Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell said that education is the city’s biggest investment during his State of Metro address last week — allocating 37% of the total budget to Metro Nashville Public Schools.
If O’Connell’s budget is approved as-is by Metro Council, MNPS will get 13% more money than it received last year.
O’Connell said the additional funding will support teachers, classroom associates, textbook funding, and services for children with disabilities and English language students.
More: Nashville mayor outlines priorities — and a tax increase — in State of Metro speech
MNPS board chair Freda Player appreciates that the mayor is prioritizing education.
“We’re very thankful for the investment that he had in schools, particularly the support for our employees and our students so we can continue making the record gains that we have year after year,” she told WPLN News.
During his annual address, O’Connell said that he would not strip away mental health services from schools. His statement coincided with the Trump administration cutting $1 billion in federal grants that schools rely on to hire mental health professionals, like counselors and social workers.
Other support in the proposed budget includes investing $15 million to keep a nurse in every school and $3.2 million for 23 additional resource officers for school safety. There have been two deadly school shootings in the last two years in Nashville.
With the end of emergency federal funding, the city’s budget allocates $64.5 million to maintain support for safety ambassadors, college and career readiness programs, tutoring services, and summer learning programs.
O’Connell also touted MNPS’s accomplishments during his speech. In 2024, MNPS had the highest graduation rate in its history with 85.7% of students graduating.
Additionally, of the 100 largest urban school districts, Metro Schools ranked fourth in math and ninth in reading for post-pandemic recovery. O’Connell also highlighted that the district was one of five to appear in the top 10 list for both subject areas and the only district to make both lists two consecutive years.
Player hopes the increased budget for MNPS will result in the district achieving even more success.
“But these investments help us to prove and grow and make more gains,” she said. “And we will be the top education system in the state and then making our way up to the country.”
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