New partnership provides higher education opportunities for students at two Nashville high schools

Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) announced a new partnership designed to provide more high school students with access to college-credit bearing courses.That partnership with the National Education Equity Lab (Ed Equity Lab) will begin with pilot programs this fall at Maplewood High School and Antioch High School to provide students with the opportunity to enroll in college-level courses at no cost.“Metro Nashville Public Schools is deeply committed to equity and excellence, and this groundbreaking partnership with the National Education Equity Lab will unlock incredible opportunities for our students,” said MNPS Director Dr. Adrienne Battle. “We aim to show our students—many of whom come from diverse socio-economic backgrounds—that higher education is not only attainable but also achievable. Through this initiative, we expect to see an uptick in the number of MNPS graduates attending colleges locally and nationwide.”Under the program, Maplewood is partnering with Howard University to offer an environmental science dual enrollment course. Antioch High is partnering with Stanford University to offer a computer science course. The credits students earn are designed to be transferable to other universities.“Our work is rooted in the idea that while talent is evenly distributed, opportunity is not. We aim to change that — by providing scholars in high schools nationwide with the access and support to succeed in rigorous courses from the country’s top colleges,” said Leslie Cornfeld, Founder and CEO of the National Education Equity Lab. “By pioneering this education justice effort in the state of Tennessee, MNPS is setting a precedent for what is possible when schools and universities work collaboratively to break down barriers to higher education.”The National Education Equity Lab aims to democratize access to higher education by collaborating with leading colleges and universities to provide, and support, professor-led college-level courses high school classrooms across the country with high percentages of economically disadvantaged students. The Lab has served nearly 15,000 students in 134 cities across 30 states. More than 80% of participating scholars who complete their courses achieve a passing grade, earning transferable college credits and a university transcript.Maplewood High School and Antioch High School are the first MNPS schools to partner with the Lab and MNPS says the initial offering for this semester has enrolled a select group of students into the pilot programs.“By harnessing the power of this innovative partnership, Metro Nashville Public Schools is setting the stage for a future where all students have the resources, opportunities, and support they need to achieve their best potential in higher education and their careers,” concluded Dr. Battle.

University MNPS Initiative

The Ed Equity Lab partnership is part of Dr. Battle’s University MNPS initiative that’s designed to strengthen relationships with colleges and universities to provide students with access to higher education courses and mentorship.The district has previously announced University MNPS partnerships with Tennessee State University, Lipscomb University, Belmont University, Nashville State Community College, and Fisk University. These partnerships offer students full-tuition scholarships in a number of fields including business, education, and health sciences.