Higher education, of course, has long been one of Nashville's bragging points. The most prominent institutions are Vanderbilt University, with its highly ranked schools of education, medicine, business, and law; Meharry Medical College, a leading educator of doctors and dentists, which has an alliance with Vanderbilt; and Fisk University, which is highly acclaimed not only among historically African-American colleges and universities but also among all postsecondary schools. And these are far from the only options you'll find in this area. In fact, the region has some 19 colleges and universities offering baccalaureate, graduate, or professional degrees to more than 85,000 students annually.
Public Schools
Nashville/Davidson County
METROPOLITAN NASHVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM, Central Office, 2601 Bransford Ave., Nashville, TN 37204; (615) 259-INFO; mnps.org. In the 2015 report, Metro had more than 82,000 students representing more than 120 different countries. It is the 42nd largest school district in the nation. Metro has 139 schools: 72 elementary schools, 34 middle schools, 21 high schools, 4 special education schools, 3 alternative learning schools, and 5 charter schools. All public schools in Nashville—Davidson County are under the direction of the consolidated city-county government. The school board consists of 9 elected members and a director, who is appointed. Each Metro student is assigned to a school depending on where the student lives. This is called their “zone” school. School bus transportation is provided. However, there are different options for each child, including magnet schools, which we will cover later in this chapter. A 5-year, $206.8 million capital plan that began in the 1998—1999 school year built new schools and improved old ones countywide. Rezoning is also keeping many students closer to home; much of this is the result of a US District Court's 1998 ruling that ended voluntary desegregation after parents sued over the long bus trips their children endured.
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Metro's Board of Public Education meets on the second Tuesday of each month. Meetings are open to the public and take place at the Administration Building of Metropolitan Public Schools, 2601 Bransford Ave., beginning at 5 p.m. The board also holds work sessions on the fourth Tuesday of each month. The meetings are televised live on Metro's Government Access Channel 3 (Comcast Cable TV in Davidson County).
KINDERGARTEN
One year of state-approved kindergarten is required for enrollment in first grade in the Metropolitan Nashville Public School System. Kindergarten programs are available at all elementary schools. Kindergarten enrollment for children who will be 5 years old on or before September 30 requires the child's birth certificate, a record of a recent physical examination, an up-to-date Tennessee state immunization form, and proof of residence (a rent receipt or utility bill will work). The child's Social Security number or card is optional.
ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS & OPTIONS
Metro Schools offer a variety of unique enrichment programs. Gifted students in pre-K through grade 6, for example, can take part in the Encore program, which supplements regular classes with an extended enrichment curriculum. Students in grades 7 and 8 can take high-school classes such as Algebra I and first-year foreign language, often for high-school credit. High-school students can take part in AP classes and the Scholars Program, which recognizes its graduates with a Distinguished Scholars Diploma.
SPECIAL EDUCATION
Special education programs consist of individual education plans created by committees of parents, teachers, principals, and school psychologists. One committee meets to assess the student's needs; another creates the plan for meeting those needs, which is devised according to the student's disabilities. Students in special education programs may continue in the Metro system until they are 22 years old, if they desire. Whenever possible, they are mainstreamed.
METRO MAGNET & OTHER OPTIONAL SCHOOLS
Magnets offer alternatives to assigned or zoned schools and help offer voluntary desegregation for some students. They also allow students to study a theme related to their areas of interest or expertise. No transportation to magnet schools is provided by Metro schools, but bus routes from Metro Transit Authority are available. For information call the transit authority at (615) 862-5950.
A random lottery is held to select students for Metro's magnet schools. All students who meet the academic requirements may apply for admission to Metro's three academic magnets (Meigs Middle, Hume-Fogg High, and Martin Luther King High). Any student may apply through the lottery for admission to the various thematic magnet schools.
Applications for admission must be submitted by deadline (dates vary). Applicants will be assigned random magnet lottery numbers, which they will receive in the mail. If your child is selected for admission, you will receive a letter in the mail; you must sign and return the letter in order for your child to enroll. Students who are not selected will be placed on a waiting list. (Nashville School of the Arts does not have a lottery; the school selects 70 percent of its students by audition and 30 percent by essay or interview).
For more information on magnets, visit the Metro Schools website (www.mnps.org) or call (615) 259-8676 or Metro Schools’ information line listed at the beginning of this entry.
In addition to magnets, the system has nine Enhanced Option Schools and 10 Design Centers. The Enhanced Option Schools are kindergarten and pre-K programs that encourage learning through smaller class size and a longer school year. Enrichment and Encore programs are available to gifted students. Enhanced Option programs are offered at Bordeaux, Buena Vista, Caldwell, Fall-Hamilton, Glenn, Kirkpatrick, Napier, Park Avenue, and Warner zones.
Design centers have specialized programs developed to meet the needs of students in a particular area or “cluster.” Most programs are K—4, and there are also two preschools and three 5—8 programs. Each program has a particular theme, such as advanced academics or language/literature. For the majority of the centers, students living within the school zone have first choice to enroll in a design center and do not need to apply. Students living in the “high-school cluster” have second priority and must apply through the lottery. Students living outside the cluster are required to apply through the lottery and go on a waiting list until space becomes available.
For newcomers, finding child care in Nashville can be tough, especially if you're looking to get into one of the more popular centers. Some programs, however, set a few positions aside for people relocating to Nashville. They generally don't advertise that information, so be sure to ask.
According to the Nashville Area Association for the Education of Young Children, parents should find an out-of-home child care situation that they are secure with and their child is happy in. Talk to your friends, neighbors, and coworkers, and compare their likes and dislikes. Phone several schools, and ask to arrange a visit for both you and your child. Observe the caregivers interacting with children. Do they, for example, speak to children on their level? Attend a school function and observe. Arrange an appointment with the school's director and have a list of questions ready regarding such issues as staff stability and training, teacher education, programs available, fees, and policies for holidays and lateness. All nurseries and day care centers must meet licensing requirements. For more information on these regulations and child care providers, or for information on providers’ quality ratings, contact the Tennessee Department of Human Services Child Care Licensing, 400 Deaderick St., 2nd Floor, Nashville, TN 37243; (615) 313-4700; or visit the website tennessee.gov/humanserv.
Child Care Information
NASHVILLE AREA ASSOCIATION FOR THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG CHILDREN, 2021 21st Ave. S., Suite 440, Nashville, TN 37212; (615) 383-6292; naaeyc.org. NAAEYC was established in 1948 as an affiliate of the National Association for the Education of Young Children with two primary objectives: to promote standards of excellence in child care practices and to raise public understanding of and support for high-quality educational programs for young children. It does not certify early-childhood programs but provides information on how to identify and select high-quality child care. For educators and child care providers, the association is a resource for information, training, and support.
Other Child Care Options
FAMILY YMCAS, various Metro locations; (615) 259-9622; ymcamidtn.org. Area YMCAs provide day care for children ages 6 weeks to 6 years. Most schools also have YMCA before- and after-school care for kindergartners through 8th-graders.
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Many area churches offer day care programs. Among the most popular are St. George's Episcopal Day Kindergarten (4715 Harding Rd., 615-269-9712); Westminster Kindergarten (3900 West End Ave., 615-297-0235); and Woodmont Christian Preschool (3601 Hillsboro Pike, 615-297-9962).
YMCA OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE, 1000 Church St., Nashville, TN 37203; (615) 259-9622; ymcamidtn.org. With about 30 centers and more than 200 program locations, the YMCA of Middle Tennessee is the area's largest child-care provider. The Y provides day care for children ages 6 weeks to 6 years; Fun Company, the Y's before- and after-school child care program, is offered at about 140 sites. The program offers a variety of stimulating and educational activities for children, ranging from art to music to science. The Y's preschool programs promote productive play and incorporate fun with learning for more than 300 children.