MNPS budget proposal prioritizes funding for classroom assistance and college readiness

The proposed budget for Metro Nashville Public Schools prioritizes investment in English learners, college and career readiness services and funding for more classroom assistance. 

MNPS school board members discussed funding priorities for the 2027 fiscal year during a budget meeting on Tuesday. Top objectives included operational continuity, academic coherence, talent strategy and and positive school supports.

Operational continuity allows the school district to maintain its current services, and MNPS is asking for a $12 million increase in funding for that.

MNPS Board Chair Freda Player said that the high costs for educating students are necessary to provide a quality learning environment. 

“As we go and advocate for our teachers and our support staff and all of our employees, education is a service-based industry, for lack of a better word, and that it costs to provide the service, and you can’t go cheap on providing the service,” she said.

The district also has an aspirational budget, which includes investments in early learning opportunities, workforce retention, and school health clinics. 

According to the budget proposal, an important component of workforce retention efforts include providing school staff with more support by means of a nearly $6-million investment in classroom associates. 

Superintendent Adrienne Battle noted that the total amount requested for the aspirational budget is subject to change because investments in some priorities may offset others but the proposal does include $10.5 million to address the causes of low literacy and achievement.  

Jorge Robles, MNPS chief financial officer, said that federal funding will stay the same, which is better than the school district originally forecasted. However, MNPS board member Berthena Nabaa-Mckinney noted that these funding levels don’t account for inflation.

The school district is also expecting less state funding – partially due to voucher expansion efforts. The Tennessee House passed a bill nearly doubling the amount of available school vouchers earlier this week and the measure is going to the Senate floor for a vote on Wednesday.

The budget isn’t finalized yet. Next, Mayor Freddie O’Connell will announce how much of the city’s budget will go towards MNPS during his State of Metro address on April 29. The Metro Council will then review the mayor’s proposed budget and make a final decision.