Our History
The Nashville Public Education Foundation has been rallying the community behind our public schools since 2002, working to ensure that every child in Nashville thrives in our schools every day.
For over two decades, the Nashville Public Education Foundation has worked to improve public schools first through fundraising and more recently by increasing understanding of critical topics and support for research-based solutions and increasing research-based strategies for supporting student success in our public schools.
Evolving as an organization to meet the changing needs of a growing and diversifying community, NPEF has seen its mission expand to eliminate systemic barriers that prevent too many students from thriving in school.
First Public Schools Hall of Fame
NPEF hosts the first Public Schools Hall of Fame at Hume-Fogg High School, marking the 150th anniversary of public education in Nashville.
NPEF creates the Martin Professional Development Center
NPEF secures key donor and district support for the creation of the Martin Professional Development Center for MNPS teachers.
Blue Ribbon Teacher Awards
NPEF begins awarding the Blue Ribbon Teacher award to 50 teachers each year, in partnership with Metro Nashville Public Schools and Nashville’s Agenda, to recognize educators who exhibit instructional excellence, promote student growth, exemplify teacher leadership, and provide all students with an equitable and just education.
Project RESET
Project RESET, an NPEF initiative to gather community feedback on education, helps the city set new data-driven priorities for the future of our public schools.
NPEF convenes partners to develop Blueprint report
NPEF facilitates a months-long series of meetings with key city leaders and stakeholders on the prioritization of early childhood education and recommendations for citywide action to produce the Blueprint for Early Childhood Success.
NPEF Releases First Bridge to Completion Report
NPEF partners with the Tennessee College Access and Success Network and Metro Nashville Public Schools to analyze college-going data for MNPS graduates in order to identify trends and barriers and make recommendations for change.
Nashville Goes To College Online Tool
Driven by recommendations from the Bridge to Completion reports, NPEF launches Nashville Goes to College, an online resource for students and families to help navigate the college-going process, specifically intended for first-generation college students.
Thriving Schools Framework
NPEF creates the research-based Thriving Schools Framework exploring the conditions necessary to create schools where all students thrive and explaining how the presence of these conditions leads to increased student performance and agency.
NPEF Releases Documentary on Nashville’s Schools
NPEF produces “By Design: The Shaping of Nashville’s Public Schools,” an hour-long film examining historical moments of public schools in Nashville dating back to the 1800s intended to generate awareness and stimulate policy solutions for a better public school system where all students thrive.
NPEF Launches New Teacherpreneur Program
NPEF launches Teacherpreneur, a new program aimed to harness educator innovation to remove inequities and build schools where all students thrive by providing professional learning to help teachers design and refine solutions and pitch their prototypes for cash prizes and seed funding.
Nashville Child and Youth Collaborative
In partnership with other local nonprofits focused on the health and well-being of young people, the Nashville Public Education Foundation helps launch the Nashville Child and Youth Collaborative to center community conversations around the needs of our city’s youngest residents in the 2023 mayoral election and beyond.
NPEF Releases Documentary on the Day in the Life of a Teacher
NPEF produces “Why I Teach,” a 20-minute film highlighting the daily responsibilities of public schools teachers to highlight the talent in Metro Nashville Public Schools and spark conversation on how to best support educators.
