MNPS staff present Year 1 capital spending plan listing 22 projects, outline priorities and timing

Metro Nashville Public Schools staff on Thursday walked the school board through a Year 1 capital spending plan that lists 22 candidate projects and districtwide allocations for maintenance, technology and safety systems. Staff emphasized that only projects named in Year 1 are eligible for funding consideration under the city’s capital process and outlined timing for a district facility assessment.

The presentation — delivered by an unnamed MNPS staff presenter (Speaker 1) — cataloged school additions and renovations including Amqui, Antioch Cluster, Cane Ridge Cluster, Chadwell, Gateway, Glencliff High School, Haywood, Julia Green, McGavock High School and Westmead (planned as a replacement school relocated to the Hillwood campus). Staff said the Year 1 list also includes funds for MNPS daycare facilities, a performing-arts center, pre-K classroom additions at 16 schools, and districtwide technology and maintenance needs such as bus and fleet replacement and safety-camera upgrades.

Why it matters: the plan seeks to balance immediate capacity needs (classroom additions and replacement schools) with deferred-maintenance work and technology refreshes that district staff say are necessary to keep facilities safe and operational. Staff also said the district will update its facility condition index (FCI) — last completed five years ago — with a solicitation planned for 2026 and project kickoff expected in 2027.

Board members asked detailed questions about specific projects, funding gaps and how priorities are set. Board member Mays asked about remaining balances for Antioch and Cambridge; an unnamed staff member (Speaker 2) said the allocation for Antioch “this year [is] $28.05” (units not specified in the transcript) and that the building’s full estimated cost is “about 60,000,000,” leaving roughly an additional $36.04 (units not specified) needed to complete the project, as stated in the briefing. The transcript does not specify currency units in the $28.05 or $36.04 figures; staff characterized the larger figure as “about $60,000,000.”

The board also discussed temporary hosting plans for Westmead at Hillwood while the replacement is built. Board member Tyler asked whether early-learning hub funding would cover upgrades at Hillwood; Staff member (Speaker 1) replied the district will fully renovate a portion of Hillwood for the early-learning hub, use contingency and maintenance dollars to make temporary space suitable for up to about two years, and include a small allocation in the Westmead ask to ensure the temporary space meets basic standards.

On charter leases and maintenance, staff explained state law and lease provisions govern responsibilities to charter tenants that lease district buildings. Large capital repairs such as roof replacements are treated through the district’s capital and preventative maintenance programs; leases also permit some charter-led repairs in exchange for rent credit.

Staff described the FCI scoring method used to prioritize projects: building condition (40%), educational suitability (40%), site (10%), and technology (10%). Board members asked whether fleet and bus dollars reflect replacement only; staff said the listed bus and white-fleet lines are replacement cycles and that additional requests (for example tied to school-start-time changes) could be submitted to the city outside the current plan.

Several board members requested follow-up materials: a breakdown of the $9,000,000 daycare line, a list of the 16 schools lacking two pre-K classrooms, the maintenance-item list by district, and recirculation of support-center plans that have previously been on the capital budget. Staff agreed to provide those details and to recirculate existing design and planning documents.

The presentation closed with staff reiterating that the district is pursuing innovative funding approaches, including public-private partnerships and phased design, to accelerate projects where possible. The board then moved to announcements and the regular board meeting.

Next steps: staff will recirculate detailed line-item materials requested by board members, issue the solicitation for the facility condition assessment in 2026 and continue budget discussions as part of the district’s multi-year capital strategy.