AASA and National PTA Honor Nashville Superintendent with Excellence in Family Engagement Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Alexandria, Va. (Jan. 21, 2026) – AASA, The School Superintendents Association, and National PTA are pleased to announce the winner of this year’s Excellence in Family Engagement Award, Dr. Adrienne Battle, superintendent of Metro Nashville Public Schools (Tennessee). 

In its second year, the award celebrates excellence in family-school partnerships and recognizes superintendents who have implemented exemplary best practices to integrate family engagement across strategic plans, budgets and district infrastructure.  

The Excellence in Family Engagement Award serves as a symbol to encourage other school system leaders to intentionally engage families and contribute to national efforts that sustain public and private funding for family-school partnerships.

As part of the award, Dr. Battle’s school district will receive $5,000 to support family engagement initiatives.

“Superintendent Battle has demonstrated exceptional leadership in advancing family engagement as a cornerstone of student success. She has helped create lasting connections between schools, families, and the communities they serve,” said David R. Schuler, executive director of AASA. “Her work reflects a core tenet of public education: that strong relationships, trust, and shared responsibility between schools and families create better outcomes for students and stronger communities.”

“At PTA, we strongly believe that every strategy to accelerate learning must include families, and we are thrilled to join AASA in honoring Superintendent Battle with the Excellence in Family Engagement Award,” said Yvonne Johnson, president of National PTA. “Superintendent Battle's commitment to family engagement and understanding of the power of school-community partnerships exemplify the amazing things that can be achieved when schools and families unite to accomplish common goals.” 

Dr. Battle will be recognized during AASA’s 2026 National Conference on Education February 12 in Nashville. The award was made possible by funding from Overdeck Family Foundation.  

About the Winner 

Dr. Adrienne Battle, superintendent, Metro Nashville Public Schools (Tennessee)

Dr. Adrienne Battle has served as Superintendent of Metro Nashville Public Schools since 2019, making history as the first woman and first MNPS graduate to lead Tennessee’s second-largest school district. A Nashville native, she is a graduate of the district’s John Overton High School, Missouri State University, and Tennessee State University. 

MNPS has achieved historic outcomes under Dr. Battle, including four consecutive years of Level 5 TVAAS growth – the highest possible rating – in the Tennessee Value Added Assessment System in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 and the highest graduation rate in district history for the 2023-2024 school year. The district recently received national recognition for the second year in a row in the Education Recovery Scorecard for its work on post-pandemic academic recovery, with Top 10 rankings among large urban districts for growth in both reading and math from 2022 to 2023 and again from 2023 to 2024.  

Dr. Battle's tenure reflects a relentless commitment to ensuring that every student is known, supported, and prepared for success in college, career, and life. As an MNPS parent, she understands the power of partnerships with all stakeholders, families, and the community. 

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About AASA 

AASA, The School Superintendents Association, founded in 1865, is the premier association for school system leaders and serves as the national voice for public education and district leadership on Capitol Hill. A professional community of more than 10,000 educational leaders, AASA and its members are committed to providing high-quality public education to all students. For more information, visit aasa.org.