John Early Middle School partners with Vanderbilt University for new collaboration

Metro Nashville Public Schools and Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College of education and human development are joining forces to establish a groundbreaking lab school at John Early Museum Magnet Middle School. This innovative collaboration aims to enhance the educational experiences of middle school students at John Early by leveraging Vanderbilt’s academic and research excellence.

Dr. Adrienne Battle, Director of Metro Nashville Public Schools, expressed excitement about the partnership, stating that it will set a new standard for public school collaboration with higher education. The lab school at John Early will focus on rigorous academics and STEAM programming, preparing students for success in high-performing high schools and beyond.

Key program highlights include direct pathways to specialized academies at Hume-Fogg Academic Magnet High School and Pearl-Cohn High School, intensive tutoring in math, professional development for teachers, and unique learning experiences on Vanderbilt’s campus. The collaboration also aims to offer community courses and career pathways to further education and career advancement.

Vanderbilt Chancellor Daniel Diermeier emphasized the institution’s commitment to leveraging expertise for community benefit, highlighting the transformative impact the partnership will have on students and families at John Early. The lab school model is designed to showcase how public and higher education can work together to produce outstanding educational outcomes.

This collaboration builds on previous partnerships between Peabody College and MNPS, such as the Nashville Partnership for Educational Equity Research and the Collaborative for STEM Education and Outreach. Through initiatives like the School for Science and Math at Vanderbilt and Day of Discovery, Vanderbilt has been actively involved in strengthening STEM education in K-12 schools in Nashville.