All students deserve to be safe, known, and to have opportunities regardless of the zip code.

We want you to “Take the LEAD” in your family’s success and be confident in your choice for your child’s education. We want to take this journey with you— so LEAD emphasizes positive, honest and constant communication with you from your child’s first day.

Each LEAD Public School has a Family and Community Engagement Coordinator who serves alongside parents “LEADing the way” to ensure open lines of communication and involvement so you can be confident:

1

Your child is seen, heard and known.

2

Your child is prepared for life after school academically, socially, and emotionally.

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We’d love to talk more with you! Please do not hesitate to contact Corey Burton at 615-525-1614.

“It has been a great, phenomenal experience for them and myself. LEAD has a passion and a commitment. It’s a dedication. It’s a focus on goals that yous set for each student. It is a family atmosphere. Everyone is working toward the same goal. Everyone is working on the same purpose. I trust them. I’m very protective of Steven and Syeed. I want them in a safe, loving anc caring environment.”

Latashia Anderson, Proud Parent of Syeed and Steven Anderson, Jr.

Each year, all of our campuses will host a “Taking the LEAD Celebration.”

We invite all of our parents to come and enjoy this celebration as part of the LEAD family. Attendees will not only receive their welcome to LEAD Swag pack, but will also learn more about how to “Take the LEAD” in your student’s academic experience! We will also discuss the Commitment to LEADership. Stay tuned for dates to your specific campus!

“I chose LEAD because I was familiar with their academic model. My son was struggling at his previous school and I felt LEAD was the best option for him. The school is located in my neighborhood so that was an added benefit. I am excited about LEAD’s mission because it is inclusive to ‘all’. LEAD stands out because the expectation is for every student to go to college and be prepared for life no matter where they come from: their race, ethnicity, gender or financial status.”

Sonya Thomas, Proud Parent of Charles Thornton

Frequently Asked Questions

What is LEAD Public Schools?

LEAD Public Schools is a Nashville-based charter school network that operates six schools – both open and zoned enrollment – in grades 5-12. We are proud to serve a diverse population of students, and our mission is to prepare ALL students to be ready for college and ready for life.

Why LEAD?

LEAD Public Schools is transforming . . . People. Schools. Communities. Futures. – We believe all children deserve a high-quality education that prepares them to excel in college or a career — no matter their zip code. We carefully cultivate an environment, through our people and our schools, that ensures each of our students has access to the tools and resources required to put them on a pathway to success. Whether our students decide to attend a four-year university, a two-year certificate program, or enter the workforce, they graduate from LEAD prepared to pursue the future of their choosing.
We meet each one of our students where they are. We do not hand select our students – we serve students in the communities where our schools are located. We have been able to improve the educational experience and outcomes for students who have been traditionally underserved.
Our students come from the communities surrounding our schools. Our neighborhood schools outperform the local district and state average on multiple measures.
Our students defy low expectations and surpass the odds. They graduate fully prepared to excel in college or a career.
LEAD strives to be a family that leans on each other during trying times. Our LEAD Serve Others Stations help LEAD play a role in the resilience, strength, and courage that our families exemplify daily. Because even in hard times, LEAD families find a way to make it work. LEAD as a network is proud to partner with families by providing services when needed. We consider this service a part of meeting the needs of families and meeting them where they are. LEAD families and staff in need of assistance complete this form. Members of the LEAD Family Engagement team will follow up to see how to best meet the needs and/or connect recipients with the right resources.

What is a charter school?

A charter school is a free public school, run by an independent operator, which has been granted greater flexibility in return for greater accountability. In Tennessee, charter schools must be registered nonprofit organizations and operate under a “charter” as approved by the local school district or state.

Where are your schools located?

Our schools are located in North and South Nashville. To see the location of each of our schools, please visit our school pages here.

Who can apply to LEAD Public Schools?

There are no entry requirements to attend LEAD Public Schools. Our schools are open to all students in Davidson County in grades 5 through 12.

How do I enroll my student?

Visit our enrollment process page to learn more and apply.

What grades are you enrolling this year?

When will I find out if my child has been admitted?

We participate in the MNPS Optional Schools process and as a public charter school are able to enroll families throughout the school year. Once you submit an application, a member of our Family and Community Engagement team will follow up with you within 48 hours to confirm next steps.

Do you provide transportation?

Yes, we provide free transportation services to our LEAD Public Schools families. Transportation is provided based on availability, and the process is initiated by completing an application. Transportation will be based on your current address which you will verify during the registration process.

Do you provide after-school activities like sports and clubs?

Yes! All of our schools have sports teams and a diverse array of clubs and sports. Check out each individual school page to see specifically what is offered.

Do you serve students with special needs or an IEP?

Yes, as a network of free, public charter schools we remain committed to serving all of Nashville’s families.

How do I find out about how my child is doing?

All parents are provided weekly updates on their child’s progress through parent portals. We communicate weekly with parents about what is happening in the school and each school also holds quarterly parent nights.

How can parents and families get involved at LEAD?

We know that parents and families want to be confident that they are doing what’s best for their child, so our dedicated Family and Community Engagement Coordinators at each campus ensure parents and families have open lines of communication with the school and know how to get involved.

Parent participation is vitally important to success at LEAD! For students to learn, they must be present, in class, and engaged in the work, every single day. We want to do more than simply include families. In order to be a successful school and to have a strong student culture, we must meaningfully engage the families of our students.

Our goal is to meet parents where they are and enable them to be meaningful participants and collaborators in their child’s success. At LEAD, we track family engagement by measuring the percentage of families that we are able to effectively engage through our Family Engagement efforts. We have a goal to successfully engage 80% of our families through our family engagement efforts. In maintaining a robust family engagement calendar, and in order to successfully engage our diverse student body, we host activities that engages all of our students and families at their engagement ability. Here are some examples of how our parents gain participation hours:

Parent Volunteering
Bi-Weekly Family Possip Survey
Attendance at On-Campus Events
Attendance at Off-Campus Events
Supporting their scholars on campus (i.e. Birthday Celebrations, Parent Meetings, Parent Teacher Communication)
Parent/Teacher Conferences and/or Student-Led Conferences
Resource Cultivation – Providing Resources to benefit students and families.
Parent/Customer Experience Support – Communication with the campus on how we can do school better.
Supporting his/her scholar at home with assignments
Engaging in meaningful and intentional conversations with teachers, faculty, and staff throughout the year around their scholar’s educational journey

What is the school uniform?

We place a great deal of emphasis on our school culture and maintaining a school environment that is both safe and welcoming to all. Part of that includes how our students dress. We have made changes to our dress code that we will enforce on the first day of school. The highlights are as follows:

Pants and skirts that are khaki or navy blue (no sweat pants, joggers or jeans, no black, no shorts)
Shirts and blouses with a collar that are (green, navy blue, or white)
Plaid skirts are allowed in combinations of our school colors (khaki, navy and green)
Only LEAD approved outerwear may be worn during school hours and it must be worn with a dress code-approved shirt (if visible)
Hat, hoods, scarfs, and headwraps are not to be worn in school, except for religious purposes
Sweatshirts, hoodies and t-shirts must be LEAD branded or have a college, university or military logo.
Hoods are not to be worn in academic spaces

How do I order uniforms?

Families can order uniforms, polos and sweatshirts online. Feel free to visit our front office if you need to try on merchandise for sizing. We will cover shipping costs on shirts during the “back to school” order period which runs from June 24 to August 4th. Shirts will be shipped to the schools during this order period, and you are able to pick them up at your convenience. If you have specific questions, you can contact JBD at 704-841-8140 or by email at admin@jbdesigns.com.