NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Metro Nashville Public Schools is welcoming back thousands of students with new school start times designed to support student well-being and improve learning conditions across the district.
High schools will start 20 minutes later than last year, and elementary schools will start 10 minutes later. Middle school start times will remain the same.
The new schedules are also designed to improve transportation efficiency and expand before and after school care options.
Teachers, principals and support staff spent weeks preparing classrooms and connecting with families ahead of the first day.
Sean Braisted, Metro Schools chief of communications and technology, said the transition may take some adjustment.
"As with any change of this size, we know the first few days may require some patience as everyone gets to learn new routines. We encourage families to plan a little extra time in the first week, especially if they're driving their children to school," Braisted said.
The district is encouraging families to use available transportation resources, including the Find My Stop and Find My Bus apps for real-time tracking.
Metro Police are also stepping up safety measures as school buses return to the roads and students walk or ride to school for the first time in months.
Police said crashes near school zones have decreased over the past 3 years, and deadly crashes in school zones have reached zero.
More than 100 crossing guards will be stationed at 68 elementary and middle schools. Traffic division officers from all 9 precincts will be closely watching school zones and strictly enforcing the speed limit.
"Please leave home early, give yourself extra time, slow down, watch for students and school buses, drive carefully and please adhere to the 15 mile per hour speed limit in active school zones," Capt. James Williams of the Metro Nashville Police Traffic Division said.
Police are also watching for new safety concerns like e-bikes and e-scooters, which AAA said can move faster than drivers expect in busy school traffic.
Are you a Nashville parent, student, or driver navigating the new MNPS start times or school zone changes? Watch our full report for a closer look at what's different this year — and what Metro Police want every driver to know before hitting the road near a school. We want to hear from you. Share your first-day experience or reach out directly to reporter Eric Pointer at Eric.Pointer@NewsChannel5.com.
This story was reported by Eric Pointer and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Eric Pointer and our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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