Nashville Public Schools is celebrating Superintendent Dr. Adrienne Battle’s selection as a finalist for the Council of the Great City Schools’ prestigious Green-Garner Award, one of the nation’s highest honors for leadership in urban public education.
Presented annually by the Council of the Great City Schools and Scholastic, the Green-Garner Award recognizes outstanding urban education leaders for their contributions to student achievement, leadership, governance and public confidence in their school districts. The award alternates each year between recognizing a superintendent and a school board member.
“Dr. Battle’s leadership has helped Nashville Public Schools reach levels of success that once seemed out of reach, and she has done it while never losing sight of the students, educators and families at the heart of this work,” said Freda Player, Chair of the Metropolitan Nashville Board of Education. “This recognition reflects what those of us in Nashville have seen firsthand: steady, student-centered leadership and a belief that every child in our district can succeed. We are incredibly proud of Dr. Battle and the entire MNPS team.”
Since being named the permanent superintendent in 2020, Dr. Battle has led Nashville Public Schools through a period of sustained academic improvement and achievement. The district earned the highest possible Level 5 TVAAS growth rating for four consecutive years from 2022 through 2025; recorded its highest TCAP proficiency rates under current standards in 2025; and continued to improve achievement across core subjects in 2026. Nashville Public Schools also achieved its highest graduation rate on record in 2024 and earned national recognition from the Education Recovery Scorecard for ranking among the nation’s leading large urban districts in post-pandemic academic growth.
“This national recognition of Dr. Battle is also recognition of the remarkable progress happening throughout Nashville’s public schools,” said Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell. “Strong public schools are fundamental to a strong city, and Dr. Battle has brought a consistent focus on students, educators and the conditions that allow them to succeed. Nashville should be proud of what our students and schools have accomplished, and I congratulate Dr. Battle on this tremendous honor.”
Under Dr. Battle’s leadership, the district has maintained a focus on ensuring Every Student is Known, while expanding academic opportunities, strengthening college and career pathways and investing in the educators and school communities responsible for student success.
“Dr. Battle’s recognition as a Green-Garner Award finalist is a tremendous honor for Nashville and for Tennessee. Her leadership has helped drive strong academic growth while expanding opportunities that prepare students for success beyond the classroom. We congratulate Dr. Battle and the entire MNPS community on this well-deserved national recognition,” said Lizzette Reynolds, Tennessee Commissioner of Education.
“Having seen Nashville Public Schools both as Tennessee’s Commissioner of Education and now as president of Lipscomb University, I’ve witnessed the remarkable growth in academic achievement and educational opportunities under Dr. Battle’s leadership,” said Dr. Candice McQueen, President of Lipscomb University and former Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Education. “Lipscomb is proud to partner with Nashville Public Schools in that progress, and her recognition as a Green-Garner Award finalist is richly deserved.”
Dr. Battle, a graduate of MNPS, began her career with Nashville Public Schools as a teacher in 2003 and has served the district as an educator and administrator at nearly every level, including as a principal, community superintendent and interim director of schools before being named Director of Schools in 2020.
The Green-Garner Award honors the legacies of Richard R. Green, former superintendent of Minneapolis Public Schools and chancellor of New York City Public Schools, and Edward Garner, a businessman and former president of the Denver Board of Education. Finalists are selected by a panel of current and former urban school superintendents and school board members and the winner will be announced at the Council of Great City Schools conference in October.
