this board. As a taxpayer, as someone who cares deeply about our schools, I can't help but to think about where the money could have gone and who it could have served. Our exceptional education students and as an exceptional education parent, some of our most vulnerable in Metro Public Schools, they need more than the bare minimum. They need individualized support. trained staff, accessible resources, and environments that help them thrive academically and emotionally. Instead of 6.5 million has been spent to make a problem

102go away, a problem that should have should have have needed to be prevented, should have been prevented. Children in our district are expected to correct their behavior when they make mistakes. Why is this not the case for Dr. Battle and this board? Accountability should not be optional. This decision sends a message that settlements are prioritized over student success. And for our exceptional education students who really face systemic barriers, this is a painful reminder that their needs are often come last. I urge you to stop making decisions in closed rooms, cuz I've been in one of those closed rooms that cost our children opportunities. Redirect your focus, your budgets, and your energy back to classrooms, especially those who need it the most and deserve nothing less. Kimberly Moore Hello. Good evening. My name is Kimberly Moore

103and I'm in District 1. I'm a proud parent of a black Excuse me. I am a I am a mother of a black child with dreams, talent, and potential. And here in Nashville, 25, excuse me, 24% of back black children are not reading on grad level. And that should break everybody's heart in this room. Reading is key to learning. If if kids feel behind in school, school be becomes harder. Chances shrink and too many do doors close before they can even open. That's why this five, excuse me, f this five, this $6.5 million settlement needs is coming out of the the 25 budget that's that's coming out of the kids classrooms right now. This money should have been used to close uh reading gaps, putting books in kids hand in hands of kids and giving

104hope. Instead, the need is still there. Being a board member is not just a title. It's a duty to protect the future kids like my son. make pri make reading a priority investing our in our kids and stop making them make stop making them make the the mistakes of adults. Thank you >> Carla Mallister. Good evening. My name is Carla McAllister and I live and grew up in District 5. I stand here tonight as a concerned resident. Not just as a concerned resident, but as someone who believes that public education is the backbone of our city's future. In recent weeks, I've listened to parents, educators, and neighbors all asking the same question. How did we get here? How do we reach a point where 6.5 million of public money is used to make a problem

105disappear while our classrooms go without? This is not one bad decision is a pattern of secrecy, poor judgment, and reactive leadership. And while some may want to this settlement while while some may want to say that this settlement is behind us, it's being it's being paid from the 2025 budget taking resources from our schools right now. That money could have funded more teachers in struggling schools, expanded literacy programs, supported exceptional education students, and 1.3 million of it could have put a literacy specialist in every elementary school. Instead, we have fewer resources and more questions. Trust has been broken, and trust is only restored when leaders take responsibility or when voters hold them accountable. Dr. Battle won't step down, so the people will step up. We will step up in our neighborhoods. We'll step out. Step

106up at the ballot box and anywhere else our voices are heard. Our children's futures are in are way too important to leave in the hands of leaders who won't protect them. Thank you, >> Cheyenne. That's good evening. My name is Cheyenne Cuts and I live in District 4. What troubles me most about the recent $6.5 million settlement is not just the cost, it's the pattern. Too many things in this district have been swept under the rug. Problems don't disappear just because you move them out of sight. they resurface and when they do the damage is even greater. This settlement is more than a financial hit to taxpayers. It's another blow to the trust between the district and the community it serves. Trust is not automatic. It's earned through transparency, honesty, and accountability. And right now,

107this board and Dr. Battle have a serious trust deficit. My question to you is this. How will you reestablish the trust you have lost? What specific actions will you take to prove that decisions like this will not happen again? The community deserves more than vague assurances. We deserve concrete steps in the open with clear timelines. Being a board member comes with responsibility and oversight. You are not here to rubber stamp decisions. You are here to ensure that leadership serves students first, not self-interest. This $6.5 million could have gone towards putting more qualified teachers in the low performing schools right here in my neighborhood where students need the very best educators to close gaps and create opportunities. The trust of parents, students, and taxpayers is not yours to take for granted. I plan to make parents

108get out to vote. Thank you, [Music] Elizabethan. Good evening. My name is Elizabeth and I live in district three. I live in district three. And I want to talk about something bigger than just this 6.5 million settlement. And that is the culture that allows these situations to happen in the first place. Retaliation is never acceptable. Not against staff, not against parents, and not against anyone who raises concerns in good faith. And yet in Metro Nashville public schools, it has become part of the environment. When retaliation goes unchecked, people stop speaking up. And when people stop speaking up, small problems become big scandals. The kind that cost taxpayers millions of dollars. and rob our students of resources they desperately need. Leadership is not about titles. And as the director of schools, it is your responsibility, Dr.

109Battles, to make sure every process is followed with integrity every time. And as board members, it is your job to ensure she does just that. Being a board member comes with responsibility and oversight. And that means asking hard questions, demanding answers, and taking action when those answers fall short. This is not just about money. This is about trust, culture, and the example you set for every teacher, every student, and every family in this city. Our schools cannot thrive in an environment where speaking up is punished and mistakes are swept aside. I am asking you to break this cycle for the sake of our students, our teachers, our parents, and the integrity of public education in Nashville. Lead with the integrity. Leadership matters. Thank you, >> Theodore Willis. Good evening. My name is Ted Wills and

110I live in District 2. I'm here tonight to speak about the recent $6.5 million settlement. $6.5 million. That's the equivalent of roughly 81 teaching positions that could have been funded for this school year. Now, I don't fault the board for settling. Based on the alleged fact pattern, that might have been a good deal. But I do fault the board for not holding Dr. Battle accountable. Yes, >> I only have two minutes, so there's no time for me to go into each of Dr. Battle's breaches, so I'll focus on the alleged facts related to her shielding her brother from accountability. The district has an ethics policy that applies to all MNPS employees. Amongst other things, it forbids district employees from one using their position in MPS for five private gain. Dr. Battle is alleged to have

111used her position to shield her brother from accountability. two, providing preferential treatment to any person. Dr. Battle is accused of giving her brother preferential treatment. Policy five, losing the ability to make independent and impartial decisions. Dr. Battle Battle is alleged to have interfered in the discipline proceedings of her brother, a close family relation where she could not be expected to have been independent and impartial. Policy six, making any decision that does not follow approved guidelines and that is not in the interest of MNS. The alleged retaliation is not permitted under MNS policies and a $6.5 million payout is certainly not in the interest of the district. Having an adverse effect on the confidence of the public and the integrity of MNS. All you got to do is look at this room to know that the

112confidence of the public has been shaken. Number eight, reducing the operational efficiencies or economies of MNPS. Again, 81 teaching positions could have been created with $6.5 million. The policy promises that all reports of unethical behavior will be investigated and a disciplinary action up to and including suspension or termination will result. I'm not aware of any independent investigation of Dr. Battle. I'm not aware of any disciplinary action. >> Thank you. >> Instead of being held accountable, Dr. Battle got a dang raise. >> Thank you. Thank you, Yolanda Johnson. [Music] Melissa Bradlin. Good evening. Thank you for the opportunity to speak. My name is Melissa Sprdlin. I'm the executive director of Bookham. We are located in district 5, but we insert we serve the entire county. I want to begin by thanking each of you for your

113service and leadership. Your commitment to equity, engagement, and student success inspires our work every day. Bookham is proud to partner with Metro Schools to promote literacy and a love of reading through our reading as fundamental program. Nearly 300 volunteers served 16 Title One elementary schools last year, donating 1,900 hours and distributing over 31,000 books to more than 6,000 students. One teacher shared, "Access to books at home helped close the achievement gap. Our RIFF volunteer went above and beyond. Our book bus has made 45 community visits so far this year. Altogether, Bookham provided 115,000 books to Metro students, families, and educators last year, representing nearly $500,000 and free books and volunteer time. These efforts directly support Metro Schools core tenants create creating engaging personalized learning experiences and working to eliminate inequities by ensuring students have access

114to books that reflect their lives and spark their imaginations. Our volunteers are more than readers. They're role models. One student said, "I learned from her to love, be kind, be a leader." Another shared, "Books can help your imagination grow." These moments of connection and joy are the heart of what we do. We're grateful for our partnership with Metro Schools and look forward to continuing to support your vision. >> Thank you, Christopher Gardner. Oh. Oh, I'm sorry. Well, good, Mr. Gardner. >> Okay, no problem. Uh, good evening everyone. I am Christopher Garner and I am here tonight as a proud community member of District 1 and someone who sees the positive results of MNPS and Dr. Battle's positive impact in our community. In the five years under the leadership of Dr. battle. I just want to

115remind everyone MNPS has transformed. I'll go down the list again. Teacher pay is now among the highest in the state. Every employee earns at least $20 an hour, and step increases are fully funded. MNPS has expanded early childhood seats, added a nurse to every school, provided universal nocost meals, and free summer learning to every Dr. battles to launch UN University MNS ensures that every graduate has a clear path to college or a career with full tuition scholarships from every local and university. As a Tennessee Achieve mentor, I have had the opportunity to work closely with students from NP MNPS and they are entering college wellprepared. MNPS implemented a nationally recognized tutoring program and for the three consecutive years MNPS has been a level five district with the highest student achievement in a decade. In my

116personal opinion, it would be not good to interrupt that type of momentum. These aren't just policies, they are promises kept and they work. That's because in MNPS, Dr. Battle leads with a belief in something simple but powerful. Every student matters, every student belongs, and every student is known. Thank you. >> My apologies. Uh, Alice Jenkins Coru. Alan J. Alice Jenkins, Coru, right? Um, Angelica Brooks James. [Music] Good afternoon. It is an honor to stand before you today, not only as a proud parent and educator, but also as a proud product of Metro Nashville Public Schools. My journey began on the south side of Chicago. But it was here within the MNPS community that I truly found my footing, my purpose, and my passion. From the moment I walked through the doors, MNPS, where every scholar

117is known, represented more than just the school district. It represented safety, not just through systems, but through people. It provided a strong foundation, not just fundamentals. It offered the promise of prosperity, not just protocols. MNPS stands for equality and empowerment, not merely economics. It embodies determination and dedication, not just directives. Because of this support and opportunities I received through MNPS, I can proudly say I am a graduate and scholar of the Maplewood Comprehensive High School, a former substitute teacher and now an educator and a community liaison serving scholars, educators, and families. The lessons I learned throughout my journey in this district continue to shape the way I lead, teach, and parent every day. My commitment to this community is also personal. My daughter is a graduate of Big Picture High School and my son is

118currently a junior at James Lawson High School. I strive to be the kind of educator, advocate and p and parent who creates the same safe and supportive environment for them that my own teachers, parents, and mentors once created for me. Thank you for the opportunity to share my story. I deeply grateful and grateful for the path that MNPS has provided me and my family. I look forward to continuing this journey together as we uplift, empower, and support one another in this incredible community. As I take my seat, remember this. They went over, I'mma go over. All results and no excuses. >> Thank you, Bill Bond. Good afternoon. Uh to board members, uh parents, teachers, and staff. Parents, teachers have a hard job teaching what we're supposed to be teaching at home. They're underpaid. All right,

119we're short. um have teachers in our school. Teachers >> if he ever had a son to kill his brother and turn around and come and stab me for 10 18 time stab my wife because of a mental issue. Look here. I was a I have been vice president of Jun Paul president school board member and parent advisor. What in the world are we talking about? I've never I've never hear the state of Tennessee having like we have now. They mad because they don't have as many prisoners. We don't have to be in prison coming out under this leadership to go to the end talking about here over $6 million on my one son who was a running back went to Jackson State for a scholarship football scholarship somebody push my man drink his mental illness

120getting bipolar come home didn't know me didn't know his mama talking we doing so this leadership that we have right here. Come on now. I didn't mean to say all that, but I might have to take up the lection. If we don't put it in our kids. Oh, by the way, just got kid. My house got burned down by my son. Quit it. Not talking to the board. I'm talking to parents. Stop it. Let's teach our kids at home first. Thank you, Mr. Bond. Thank you. >> Uh Norman Maryfield. >> Uh good evening, board. Uh good evening, Dr. Battle. Uh I've seen the work of this district from a lot of lenses. uh lens of a parent, teacher, instructional coach, um contractor. And I think it's easy for people to criticize difficult decisions. As my

121father used to say, everybody wants to be the boss until it's time to be the boss. Um, and we have two boys, one a graduate of this amazing district and one that's a soon to be graduate. Um, and we are thankful and we are uh appreciative of not only the work of the board but also the work of the teachers, uh, the principles, uh, the coaches and everybody who takes time to pour into the kids and pour into each other. uh to be known. Um and I didn't write anything down, but I had something to say. And one, I I feel like I just want to go to the zoo. All of a sudden was a little distracted by that whole zoo situation. Um but we we appreciate you. We celebrate you. Uh we honor

122you and we would gladly invest uh everything we had into continuing to see you lead and see you uh help our city flourish and help our city uh fight back against the trauma and the ills that have nothing to do with your leadership, but they always seem to end up in our schools and end up in our seats and end up in our classrooms. Uh so thank you for standing up and making difficult decisions that can't ever make everybody happy. Uh and we honor that, celebrate that and thank you for that courageous leadership. Kenya Stinson Sanders. Marcus Barnes. [Music] Hello. My name is Marcus Barnes. I'm a parent of Dion Barnes who attends White Creek High School and I am a supporter of Dr. Battle. There is no one I would rather see leading this

123school district. I love Dr. Battle. She attended Metro Nashville public schools as a student growing up in Nashville. She spent her career dedicated. My bad. I'm used to holding the mic. I done broke the mic. My bad. Dedicated to our um students in our schools. These experience en uh enable her Dr. battle to lead our district and key insights in her expertise. And I'm so happy with my child experiences in Metro Nashville public schools. To name a couple, he um he's has an opportunity to do dual enrollment at Whites Creek High School. Y'all know about the dual enrollment program of it? >> Yeah, that's dual enrollment. All right. He also has a chance to do um other things like receive his associates degree. So my son under Dr. battle he can has a social degree

124once he graduate uh with that's got to do with the university MNPS school I believe cool beans he also can get a chance to earn a full ride scholarships to local colleges and universities he also did a chance to use uh hold up so >> not chat GPT You feel me? >> All of this was possible because of Dr. Battle outstanding leadership in Nashville. I trust Dr. Battle. I believe in you. It's my first time just seeing you face to face like that, you know. But thank you, Dr. Battle. Somebody fix this mic. Okay. Robin Beard Tilman. Okay. Kesha Cox. >> Good evening, Dr. Battle. Distinguished board members. The MNS dynasty is undeniably the heartbeat of our community. >> Excuse me. You need to hold the mic. >> Oh, I can hold the mic. I

125can touch it. Good evening, Dr. Battle, distinguished board members. Thank you, Dr. Bon. The MNS Dynasty is undeniably the heartbeat of the community, an inspiring force that stretches from our dedicated support hub to our exceptional elementary schools, dynamic middle schools, and trailblazing high schools. We are proud to celebrate the extraordinary work happening across our great district. From passionate educators and tireless support staff to curious, resilient scholars, every corner of MNS is alive with growth, creativity, and academic excellence. This district isn't just about instruction. It's about igniting possibility with drive to empower everyone to experience more, become more, and achieve more. MNS is a dynasty built on a foundation of excellence, continuous improvement, and deep community roots. And that foundation is expanding. MNS has been recognized as a level five district for three consecutive years. MNS

126launched University MNS where scholars can earn full tuition scholarships from local colleges and university. This is dynasty energy. Focused, forward moving, and undistracted. Dynasties aren't born, they're built. And the MNS dynasty is setting a standard that others strive to follow. So, let's be clear. Let's be very clear. We may be imitated in MNS, but we can never be duplicated. We are MNS. We are building a leg legacy that last. Schoolboard members, don't get distracted. We are building a dynasty. Thank you. >> Call. Good evening board members, Madame Chair, and Dr. Battle. For me, this moment is deeply personal. I stand before you not only as an educator and an administrator, but as a proud product of Metro Nashville Public Schools, having completed my entire K12 education within this district. Over the past 28 years, I

127have dedicated my professional life to serving the very community that shaped me. 14 years as a classroom teacher and 14 years in administration. Every chapter of my journey has been rooted in the belief that every child deserves excellence and every educator deserves support. I am so proud to serve under the leadership that shares the same philosophy and belief. Over the past five years, I've had the privilege of serving under the leadership of Dr. Adrienne Battle. Her vision has been a guiding light for all of us. She not only championed student success, but has also empowered leaders across the district to grow, innovate, and lead with purpose. Dr. Battle's unwavering commitment to strengthen instructional practices and leading strategies have made lasting impact not only on students, but on lives. She truly understands the importance of every

128child being known. and she equips administrators with the tools and trust we need to make that a reality. Her leadership is not just strategic, it is innovative, intentional, and deeply rooted in equity. At Madison Middle, where I am the proud leader, we've experienced the impact of strong, thoughtful district leadership. We moved at a priority status and in the 23 24 school year earned a level five schoolwide TV score. This progress is the result of intentional practices, a dedicated team, and a school community that believes in growth and possibility for all students. I'm honored to be a part of this journey and sincerely grateful for Dr. Battle's leadership. Thank you. >> Gentry. >> So, what are we really talking about? There have been similar lawsuits settled for similar per person amounts for similar accusations, but without

129similar torches and pitchforks. So, and for those who care to listen, it's not coming out of the 2526 budget. So, it can't be about the money, Sharon. If it ain't about the money, what is it about? I'm glad you asked. Let's talk it out. In an environment where someone decided to make the school board political by making the position partisan and having one woman supported by nine individuals leading over 11,000 owners on a mission to create a system that results in every student known. What's happening here is making some people uncomfortable. And then that army of over 11,0 started fighting through tornadoes, a pandemic, having a baby, needing escorts to your cars, focusing on folks showing up on your lawn, then flowed into a continuum of successes. Funding increases, thoughtful, collaborative, strategic planning, test scores

130rising, students returning to the district, test scores rising, partnerships growing, test scores rising. And dare we forget the White Creek Prep. And still, test scores rising. And after five years of success, after success, what you've heard here tonight is simply their best gotcha. Ma'am, you're scaring folks. Creating symptoms using a problem from five years ago to develop a narrative. A narrative designed to support a political agenda. an agenda that politicizes and uses as pawns students with disabilities, students from economically disadvantaged environments, English language learners, blacks, Hispanics, Native American students, the students that you, ma'am, are seeing, knowing, and serving. An agenda that needed justification to increase the cap on the number of vouchers like it increased the cap on the number of charters. An agenda that was counting on your failure. >> You're not a

131bad leader. You're not a demonstrated poor judgment. Or have you been a poor student, a district uh steward of the district's resources? What you are, my dear, is merely in the way. What is it about? It's about creating enough noise to throw you off your game. >> Don't let him. I too love you, Dr. Battle, and agree our students and schools are better because of you. Thank you. >> Thank you. We will now move into govern into committee reports. We'll have a report from our chair uh chair of governance committee, member Lrod. Thank you. [Music] >> Thank you. So before this meeting began at 5:00, at 4:00 we had a governance committee. At the governance committee we discussed some um policies regarding our charter schools uh 190 through 1 1906. Um we also discussed some

132expenditure of funds policies instructional programming discrimination and other discrimination language. All of those were discussed and voted upon along with a discussion about personal communication devices and in addition to that policy. And then there was a special election discussion about potential possible changes to our calendar which are with outside of our um desire or creation uh from the state due to the special election in count in uh district 7. So there was a discussion about that but no decision made. Decisions will be made soon. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. We'll now move into the consent agenda. Um is there a motion to approve the consent agenda as listed? Motion to approve. >> It's been motioned by uh member Maize. Is there a second? >> Second by member Fain. Um is there any discussion?

133There is no discussion. Um if you're in favor of passing the consent agenda, raise your hand. It passes unanimously. And that is being a further business. Our meeting is adjourned. This has been a service of the Metro Nashville Network. If you would like to see this presentation again or for more information on this and other programs, visit nashville.gov.