For the third time in six years, Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) has been awarded the highly competitive federal Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP) grant from the U.S. Department of Education, amounting to nearly $15 million to be utilized over the next five years. This tremendous accomplishment will support the establishment of new magnet programs in six schools within the district.
MNPS is committed to advancing our mission of providing equitable access to high-quality instruction for all students, and this grant propels that vision forward.
MNPS will immediately begin planning the implementation of the grant.
“This significant grant not only underscores the U.S. Department of Education’s confidence in our district’s capabilities but also solidifies our unyielding commitment to providing world-class, theme-based educational opportunities for our students,” said Dr. Adrienne Battle, director of Metro Schools. “As we continue to advance towards our North Star of being the premier large school district in Tennessee and beyond, integrating these funds will enable our scholars to explore, innovate, and prepare for a future that is boundlessly bright.”
The schools selected for the grant and their intended programs include:
- Amqui Global Communications Magnet K-8 School (K-8)
- Cumberland College, Career, & Community through Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Magnet (K-5)
- Isaac Litton STEM Magnet Middle School (6-8)
- Madison International Arts Magnet Middle School (6-8)
- Neely’s Bend World Cultures & International Arts Magnet K-8 School (K-8)
- Wright Global Media & Mass Communications Magnet (6-8)
MNPS has chosen these schools deliberately, with each having a notably high percentage of minority students enrolled, ranging from 26-51 percentage points above the district-wide average for elementary and middle schools. The intention is to not only augment opportunities for current students but to also entice further enrollments.
The MNPS MSAP project objectives entail:
- Reducing minority group isolation among African American and Hispanic students in proposed magnet schools.
- Ensuring all students attending the magnet schools meet challenging academic standards and are on track to be college- and career-ready.
- Ensuring that all students attending the magnet schools benefit from the magnet’s educational offerings and have equal opportunities to gain magnet theme-specific value-added skills and knowledge.
- Building the capacity within the magnet schools to provide rigorous, theme- and evidence-based instructional programs that will help promote choice and diversity in MNPS.
“This grant signifies a transformative moment for our students, staff, and the broader community associated with these schools,” said ReGina Etter, director of the MSAP program at MNPS. “Through this support, we’re providing our students with unparalleled experiences, hands-on learning opportunities, and invaluable career insights, among other benefits.”
MNPS previously secured the MSAP grant in 2010, 2017, and 2021, with funding from the 2021 grant remaining in effect until 2026 and the 2017 funding concluding at the end of this year. MNPS remains committed to supporting schools past, present, and future that have been chosen to participate in the MSAP program and will continue to look for opportunities to expand student opportunities and encourage more families to choose Metro Nashville Public Schools for their children.
