NASHVILLE, TN — Superintendent Dr. Adrienne Battle has been named the 2026 Urban Educator of the Year, earning the prestigious Green-Garner Award, the nation’s highest honor for urban education leadership, in recognition of historic academic gains, record graduation rates, and expanded opportunities for Nashville students.
The Council of the Great City Schools presented Dr. Battle with the award Thursday evening during its Excellence in Urban Education Awards Ceremony in Boston.
“Dr. Battle has effectively led MNPS through a period of significant academic improvement and achievement,” said Council Executive Director Ray Hart. “She has expanded academic opportunities, strengthened college and career pathways, and invested in educators and school communities essential for student success. Her leadership has driven academic growth and prepared students for success beyond the classroom. Congratulations to Dr. Battle on this well-deserved honor!”
Under Dr. Battle’s leadership, Nashville Public Schools has reached new heights in academic achievement, student growth, and graduation rates. The district has earned Level 5 status, Tennessee’s highest rating for academic growth, every year since 2022, while achieving historic levels of academic performance across every tested subject and grade level. The district also recorded its two highest graduation rates in history in 2024 and 2025, alongside significant improvements in student attendance and dramatic reductions in chronic absenteeism and behavioral incidents.
Dr. Battle accepted the award on behalf of the district’s students, educators, support staff, families, and community partners and said she was “extremely humbled by this recognition.”
“We have one simple truth and mantra in Nashville Public Schools, which is Every Student Known,” Dr. Battle said. “We’re unwavering, we’re obsessed over making sure that every Nashville Public Schools student is known, that they’re supported, that they’re valued, cared for, and on a guaranteed path toward success.”
Dr. Battle was named one of four finalists for the award in September. As the Green-Garner Award winner, she will receive a $10,000 college scholarship sponsored by Scholastic to present to an MNPS student. Along with the other finalists, she also will receive a $2,500 college scholarship sponsored by HMH to give to a student.
The Green-Garner Award is the nation’s highest honor in urban education leadership, recognizing exceptional superintendents and school board members from the nation’s largest urban school districts. The award alternates annually between honoring a superintendent and a school board member.
The award honors the legacies of Richard R. Green, the first African American chancellor of the New York City school system, and Edward Garner, a businessman and former Denver school board member.
