In a thriving school, students are noisy. Hallways are filled with sounds of laughter, play, and learning. You see curiosity, wonder, and empathy on the faces of children. You see joy.

In a thriving school, teachers and students openly share their struggles and accomplishments, their hopes and dreams for themselves and the world.

In a thriving school, leaders know that in order for students to thrive, teachers must thrive too.

We believe that the ability to thrive exists within each of our schools.

But creating thriving schools isn’t easy. The conditions do not occur by happenstance. They must be intentionally cultivated, supported, and measured, and we all have a role to play.

At the Nashville Public Education Foundation, we believe the conversation about school success needs to be broadened – that academic achievement and growth, though critically important, do not by themselves represent what we all want for our students.

We also want our students to be inspired and motivated, to be socially and civically engaged, and to be happy and confident learners.

By examining the conditions that exist – or don’t – in our schools, we can pursue intentional actions around the policies, resources, and expectations that allow each child to grow, learn, and develop to their full potential.

We see these conditions as both the destination and the journey. The conditions in and of themselves create joyful and effective learning environments for students. At the same time, the conditions are also crucial leading indicators to show progress toward our ultimate goal - high academic achievement and student success in our schools.

What are the Thriving Schools conditions and what do they look like in our schools?
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Click below to learn more about each Thriving Schools condition.
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LEARN ABOUT THE RESEARCH BEHIND THE THRIVING SCHOOL CONDITIONS
What are the Thriving Schools conditions and what do they look like in our schools?
Image
Click below to learn more about each Thriving Schools condition.
ImageImageImageImageImageImage
LEARN ABOUT THE RESEARCH BEHIND THE THRIVING SCHOOL CONDITIONS

Principals and School Leaders Leverage:

Students
Experience:

Teachers
Foster:

How do we know if these conditions exist in our schools?

While many schools regularly collect valuable data to inform the practices that support a thriving learning environment, state and other formal accountability systems typically do not include metrics that align to Thriving Schools conditions. Each of the Thriving Schools conditions is critical for students to thrive in school but current school accountability systems do not measure these things.

To bridge this gap, we have created profiles for MNPS schools that provide data on factors that parents and families have told us matter most to them and align to some of the Thriving Schools conditions. Families certainly care about academic data, but they also care about school safety, whether their child has a sense of belonging, and teacher quality. These school profiles begin to bridge the gap between the conditions that must be present in schools for students to thrive and the way we currently measure school success.

Click the buttons below to view the school profiles for MNPS elementary, middle, and high schools. 

How do we know if these conditions exist in our schools?

While many schools regularly collect valuable data to inform the practices that support a thriving learning environment, state and other formal accountability systems typically do not include metrics that align to Thriving Schools conditions. Each of the Thriving Schools conditions is critical for students to thrive in school but current school accountability systems do not measure these things.

To bridge this gap, we have created profiles for MNPS schools that provide data on factors that parents and families have told us matter most to them and align to some of the Thriving Schools conditions. Families certainly care about academic data, but they also care about school safety, whether their child has a sense of belonging, and teacher quality. These school profiles begin to bridge the gap between the conditions that must be present in schools for students to thrive and the way we currently measure school success.

Click the buttons below to view the school profiles for MNPS elementary, middle, and high schools. 

Thriving Schools Action Guide

We can all play a role in creating schools where every student thrives. Our Thriving Schools Action Guide includes a checklist for each of NPEF's Thriving Schools conditions as well as a list of things you can do today to help create and support a thriving school.
DOWNLOAD GUIDE

Thriving Schools Action Guide

We can all play a role in creating schools where every student thrives. Our Thriving Schools Action Guide includes a checklist for each of NPEF's Thriving Schools conditions as well as a list of things you can do today to help create and support a thriving school.
DOWNLOAD GUIDE

About the Thriving Schools Series

At the Nashville Public Education Foundation, we believe the conversation about school success needs to be broadened – that academic achievement and growth, though critically important, do not by themselves represent what we all want for our students.

We also want our students to be inspired and motivated, to be socially and civically engaged, to be happy and confident learners. But to get there we need to expand the conversation about what it means for a school to be successful for all students.

This series helps highlight meaningful differences among school conditions and the resources necessary for a school community to thrive, rather than focusing on characteristics of a school’s population.