MNPS Superintendent Dr. Adrienne Battle has been named the 2026 ‘Mid-Cumberland Superintendent of the Year’ by the Tennessee Organization of School Superintendents, selected by her peer superintendents across the region. We’re proud to share the news with our community.
The recognition was announced during a recent TOSS Mid-Cumberland Superintendents’ Study Council, where Dr. Battle was honored for her leadership, commitment to student success, and service to public education. Dr. Gary Lilly, executive director of TOSS, said the award reflects something that goes beyond a single metric or milestone. “Dr. Battle is truly leading the region in the impact she is having on students in Nashville,” Lilly said. “This award is a recognition from her peer superintendents in Mid-Cumberland of years’ worth of innovation and service.”
That impact is well-documented. Under Dr. Battle’s leadership, MNPS has earned a Level 5 TVAAS Growth rating for four consecutive years, the first time in district history the district has sustained the highest possible score on Tennessee’s statewide measure of academic growth for that long. The district has also posted record highs in English Language Arts, Math, and Social Studies, the highest Science scores since tougher state standards were introduced, and the two highest graduation rates on record. Dr. David Snowden, superintendent of Franklin Special District, noted that sustaining that focus is no small feat. “Leaders in large urban school districts face many issues that can divert time, attention and energy from ensuring students’ academic success,” Snowden said. “However, Dr. Battle continues to provide the leadership that enhances student success.”
Mayor Freddie O’Connell pointed to that momentum as a reflection of what’s possible for Nashville students. “In the year after the highest graduation rate in Metro history, Metro students doubled down on their success, improving test scores in all key subjects, and showing multiple years of the highest level of growth in state measurement,” O’Connell said. State Education Commissioner Lizzette Reynolds echoed that sentiment, saying Dr. Battle’s work “sets a high bar for quality education and creates lasting impacts in the Metro-Nashville community.”
For Alignment Nashville, the recognition affirms a partnership built around students. “Dr. Battle’s steady, student-centered leadership has created the conditions for meaningful collaboration, stronger outcomes, and a shared commitment to ensuring every student thrives,” said President/CEO Melissa Jaggers.
Metro Nashville Board of Education Chair Freda Player was direct in her assessment. “The progress MNPS has made is not accidental,” Player said. “Four consecutive years of Level 5 growth, record academic results, and gains that continue to outpace the state all point to a district with a clear vision and the discipline to follow through.”
Dr. Battle, a Nashville native, graduate of John Overton High School, and the first woman and first MNPS graduate to lead the district, reflected on what the award represents. “This award reflects the work of our entire district: our students, educators, school leaders, support staff, families, Board of Education, mayor and elected leaders, and community partners,” she said. “MNPS is showing what is possible when a city believes in its public schools and stays focused on ensuring every student is known, supported, and prepared for success.”
The ‘Superintendent of the Year’ honor follows a series of recent recognitions for Dr. Battle, including the Excellence in Family Engagement Award from AASA and National PTA, a distinguished alumni honor from Missouri State University, and a new University of Tennessee, Knoxville partnership providing full-tuition scholarships to MNPS students.
