MNPS presents $1.2 billion operating-budget overview, seeks $77 million 'bridge' to sustain ESSER-funded programs

Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) officials on Monday presented an initial FY25 operating-budget overview that they said totals "a little over $1,200,000,000," and proposed using $77 million of the district fund balance to sustain nonrecurring ESSER-funded strategies as the district transitions to a recurring operating plan.

Dr. Battle, who opened the presentation to the board, framed the budget around four core tenets and said MNPS will focus on literacy, numeracy, social-emotional learning and attendance. "We have 4 core tenants that, really speak to, who we are, as a, school district," Dr. Battle said, adding the district uses a personalized student dashboard to track daily progress.

Chris Henson, introduced to the committee to walk through fiscal details, said the district received a 9% increase over the prior year and has funded continuity-of-operations items including classroom associates ($10.8 million), an administrative pay plan ($5.9 million), universal free lunch ($8 million) and a 4% cost-of-living adjustment funded in the current year. "Our current year operating budget is a little over $1,200,000,000," Henson said.

Officials reviewed how funding flows to schools: Henson said roughly $591,000,000 goes directly to MNPS schools and $212,000,000 is in the charter-school fund. He also summarized capital needs that still require funding, naming projects including a new Lakeview Elementary, renovation at Paragon Mills, a new Percy Priest Elementary and solar installations at Glencliff and MLK High School.

A central item of the presentation was a proposed $77 million "bridge" from fund balance to continue successful ESSER-funded strategies after those federal funds sunset. Dr. Battle characterized the approach as a way to "turn [the ESSER] cliff into a bridge," saying about $64,000,000 of that sum has already been repurposed by the board and the presentation would seek roughly $12,000,000 more to be included in the operating-budget adoption that must move through the mayor and Metro Council.

Dr. Battle listed specific programs the fund-balance bridge would support if approved: maintaining a nurse in every school, safety ambassadors at elementary schools, continued high-dosage tutoring and scholars-portfolio programming, adoption of instructional materials, and sustained mental-health supports and professional development.

Henson warned that some Metro government charges were still pending and could change final totals: he said continuity-of-operations spending projects a roughly 5.2% inflationary increase but that Metro employee-benefit insurance, internal IT service fees, radio fees and building/contents insurance were not yet finalized by Metro Finance.

On compensation, MNPS estimated step increases at $10,300,000 for the coming cycle and said each 1% COLA for certificated and support employees would cost about $7,000,000. Officials said the district has pursued multi-year pay-scale restructuring for certificated staff, support staff and administrators and intends to continue that work.

Board members asked questions about charter transfers, voucher impacts and potential legislation that would allow charter schools to use underutilized spaces. Henson explained one anomaly in the charter transfer figures: a district charter moving to state-run status means some funds no longer flow through MNPS, reducing the transfer need this year. On vouchers, Henson said the Tennessee Department of Education deducts amounts for voucher participants from district TISA funding and those funds either go to state-run charters or to parents; he said vouchers affect district revenue rather than expenditure lines.

The board did not vote on the operating budget at the session. Officials announced a public community budget meeting on Monday, April 1 at 5:30 p.m. at the Martin Professional Development Center (Martin Center). Staff said the board is projected to vote on the operating budget in April, the mayor will present a budget to Metro Council by April 30, Metro Council hearings are scheduled for May and a final council vote is expected in June.

No roll-call vote on the budget was recorded at this meeting; a procedural motion to adjourn was made and seconded and the meeting concluded. "This has been a service of the Metro Nashville Network," the broadcast closed, directing viewers to nashville.gov for presentation materials.