Nashville has 160+ public schools educating over 80,000 students, all part of Metro Nashville Public Schools, the city’s only public school district. We’re giving you the 411 on enrollment and student-teacher ratio (thanks to data from US News & World Report), as well as the rundown on bus stops, the district calendar, lunch programs, and more. And don’t worry, there won’t be any homework.
Before we dive into the details, let’s explore why Nashville operates with just one school district and share a few fast facts.
Metro Nashville Public Schools
In June 1962, Nashville and Davidson County residents voted to create one of the first fully unified governments in the US. Prior to the consolidation, both the city and the county operated school systems. In 1963, Metro Nashville Public Schools officially formed with the unification of Nashville and Davidson County schools.
The MNPS Board of Education oversees the daily operations of Nashville’s public schools and is divided into nine districts, with one member elected from each district to serve a four-year term. View the district map to determine your school board district.
Here are some numbers to know:
- There is a 17:1 student-to-teacher ratio across the district.
- 79% of MNPS teachers have three or more years of experience.
- Davidson County spends an average of $12,896 per student each year.
- The district employs 157 full-time counselors.
Families can choose from their zoned school, apply to a charter school, or select a school outside their neighborhood or zone through the school options process. Find a zoned, neighborhood school by entering an address into the zone finder search tool and check out the school pathways maps to see which schools a student will feed into as they advance grades.
Explore additional resources for elementary, middle, and high school students, as well as the district’s pre-K program. As of the 2024-2025 academic year, the transition of 5th grade to elementary schools will be complete and there will no longer be MNPS middle schools with 5th grade.
The Academies of Nashville
Created in 2008, students enrolled in the Academies of Nashville have a choice of 35 different academies within the largest 12 neighborhood high schools. Career paths cover a wide range of fields from engineering, hospitality, and health science to law, architecture, and entertainment.
District calendar and holidays
View an official district calendar for the current school year, including holidays, seasonal breaks, and the report card schedule. Download the Metro Schools mobile app for easy access to the calendar and other district updates or subscribe to the calendar to receive email alerts for newly added events.
Transportation
According to MNPS, all students who attend a zoned school and who live more than 1.25 miles from the building (1.5 miles for high schools) are eligible for school bus transportation, with “exceptions made for certain areas where unsafe walking conditions exist.” This Find My Bus Stop tool provides bus stop information and planned routes by address. The district also utilizes the Versatrans MyStop app (found in Apple and Google Play stores) to track a student’s bus.
Additionally, WeGo Public Transit is provided at no cost to high school students. The free service is also available to middle school students attending MNPS optional schools, with the exception of charter middle schools. Some charter schools provide their own transportation.
Breakfast and lunch programs
Breakfast and lunch is provided to students free of charge for the 2024-2025 school year. Families and teachers can use MySchoolBucks for staff meals, a la carte items, and second meals. Want to know what’s for breakfast and lunch? Use this interactive tool to see each school’s menus and view additional nutritional information.
Athletics
There are 14 TSSAA-sanctioned sports in high schools, while middle school students have eight sports sanctioned by the Tennessee Middle School Athletic Association. Bookmark MNPS’ athletics page for available sports, schedules, ticket information, and the district’s clear bag policy.
